Down To Earth, the environment and development fortnightly, that the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) helps publish, celebrated 25 years of its existence by launching Amitav Ghosh’s book on climate change The Great Derangement at India Habitat Centre in New Delhi on 19 July 2016.
The book release saw the CSE director general Sunita Narain in conversation with Ghosh. The release was jointly organized by CSE and Penguin India, which has published the book. Down To Earth is partnering with CSE in organizing a number of workshops, conclaves and other events across the country to mark the year.
Speaking ahead of the release, Narain said, “Climate change is about sharing economic growth within and between nations. The weather is becoming more unpredictable, more extreme and we are all at risk. Worse, the world is failing to negotiate how it will share economic growth that is intricately linked to CO2 emissions.”
It is a sign of the times – that one of India’s best known writers writing in English has done one of his rare non-fiction works on climate change, probably the biggest threat the world faces today. The Great Derangement is a comment on the history and politics of climate change. Living in a time when impacts of climate change are being experienced more than ever before, Ghosh has used the book to give a call for immediate action. “It is very hard to understand why we do not seem to grasp the immensity and urgency of climate change that is already unfolding around us,” said Ghosh in an exclusive interview to Down To Earth.
“We are teetering at the edge of a new era in which many of our past habits of thought and practice have become blinders which prevent us from perceiving the realities of our present situation.”
In his interview, Ghosh lamented the lack of writers talking about developmental and environmental issues through contemporary literature. On being asked why creative thinkers are vacating the ‘thinkable spaces’ he said, “We are teetering at the edge of a new era in which many of our past habits of thought and practice have become blinders which prevent us from perceiving the realities of our present situation.”
