Thoughts on an Engaged Buddhist Response to Climate Change
Buddha’s unique insight of dependent origination is a universal ecology of cause-effect relationships between all phenomena and is critical to reversing the factors contributing to dangerous climate change. The notion that all things and situations arise out of multiple causes and conditions shows the delusion of considering ourselves as separate from other beings and things. It is this deluded sense of a separate self that endangers other inhabitants of our planet.
Buddha’s world-view of interdependence of all beings provides an antidote to the causes and conditions giving rise to this environmental crisis.
The problems and solutions of climate change can be framed within Buddha’s four truths – often referred to as Noble Truths – or what Buddhist author Stephen Bachelor calls the ‘four actions’. In Bachelor’s framing the first two actions of the existence of dukkha and its cause of craving parallel the dilemma of global warming. These initial two actions establishing our existential ‘problem’ are followed by the ‘solutions’ of the two remaining actions – namely that there is a way out of the problem and a road map exists for finding the way.
Buddha’s teachings also provide a powerful antidote to personal and institutional manifestations of greed, hatred and delusion contributing to global warming. What Buddhist scholar David Loy aptly calls our collective ‘WEGO’ places us at a critical crossroad. Buddha’s teachings exhort us to avoid harming others including other species. Avoiding harm includes not individually and collectively contributing to increasing greenhouse emissions that are causing dangerous climate change.
We have about 30 years to stop putting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Even if we manage this it will only give us a 50/50 chance of keeping global warming below the dangerous level of two degrees. We will also need to draw down the accumulated greenhouse gases. The longer we delay action the more difficult it will become to achieve these outcomes.
Another predictable problem arising from global warming – conflict over reduced resources – also requires skilful engaged action. History demonstrates that climate change creates conditions for resource-conflict within, and outside of, nations. This situation will be further compounded by fear, hatred and delusion. Engaging with Buddha’s teachings on transforming negative mind states will also reduce the risk and effects of this conflict.
Current collective delusional thinking that well-being is derived from increasing consumption and unsustainable economic affluence is having negative environmental effects on all beings. Fossil fuel-based economies and other greenhouse gas-emitting practices are creating disturbances in the cause-effect chain and jeopardising our global welfare. If we don’t take action now planetary suffering will increase exponentially. The challenge to us as engaged followers of Buddha’s teaching is how to apply the dharma to an immensely complex global problem. The question is are we up (and off the cushion) for it?
Gerald Frape 2014