Gandhi’s civilizational alternative and dealing with climate change

Climate change is a culmination of accumulated environmental problems. Dealing with it effectively, rather than merely tinkering with it, requires a civilizational alternative suggested by M. K. Gandhi. Although Gandhi did not explicitly discuss environmental issues, his perspective is so relevant as if he had directly addressed them. His alternative is nonviolent both to nature and humans and has Sarvodaya as its goal, which means the rise or emancipation (udaya) of all (sarva). Every individual is important; none should suffer in the course of economic development. But the basic nature of environmental problems is that they deprive quite a lot of people, though economic growth which generates them may benefit a few. Gandhi did not deny the need for development; he only had a different perspective of it. He took a holistic and integrated view of political, social, economic, technological, and cultural dimensions of his alternative in a manner that they strengthened each other. This paper spells out these dimensions as being relevant in dealing with climate change.