'Ethics, spiritualism crucial in fight against climate change'

New Delhi, Feb 9 (UNI) Technocrats, experts and policy makers from all over the world taking part in the 8th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit here today received an impassioned plea for bringing an ethical and spiritual approach to meet the challenge of climate change.

''The unchecked consumerism propagated by the corporate culture should be stopped if we want to sustain our earth and our development,'' said former vice president of Iran Dr Massoumeh Ebtekar speaking at the Summit here.

She also condemned the ''leading politicians of the world'' for reneging on their promises regarding the fight against climate change.

The Iranian leader said despite the IPCC report making it clear that the climate change was happening, mainly because of human activities, major players and policy makers were not willing to take any action, which led to the question why the knowledge about the impending catastrophe had not led to major changes in the choices, lifestyles and policies of politicians.

Dr Ebtekar said the question was directly related to our world view and the ideology of the major contenders in today's global village.

She said the consumerist culture still pays little if any attention to sustainable policies, and coprporates are in search of profit regardless of where and how it is to be got.

In this connection, she also condemned the role of the media, saying that controlled by corporates, the media was promoting the consumerism by influencing the perceptions and choices of billions of people.

''Media is yet to communicate to people the slightest commitment to priciples of conservation and sustainability. They continue to promote violence and explicit scenes that only promote a culture of consumerism and pleasure seeking indifference,'' said Iranian leader.

Science and technology had made life comfortable and much better, yet spiritual realm that was a great enabler for overcoming the multiplicity of life's challenges has been denied, she said.

''In spite of advances in science, we are still failing to witness knowledge based decision-making processes particularly at the global level.. Today more than ever, we lack the ethical framework to correct our actions and to bring about change in our personal lifestyles and collective policies,'' she said.

''The leading politicians in today's world fall well below expectations when it comes to commitments and promises that have been made. ... global public opinion has little confidence in the actions of its leaders, '' she added.

She said the world today was facing two major wars--a war against nature and war against humanity and one can see that both have a common root.

''Both wars may stem from inner human restlessness. Government and business leaders need inner peace to promote peace with nature and peace with other societies,'' said the former Iranian vice president.

The three-day Summit organised by TERI comes to a close today.

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