An ecologist called Mahatma Gandhi

The second key statement tells us that while the basic needs of all people should be met, there should also be consciousness regarding a limit on consumption. Although the pressures on nature had not become so acute in Gandhi’s lifetime and there were no scares either of ozone depletion or of climate change, he had the foresight to see that our planet’s capacity to support consumption was not infinite. The Mahatma said: “Nature has enough to satisfy the needs of everyone but nothing to satisfy the greed of even a few.” Due to the unequal distribution of power, it is possible for a relatively small number of people to corner an extremely large share of the earth’s resources. According to recent data, the net worth of the 358 richest people of the world is equal to the combined income of the poorest 45 per cent of the world’s population — 2.3 billion people. The richest 20 per cent corner 85 per cent of the world’s income. People in industrial countries consume nearly nine times as much commercial energy per capita as people in developing countries, though they constitute only a fifth of the world’s population. That is, pressures on environment are largely a result of the excessive consumption of the richest 20 per cent.

Mahatma Gandhi stated quite clearly that the greed of even a few people and their tendency to pursue a highly affluent and wasteful lifestyle could prove very destructive to nature. This is evident today in global warming, air and water pollution and various other ecological problems. The Gandhian solution to the environment crisis is clear — curb this greed of the few.

If we can convince the richest people of the desirability of not increasing their consumption and accumulation beyond a point, then this will reduce the pressure on nature and help us to protect the environment. In addition it will become easier to meet the needs of the poor.