Hindi English Translation || Editorial || A planet in crisis: on tangible outcomes from biological diversity convention

A planet in crisis: on tangible outcomes from biological diversity convention

Tangible outcomes (परिणाम, नतीजा) from biological diversity convention (सम्मेलन, समझौता) are a long time away

A month after the 27th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (जलवायु परिवर्तन) (COP27) in Egypt, diplomatic (राजनीतिक, कूटनीतिक) retinue (staff, personnel, attendants, companions, associates (who travel with an important person); entourage) went into a contentious (विवादास्पद, तर्कपूर्ण) huddle again to save the planet — in Montreal, Canada, this time, and as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (it is the international legal instrument for “the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources” that has been ratified by 196 nations). While both these conferences can trace their origins to the Rio summit (सम्मेलन, बैठक) of 1992, the CBD does not get anywhere (to make progress) near the media attention (ध्यान, जांच) COP commands (receive, obtain, get, gain, be given). There are no world leaders and heads of state making grandiloquent commitments (वचनबद्धता, प्रतिबद्धता) because the CBD largely (ज्यादातर, मुख्य रूप से) continues to be framed (formulate, draw up, plan, devise, create, coordinate) as an ‘environmentalist (पर्यावरणविद, संरक्षणवादी)’ concern, much like what COP used to be, until the forces (ताकत, शक्ति) of capitalism (पूंजीवाद) managed to reimagine the idea of a planet being inexorably slow-cooked in greenhouse gases (heat-trapping gas; a gas (such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, etc.) in the atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation, causing the greenhouse effect and warming of Earth’s temperature.) to one that may yet be saved by renewable energy (नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा) sources — and at the very least (कम से कम) — make some entrepreneurs (businessman, businesswoman, business person) rich.

Unlike cyclones (hurricane, typhoon, tropical storm; depression) and melting glaciers (a large body of ice which flows under its own mass. Glaciers are made of layers of compressed snow that move or “flow” due to gravity and the softness of ice relative to rock) that have become visual aids to bring home (to make someone to understand how important or serious something is; emphasize to, stress to, fix deeply in someone’s mind) the climate crisis wrought ((old) past and past participle of work (verb) - cause, effect) by invisible gases, biodiversity (जैवविविधता) loss continues to be largely invisible despite (in spite of, notwithstanding, regardless of) its victims (sufferer) being extremely visible. Based on current trends, the UN reckons, an estimated 34,000 plant and 5,200 animal species (a group/breed/family of living organisms (animals & plants) with the individual having the same quality & can breed), including one in eight of the world’s bird species, face extinction (destruction, elimination, eradication, removal (a complete one)). About 30% of breeds (a variety/stock of animals) of main farm animal species are currently at high risk of extinction. Forests are home to much of the known terrestrial (earthly, worldly, earthbound) biodiversity, but about 45% of the earth’s original forests are gone, cleared mostly during the past century. Yet, because much of this extinction is not finely (in a serious/sensitive way) accounted for as the rise in per capita carbon emissions (Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere; Carbon dioxide is also a greenhouse gas produced as a byproduct of human activities. Burning fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas—is the number one source of global CO2 emissions) or temperature swings, it fails to evoke (draw, give rise to, bring, call forth) the urgency it deserves. In this light, India’s stance (stand, point of view, position, opinion, standpoint), i.e., of not wanting hard targets on proposals (plan, motion, proposition, submission, recommendation) such as reducing the use of pesticides (pesticide), given (considering, taking into account, bearing in mind) that their effects on impacting biodiversity are documented, and conserving (protect, continue, keep up, maintain, uphold, sustain) 30% of land and sea, seems anachronistic (antiquated, archaic, antique, ancient; outdated, out of date, outmoded, old-fashioned) particularly when it sees itself as a champion (supporter, upholder, defender, backer, advocate, adherent) of conservation (preservation, protection, careful management (of the natural resources)) and living in harmony (unity, solidarity, cooperation, agreement/concord) with nature. While India, adopting a negotiating tack (approach, way, method; course of action, policy) from climate conferences, has argued that different nations have differing levels of responsibility towards biodiversity conservation (which requires richer nations to be more generous (kind, open-handed, philanthropic, charitable, big-hearted, warm-hearted, good-natured) funders of global conservation efforts), it is well known that such demands are a dead end (deadlock, stalemate, impasse, standstill, stoppage) unless countries agree to definite (clear, precise, unequivocal, categorical, straightforward) targets. What cannot be measured, as the adage goes, cannot be understood or addressed (tackle, deal with, attend to, try to sort out). Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary of the CBD, has described the negotiations (discussions, talks, dialogue, consultation, deliberation) as one that should result in (cause, lead to, bring on, bring about, give rise to) a “Paris moment for nature”; while this was not quite what happened, countries have agreed on preparing concrete (real, actual, solid, substantial, well defined) road maps (plan/strategy to do something successfully) by 2024 and the richer ones, committing $30 billion an annum by 2030. But seeing tangible outcomes is a long time away.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.outcome (noun)

Hindi Meaning - परिणाम, नतीजा
English Meaning - result, consequence, conclusion.

2.biodiversity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जैवविविधता
English Meaning - the existence of a number and variety of species (plants & animals) in a particular geographic region/environment.

3.convention (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सम्मेलन, समझौता
English Meaning - treaty, agreement, accord, protocol, pact, deal.

4.climate change (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जलवायु परिवर्तन
English Meaning - a long-term change in the Earth’s climate, or of a region on Earth (Courtesy: NASA).

5.diplomatic (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - राजनीतिक, कूटनीतिक
English Meaning - foreign-policy, consular, ambassadorial, political.

6.contentious (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - विवादास्पद, तर्कपूर्ण
English Meaning - controversial, argumentative, quarrelsome.

7.summit (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सम्मेलन, बैठक
English Meaning - meeting, conference, conclave (international meeting/conference of heads of state/government).

8.attention (noun)

Hindi Meaning - ध्यान, जांच
English Meaning - observation, notice, heed, scrutiny, attentiveness, consideration.

9.commitment (noun)

Hindi Meaning - वचनबद्धता, प्रतिबद्धता
English Meaning - promise, vow, assurance; deal.

10.largely (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - ज्यादातर, मुख्य रूप से
English Meaning - mostly, mainly, generally.

11.environmentalist (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पर्यावरणविद, संरक्षणवादी
English Meaning - conservationist, preservationist, eco-activist.

12.force (noun)

Hindi Meaning - ताकत, शक्ति
English Meaning - body, group, unit.

13.capitalism (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पूंजीवाद
English Meaning - an economic system based on private ownership; private enterprise, private ownership.

14.renewable energy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा
English Meaning - green/clean energy; energy generated from natural resources (such as water, wind & solar energy).

15.at the very least (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - कम से कम
English Meaning - to put it mildly, without any exaggeration.

16.tangible (adjective)

English Meaning - real, actual, substantial, definite, well defined; appreciable, perceptible, discernible, visible, noticeable.

17.Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (noun)

English Meaning - it is the international legal instrument for “the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources” that has been ratified by 196 nations.

18.a long time away (phrase)

English Meaning - a long time in the future.

19.27th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) (noun)

English Meaning - The 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP27) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was being held from 6 November until 18 November 2022 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The participants include representatives of the 195 member-countries of the UN-COP, business persons, scientists, and members of indigenous and local communities and activists.

20.retinue (noun)

English Meaning - staff, personnel, attendants, companions, associates (who travel with an important person); entourage.

21.go into (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - begin, undertake, engage in, participate in.

22.huddle (noun)

English Meaning - cluster, group, band.

23.trace (verb)

English Meaning - find, discover, track down, pursue.

24.The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (noun)

English Meaning - The UNFCCC entered into force on 21 March 1994. Today, it has near-universal membership. The 198 countries that have ratified the Convention are called Parties to the Convention. Preventing “dangerous” human interference with the climate system is the ultimate aim of the UNFCCC.

25.Rio summit/conference of 1992 (noun)

English Meaning - The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the ‘Earth Summit’, was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 3-14 June 1992. This global conference brought together political leaders, diplomats, scientists, representatives of the media and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from 179 countries for a massive effort to focus on the impact of human socio-economic activities on the environment.

26.get anywhere (phrase)

English Meaning - to make progress.

27.not anywhere near (phrase)

English Meaning - not at all, far from.

28.Conference of the Parties (COP) (noun)

English Meaning - The Conference of Parties (COP) is the apex decision-making body of the United Nations Climate Change Framework Convention (UNFCCC). The UNFCCC was formed in 1994 to stabilize the greenhouse gas emissions and to protect the earth from the threat of climate change. COP members have been meeting every year since the year 1995. As of 2022, the number of member countries in the UNFCCC has reached 198. The first conference (COP1) was held in 1995 in Berlin. The 27th session (COP27) was held in 2022 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

29.command (verb)

English Meaning - receive, obtain, get, gain, be given.

30.heads of state (noun)

English Meaning - the leader of a country, for example a president/prime minister.

31.grandiloquent (adjective)

English Meaning - strained, overwrought, rhetorical.

32.frame (verb)

English Meaning - formulate, draw up, plan, devise, create, coordinate.

33.inexorably (adverb)

English Meaning - unstoppably, unavoidably, inescapably, inevitably.

34.slow-cook (verb)

English Meaning - to cook slowly over a long period of time.

35.greenhouse gas (GHGs) (noun)

English Meaning - heat-trapping gas; a gas (such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, etc.) in the atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation, causing the greenhouse effect and warming of Earth’s temperature.

36.entrepreneur (noun)

English Meaning - businessman, businesswoman, business person.

37.cyclone (noun)

English Meaning - hurricane, typhoon, tropical storm; depression.

38.glacier (noun)

English Meaning - a large body of ice which flows under its own mass. Glaciers are made of layers of compressed snow that move or “flow” due to gravity and the softness of ice relative to rock.

39.aid (verb)

English Meaning - assistance.

40.bring home (phrase)

English Meaning - to make someone to understand how important or serious something is; emphasize to, stress to, fix deeply in someone’s mind.

41.wrought (verb)

English Meaning - (old) past and past participle of work (verb) - cause, effect.

42.despite (preposition)

English Meaning - in spite of, notwithstanding, regardless of.

43.victim (noun)

English Meaning - sufferer.

44.reckon (verb)

English Meaning - predict, estimate, calculate, gauge, expect.

45.species (noun)

English Meaning - a group/breed/family of living organisms (animals & plants) with the individual having the same quality & can breed.

46.extinction (noun)

English Meaning - destruction, elimination, eradication, removal (a complete one).

47.breed (noun)

English Meaning - a variety/stock of animals.

48.terrestrial (adjective)

English Meaning - earthly, worldly, earthbound.

49.finely (adjective)

English Meaning - in a serious/sensitive way.

50.account for (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to give a reason or explanation for (something); justify attribute, rationalize, defend; clarify, elucidate, explain.

51.per capita (adverb & adjective)

English Meaning - per person, for each; relating to each person.

52.carbon emissions (noun)

English Meaning - Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere; Carbon dioxide is also a greenhouse gas produced as a byproduct of human activities. Burning fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas—is the number one source of global CO2 emissions.

53.swing (noun)

English Meaning - fluctuation, change, shift, switch, variation, oscillation.

54.evoke (verb)

English Meaning - draw, give rise to, bring, call forth.

55.deserve (verb)

English Meaning - be worthy of, warrant, justify, be entitled to.

56.in (the) light of (noun)

English Meaning - taking into consideration, considering, taking into account, bearing in mind, keeping in mind, taking note of, in view of.

57.stance (noun)

English Meaning - stand, point of view, position, opinion, standpoint.

58.proposal (noun)

English Meaning - plan, motion, proposition, submission, recommendation.

59.pesticide (noun)

English Meaning - chemical substances that are meant to kill pests (insects/small animals that damage crops, food, etc.).

60.given (preposition)

English Meaning - considering, taking into account, bearing in mind.

61.conserve (verb)

English Meaning - protect, continue, keep up, maintain, uphold, sustain.

62.anachronistic (adjective)

English Meaning - antiquated, archaic, antique, ancient; outdated, out of date, outmoded, old-fashioned.

63.champion (noun)

English Meaning - supporter, upholder, defender, backer, advocate, adherent.

64.conservation (noun)

English Meaning - preservation, protection, careful management (of the natural resources).

65.harmony (noun)

English Meaning - unity, solidarity, cooperation, agreement/concord.

66.tack (noun)

English Meaning - approach, way, method; course of action, policy.

67.generous (adjective)

English Meaning - kind, open-handed, philanthropic, charitable, big-hearted, warm-hearted, good-natured.

68.dead end (noun)

English Meaning - deadlock, stalemate, impasse, standstill, stoppage.

69.definite (adjective)

English Meaning - clear, precise, unequivocal, categorical, straightforward.

70.adage (noun)

English Meaning - saying, proverb, maxim/aphorism.

71.address (verb)

English Meaning - tackle, deal with, attend to, try to sort out.

72.negotiations (noun)

English Meaning - discussions, talks, dialogue, consultation, deliberation.

73.result in (verb)

English Meaning - cause, lead to, bring on, bring about, give rise to.

74.quite (adverb)

English Meaning - rather, somewhat, relatively.

75.concrete (adjective)

English Meaning - real, actual, solid, substantial, well defined.

76.road map (noun)

English Meaning - plan/strategy to do something successfully.

77.per annum (adverb)

English Meaning - (Latin) annually, each year, every year.