The Context
The freshly wrapped up 18th BRICS Summit held in New Delhi from September 12-13 provided an epistemic break from the conventional etymological frameworks of the environmentalism. At the outset, the summit’s theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability” resonated strongly with the Indian ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and Sarvesham Oorjam.That the Chaturvedas put a premium on the cosmic order (Rta) demonstrates our civilisational commitment to sustainability for Sarva Loka Hitam (welfare of all). Ethical restraint prescribed in the Vedas is premised on the interconnectedness of all beings, a principle that the Occidental has quite recently unraveled.
Subsequently, both the verbal and non-verbal cues at the summit conspicuously indicated the joint commitment for a sustainable future. The thoroughly curated media kit and other souvenirs included sustainable accessories such as block printed scarves from Gujarat, renewable cups and recyclable water bottles, and Gadchiroli handcrafted bamboo bouquets. Even the superfood snacks contained Bihar’s Sattu and Odisha’s coffee, celebrating regional diversity and Bharat’s impetus on ‘vocal for local’. The global development should be complemented by sustainable progress- is the fundamental belief of the host nation Bharat which regards nature (prakṛti) as a Mother. Mātā bhūmiḥ putro’haṃ pṛthivyāḥ (Atharvaveda 12.1.12) literally translates to “The Earth is my nurturer, and I am her child.”
Foregrounding the Hypothesis
This article aims to underscore the significance of the pledge of sustainability expressed by world leaders at the BRICS summit in the context of climate change and anthropocene crisis and impending eco-apocalypse due to unregulated greed. When Prime Minister Modi flagged “weaponisation of technology and critical minerals” as a challenge, he insisted on collective redressal rather than competitive advancement. His focus on collaborative responses to pandemics and climate crisis is derived from the Hindu core philosophy of living in harmony that has guided Bharat for centuries. Jijīviṣet śatam samāḥ from Yajurveda iterates the right of every living being to coexist on this earth without disruption, destruction or harm.
The raison d’être of reaffirming solidarity in the context of sustainability stems from growing threats posed by unregulated technology and climate variation. Catastrophic flash floods, heatwaves, dry spells, systemic water stress, seasonal forest fires and intense droughts have afflicted the globalscape. Of late, the international scramble for energy and rare earth element has triggered a new geopolitical struggle affecting ecologically fragile nations. As human relations have become increasingly fraught with difficulties, the theme of cooperation assumed greater importance in the Summit. Most scholars are aware that Green theory emerged in the twentieth century as a response to unbridled growth and resource exploitation. It placed global environment at the center of policy formation.
Reiterating the Cause
Reviving the same spirit, global leaders at the BRICS summit reasserted their obligation to the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement, urging all parties to uphold and expand climate action, with clear focus on equity and “common but differentiated responsibilities.” They also reiterated implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its widespread and people oriented objectives. The leaders also assented to promoting the 2030 Agenda in an environmentally sound and shared manner. There was a shared recognition of the pressing need for coordinated action on debt sustainability to make available fiscal space for climate/development investment. A resistance against unilateral trade measures like carbon border adjustment mechanisms (CBAM), was raised as it is unambiguously discriminatory to developing countries.
It is crucial to highlight the discussion on the promotion of community-based, traditional-knowledge-driven adaptation approaches. India, that is Bharat, has been advocating this for decades. This implies equal treatment of ecological wisdom with scientific knowledge rather than subordinate to it. While there was an acknowledgment that fossil fuels will be vital for EMDEs, simultaneous pursuit of “just, orderly, equitable and inclusive” energy transitions was also on the agenda. The unanimous agreement on bridging the gap between privileged and underprivileged redefined cooperation. The consensus on widest possible amalgamation of energy sources, including renewables, nuclear, hydropower, bioenergy to ensure “technological neutrality” was a definite achievement.
The Declaration drafted in New Delhi encompasses environmental provisions which are in positively discernible alignment with Bharatiya ethos, notwithstanding the multilateral nature of the document.
The focal point of biodiversity conservation, and more precisely Bharat’s International Big Cats Alliance, demonstrates the Vedic cultural tradition of considering fauna as sacred and figuratively and representatively tied to dharma. The interlinked management of “mountains, water resources, forests… farmlands, grasslands and deserts” imitate the Panchamahabhuta system of the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, space) as an integrated framework requiring holistic stewardship rather than fragmented, extractive management.
Bharatiya Ecological Viewpoint
The aforementioned commitments strike close chord with the theoretical underpinning of ecocentrism. In the twentieth century West, Ecocentrism emerged as a philosophical branch, postulated by thinkers like Aldo Leopold’s ecological conscience of “land ethic” and Arne Naess’s deep ecology stimulated by biocentric egalitarianism. They theorised that ecosystems retain intrinsic value independent of utilitarianism. Contrary to anthropocentrism, which envisages nature instrumentally, ecocentrism asserts that ethical dimensions extend to the biotic community as a whole.
India’s constitutional wisdom in Articles 48A, 51A(g) and edifying ingenuity of Isha Upanishad’s Ishavasyam idam sarvam, meaning “all this is pervaded by the divine” anticipates this stance by centuries. Ultimately, an Indian ethos-based ecocritical approach encourages am epochal shift from ecological misuse to coexistence, responsibility, and sustainability.
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Swasti Sharma
Swasti Sharma is an Assistant Professor of English at University of Delhi. Her area of specialization is Environmental Humanities.
