The water crisis that is currently happening in South Africa was caused by a combination of factors, including climate change, population growth, and poor infrastructure. As global temperatures continue to rise, we can expect more extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, which will put even more strain on our natural resources.

Our current systems of production and consumption are unsustainable. We are already facing a variety of environmental challenges, including deforestation, desertification, and ocean acidification. These challenges are worsen by the fact that we consuming more resources than the earth can replenish.

We’re getting closer to Doomsday

The drought, climate change, unbalanced demand and supply and many other factors combined are getting us closer to the doomsday clock. It is a symbolic representation of how close humanity is to a global catastrophe. The clock was created by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists in 1947 and is updated annually. It currently stands at 90 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been to doomsday.

This crisis is not limited to South Africa alone. This is a warning sign for the whole world that immediate action is needed to address the issue of water scarcity and drought. Climate change, population growth, and poor water management are just a few of the factors that contribute to this problem. As global temperatures continue to rise, we can expect more extreme weather events that will put even more strain on our natural resources.

As individuals, we can do our part by conserving water, reducing our carbon footprint, and supporting sustainable practices. We must also work together as a global community to address these challenges. It’s time to set aside our differences and work towards a common goal of a sustainable future for all.

To read more: https://bit.ly/_DayZero

Gyan Burman: His Life and Work

Gyan Burman was the eldest of three brothers. Focused and hard-working, he set a standard that his siblings strived to meet. Schooled at St Paul’s in Darjeeling, he spent a few months in St Xavier’s College in Calcutta before moving to the USA to study pharmacology and science at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science.

He returned with his degree in 1966, and my uncle, P.C. Burman, immediately began training him to manage production at the Dabur factory in Calcutta. It took him less than a year to take complete charge of the factory.

He enjoyed his social and club life in Calcutta, but nothing could prevent him from being at work by 8 a.m. every morning. He died in 2001 and the Gyan Burman Liver Unit (GBLU) was established in his memory at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi. Twenty two years have passed since the GBLU was started under the able guidance and leadership of Dr Samiran Nundy and I am pleased to see that we have accomplished whatever we set out to do.

During the past twenty years, the department has trained 135 Indian doctors from various states, from Kerala to Kashmir. International Fellows include doctors from Kenya, Mexico, Fiji, Turkmenistan, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, the USA, Greece and Pakistan. The department has rented and furnished a flat for Fellows who come from outside Delhi. Besides training doctors from all over the world, we have published books, funded research papers, sponsored doctors for conferences. We have organized eight orations by eminent doctors from the world over, appreciated by the management of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. The department has published a number of books including 25 Annual Audits of the Department, Liver Transplantation in India, 10 years of SGLT, Residents’ Manual and Liver Transplant Handbook for Patients. Our name is well known and our efforts have borne results. Our family is proud of the achievements of the Unit and considers it a worthy memorial to a well- loved and respected man. I congratulate Dr Nundy and his team and wish them success.

The age of humans is so drastic and impactful that it is now called the ‘Anthropocene.’ And what is happening to us now is called ‘Anthropogenic Extinction.’ This is the 5th Mass Extinction that has ever happened on our planet, but it is the most drastic and brutal. So many species of plants and animals are dying each day that they are dying faster than we can even identify them. Usually, during these extinctions, animals have the time to evolve against such changes that unfold over millions of years. But, since we have done this in just over 300 years, most animals or plants stand no chance. 

The world’s oceans are already deserts, and now what little oases were left are dying as we see coral reefs turning skeletal, shell creatures losing their calcium, and plastic slowly replacing the fishes. All these changes impact human life directly as we ourselves are dependent on most of these systems. Forest fires are ravaging California homes, and cities in China and India are choking with clouds of smog, while Australia and Europe burn in searing waves. Crops fail in Africa, and cyclones and typhoons ravage our coastlines. We break the limit of having the hottest year, every year. Climate refugees have already begun migrating while water scarcity increases.

All these pressures are mounting and the scientists have already rung the warning siren. If we don’t wake up and listen to it now, nobody knows the extent at which we can damage life on Earth.

Investing in empowering women opens the door of potential for the entire world. Women are an untapped resource in the fight against global issues. They are underutilised resources with the potential to improve livelihood, economic output, productivity, and even human life itself. The fact that women can achieve incredible things isn’t new or particularly surprising – but the fact that they can do so in the face of patriarchy, oppression, and inequality is a testament to their unwavering spirit and determination.

Many women have inspired and empowered other women to overcome the restrictions imposed by society. Even after so many decades, Mother Teresa continues to be a trailblazer in breaking down gender stereotypes around the world. Her selfless dedication to the poor and their education helped improve the lives of the marginalised. Savitribai Phule is another role model in the world of empowered women, empowering women. In India, her emphasis on secular education for social emancipation is a distinguishing feature of her personality. By getting to know her better, by understanding her struggles and hardships, we witness a life that not only changed the face of education in India but also enlightened humanity in its real essence.

At the intersection of science, medicine, and human rights, we see daily how women from different spheres all over the world continue to lead, innovate, and generate energy and resources for the global movement for justice and accountability. Bill and Melinda Gates write about the major insights they have discovered over their years of investing in the developing world and building the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, “All lives have equal value is not just a principle; it’s a strategy. You can create all kinds of new tools, but if you’re not moving toward equality, you’re not changing the world. You’re just rearranging it. When women have the same opportunities as men, families, and societies thrive. Obviously, gender equity unleashes women’s potential, but it also unleashes men’s potential.” So, an atmosphere of #EqualSamman is what we need to achieve to progress as a peaceful society.

For giving women the much-deserved ‘Equal Samman’, Mobius Foundation best NGO in India, is constantly working to empower women. We focus on women at the ground level through Project Aakar by counseling them for their reproductive health and the right to make informed decisions in planning their families. The Mobius Foundation has even launched a campaign and a webinar to raise awareness for a gender-equal society. In keeping with the UN theme of ‘Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow’, the campaign sought to comprehend the #BreakTheBias motto and its role in the workplace and daily life.

The webinar took place virtually on March 8^th, 2022, from 3:00-4:30 PM. It comprised a panel of trailblazers who overcame societal obstacles to become who they are today.