SPIRITUALITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

In today's world, we do not pass a day without reading or hearing the words "climate change". Politicians and policymakers have been converging at global climate summits every year to find ways to ease the crisis. It is known for decades that human creativity has developed resource-intensive economies with their unprecedented toll on nature. However, the technocratic approach to development has ignored certain spiritual and philosophical values that have channeled human energy within culture-specific ethical boundaries for centuries. Humanity requires not only scientific solutions but also spiritual guidance in its use of the limited resources of our planet. In this context, one can also ask if the teachings of the ancient spiritual scriptures persuade contemporary Hindus to take action aimed at mitigating the effects of human action on the environment. In this monograph, the author, an international environmentalist, addresses the seldom discussed subject matter of easing the climate change crisis using spirituality in the context of Hinduism.