Pranavi Malvada was only 10 years old when her parents moved to Bangalore, but she vividly remembers that the city was then lush and cool throughout the day.
Seventeen years later, Pranavi knows deep down that the city is not the same as it used to be. “The lush greenery that we took for granted is now a nostalgic sight. The famous weather has changed and it’s heartbreaking,” says Pranavi, who holds a postgraduate degree in dermatology. She acknowledges that she is worried about climate change, saying, “climate anxiety is real.”
Environmental sustainability continues to be one of the top priorities for Gen Z and millennials, according to a Deloitte survey conducted earlier this year.
“Six in 10 Gen Zers (62%) and millennials (59%) say they have felt worried or anxious about climate change, a two-point increase for both generations from 2023,” the report said.
Develop with purpose
Varada Vivek, a 20-year-old law student, said she worries that there are sometimes efforts to push for development where there is no need for it. “So there’s no justification for cutting down trees in the same area and not replanting them. It’s not right,” she said.
Replant in Bululu instead of Coral.
Echoing Varada, Vinod Jacob, general manager of Nama Bangalore Foundation and environmental activist, said the Bangalore forest department must ensure that compensatory afforestation is carried out within a five-km radius of where trees are cut.
“Planting saplings in Kolar will not make up for trees cut down in Bengaluru. Even if the law allowed it anywhere in Karnataka, it would not help increase green cover in the city,” Vinod says.
Compensatory plantations are mandated to be carried out at a ratio of 1:10, which means that 10 saplings will be planted for every tree cut.
How hard is it to plant in a city?
Ask any BBMP forest department official and they will tell you that finding enough space for compensatory plantation in the city is a challenge.
“We have a plan to plant 200,000 saplings this year, but we are unable to find space for 50,000 of them. When it comes to compensatory afforestation, we have to find space to plant 10 saplings instead of one tree, which is not an easy task,” said Deputy Conservator of Forests BLG Swamy.
The BBMP forest department has received numerous requests to cut down trees as they are dangerous, for widening roads and for constructing metro and railway tracks. All eight zones under its jurisdiction are managed by just 15 officials.
Urban microclimate and trees
“The temperature of a region depends on solar energy. If there are plants, bodies of water etc, they absorb the heat and act as a heat sink,” says Professor TV Ramachandra of IISc, explaining that trees play a vital role in regulating the microclimate of a region.
In 1992, when vegetation was plentiful, the city’s temperature was 21°C, but as the city gradually lost its greenery, temperatures continued to rise, reaching 24°C in 2000 and 28°C in 2010.
“And today the temperature is 36 to 39 degrees. But it’s not too late. Even if it happens today, measures can be taken,” he added.
Get some extra and replant them.
Prof Rao has a solution for land-strapped governments: “When acquiring land for road-building projects, acquire a little more than is needed. That way, when you cut down the side trees, you can replant them, as is done in China and other countries.”
Action-oriented discussion is needed
Myla, a 20-year-old design student, believes the way climate change is discussed needs to be improved.
“Just thinking about the fact that there’s a lot more dust in the air, the whole environment has changed, there’s a lot more pollution, and nothing is being done to improve it,” she believes, because the conversations currently taking place are poorly designed.
“When we talk about climate change in schools, it’s seen as an educational topic, but it’s not something that schools are focusing on.”
Myra firmly believes that patchwork solutions like electric cars won’t undo the damage at all: “But at the same time, I don’t think even planting trees is doing us much good. The only thing that can really save us is building a complete ecosystem.”
Social media amplifies anxiety
Deeksha PK, a university student, said climate change affects millions of people all year round, yet little is being done to stop it.
“The weather has become more extreme and unpredictable, which has caused anxiety for many people, especially in the farming community,” she added. Social media has helped raise awareness of the issue, but it has also increased anxiety about the same problem.
Diksha suggests that one must eventually take action and it is best to start with a small step like planting a tree in one’s locality.
Shreya GA, a 20-year-old PR trainee, says it sometimes scares her to think about what the world will be like in the next few decades.
“Social media definitely creates community and amplifies messages. But I have observed that it can also make people feel overwhelmed and increase anxiety and despair. Another issue is the lack of verified information, which only makes it more difficult to develop understanding,” she says.
It’s time to wake up
Engineering student Pranav Sajib believes climate anxiety is caused for good reasons and the negative impacts it is already causing.
“People are finally starting to notice sudden increases in summer temperatures and shifts in rainfall patterns, which is causing feelings of anxiety for the well-being of the planet and the future of humanity,” the 18-year-old says.
BBMP starts counting trees
For the first time, the BBMP has begun counting the number of trees in the city and DCF Swamy is confident that the data will be ready in another six months.
“We are estimating this for the first time. We were supposed to do it seven years ago.” Tree counting has been completed in at least 10 wards so far. Professor Rao said while studying the satellite data, it was observed that there was a continuous decline in tree cover in the city.
