Time to recognise an ‘Inconvenient Truth’

The private sector and civil society leaders need, as a matter of urgent priority, to view the Al Gore film “An Inconvenient truth – A Global Warning”.
They should do so, neither because Al Gore was a former US Vice President and came near to winning the Presidential race, nor because he won an Oscar for his role in the film. They should do so because it opens their eyes to what tomorrow can be; and leaves the viewers in no doubt as to what each person, who has a feeling for the world he or she will leave behind as a legacy for the future generations – Yes it reveals the inconvenient truth on the environment and the likely future consequences on mankind.

The introduction to the film states, “Former Vice President Al Gore shares his concerns on the pressing issues of global warming in this documentary. A long time environmental activist, Gore first became aware of evidence on global warming in the 1970’s, and since leaving public office he has become a passionate advocate for large and small scale changes in our laws and life styles that could help alleviate this crisis. An Inconvenient Truth records a multi media presentation hosted by Gore in which he discusses the scientific facts behind global warming, explains how it has already begun to affect our environment, talks about the disastrous consequences if the world’s governments and citizens do not act, and shares what each individual can do to help to protect the earth for this and future generations. While global warming is a hotly debated subject, what everyone on both sides can agree upon is that, if real it is a very bad thing. Since losing the 2000 presidential election to George W. Bush, former Vice President Al Gore has busied himself by being an outspoken figure against this potential environmental disaster. As much about the man as about greenhouse gases, this candid, powerful and informative documentary illuminates some of the myths surrounding both of its subjects equally well.”

Leaders must recognize that the weather patterns, in terms of the changes in the rainy and dry weather seasons, intensity of rain, earth slips, day and night time temperatures, humidity, wind velocities, cyclones, floods, tidal waves experienced in Sri Lanka in the recent past are quite different to that in the yester years. These experiences in the context of the present unusual weather at night, associated with the inconvenience of sleeping without the luxury of an air conditioner, must confirm that even in ‘God’s own country’ Sri Lanka has not been spared of the effects of global warming.
Leaders have watched as silent observers or have participated actively, directly or indirectly along with successive governments in the degradation of our environment by way of;

•Denudation of forests, bringing the extents under forest cover to a fraction of the past.
•Excessive and indiscriminate felling of trees in forests and rural areas, thinning out the existing total forest cover .
•Not engaging in forestation and nurturing the habit of growing trees as a part of a societal norm.
•Filling up paddy fields and tracts of land which served as drainage.
•Failure to halt the excessive and indiscriminate mining of coral.
•Indiscriminate use of hilly areas for cultivation and habitation, without the adoption of available conservation techniques.
•Lack of appropriate standards and control measures to limit the emissions from the use of fossil fuels in transport vehicles, industrial/ commercial establishments and homes.
•Indiscriminate daily use of substances which are difficult to dispose.
•Ineffective garbage disposal methods.
•Excessive use of chemicals and other pollutants in agriculture and industry without necessary stan.
• Pollution of rivers, tanks and water ways with garbage, affluent etc.
•Excessive river sand mining.
•Excessive quarrying of metal and use of rubble and earth without standards and necessary control measures.
•Excessive use of ground water.
•Failure to conserve the use of drinking water.
•Failure to promote the use of alternative construction material including recycling construction rubble.
•Recycling not becoming a part of the embedded societal norm committed to by all.
•Environmental and ecological conservation not being effectively taught and practiced in schools, homes and business.

It is timely for leaders to realise that this film is described as “by far the most terrifying film you will ever see” and as “it is difficult to get a man to understand something their salary depends upon his not understanding it.”
Sri Lankan business, media and civil society leaders must hastily take steps to increase awareness amongst all citizens, drive changes to our laws and life styles with strategies implemented compulsively under passionate leadership, taking the government along as well.