COP29: Spiritual guru Sadhguru emphasises importance of microbial species, its role in sustaining life on Earth

Baku [Azerbaijan], November 11 : Spiritual guru and founder of the Isha Foundation discussed raised awareness about environmental issues and promote sustainable living, focusing on the long-term effects of soil degradation and the loss of microbial species.
In an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) on Monday he explained about ecology and climate and that loss of various species, particularly microorganisms, which are foundational to all life forms.
Sadhguru pointed out that the health of the planet is not just about human sustenance but the survival of all life forms, noting the interconnectedness of life. He stated that if the microbial, insect and other small life forms do not thrive, human life would also not thrive.
"So, when we talk about ecology, when we talk about climate, we must understand this is not just about human life, human sustenance, human lifestyles. No, all life should thrive because our life is like the cream life; without the milk being strong, there is no cream. If the microbial life, insect life, worm life and every other small life doesn't live strong, we will not live strong," he stated.
He said that extended periods of ploughing and open lands for long periods of time are contributing to the loss of various species, particularly microorganisms, which are foundational to all life forms.
"Open lands, ploughed and open land for long periods of time is the death of the planet because the number of species that are being lost per year is too many. When we say species, we are thinking of pandas, we are thinking of tigers, we are thinking of dinosaurs. No, the microorganisms, which are the foundational life for all of us, are going away. That is a death knell for all life on the planet, not just human beings," he said.
The 29th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) is taking place in Azerbaijan's capital of Baku from November 11 to 22 and is aimed to agree on at least a ten-fold increase in the money that developed countries are mandated to make available.
Record-breaking floods in Spain, violent storms in Florida and wildfires in South America -- these are just a few examples of the extreme weather events accelerating and intensifying across the world. With the cost of inaction clearer than ever, financing for clean alternatives to the fossil fuels which are driving climate change will be top of the agenda at COP29.
Baku is supposed to deliver a comprehensive package on finance that is expected to result in greater transparency and better access to countries that need it the most.
The spiritual guru had also lauched a global movement called "Save Soil" to address land degradation and advocate for healthy soil.
The spiritual leader also addressed the growing issue of soil degradation, which he described as a serious concern. He pointed out that there was no discussion on soil health but gained attention in recent years, referring to the topic being pushed in the last two COPs.
Sadhguru emphasised that a "green world" involves more than just planting trees or restoring forests, stating that every extra green leaf in the world was a step toward climate mitigation.
"Soil degradation is a serious, serious thing. But no talk about it; only in the last two COPs we have been pushing for it and at least we are talking about a 'Green World.' When we say green world, we are not thinking of repainting fresh paint on the planet; we are thinking of more green leaves because every fresh green leaf that we put, every extra green leaf that we put on the planet is one small step towards climate mitigation," he said.
He also warned of the growing unpredictability of global temperatures, noting that this year is expected to be the warmest in the last century. He also raised his concern over extreme external climate conditions and that it would become harder to maintain internal balance due to this.
"If our external climate goes crazy, which is happening, this year is supposed to be the warmest year in the last hundred years or so. If that happens as more and more things, physical existence becomes more and more challenging; keeping people cool (internally) is going to be very difficult," he said.
The first Conference of the Parties (COP) was held in Berlin almost 30 years ago. This year's conference will aim to increase international ambition to curb global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius pre-industrial levels to avoid catastrophic harm to the planet.
Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh is leading the 19-member delegation instead. India's national statement is scheduled for November 18-19.
India's key priorities at the conference are likely to focus on ensuring accountability of developed nations on climate finance, strengthening resilience for vulnerable communities, and achieving an equitable energy transition, experts anticipate.