climate change

The acronym ‘GPT’, popularised by ChatGPT, is a widely used term nowadays in the context of an ‘ask me anything’ invitation - an AI algorithm which can clear bar exams, write your resumes, create music, do your homework, etc. But there is another GPT which you ought to know, as terrestrial beings wading your daily lives through a sea of plastic (literally and metaphorically). GPT stands for Global Plastics Treaty, a historic endeavour which aims to create an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.

In the previous blog of this series, we discussed planned obsolescence as a business strategy where products are intentionally designed with a limited lifespan to encourage replacement and increase profits. This practice by companies is considered a corporate environmental crime and can take many forms, including pollution, illegal dumping of hazardous waste, and illegal mining.

As humanity grapples with the urgent threat of climate change, there is a growing reliance on finding new and innovative solutions to tackle this existential crisis. Among the many available tools at our disposal, perhaps none holds as much promise as artificial intelligence (AI). With its remarkable ability to analyze vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and make predictions, AI is quickly emerging as a vital tool in the fight against climate change.

Air pollution is a global problem affecting millions of people’s health and well-being. It is a complex issue that has far-reaching effects on the environment and human health. According to a report by the Lancet Commission on pollution and health, in 2019, air pollution was the leading environmental cause of disease and premature death worldwide, resulting in 6.7 million casualties.

December 1924 was a significant time during which several prominent light bulb manufacturers, including General Electric, Osram, Philips, and Compagnie des Lampes, engaged in a conspiracy to artificially shorten the lifespan of their products. The usual standard for incandescent light bulbs burning hours was reduced from 2,500 in 1924 to 1,000 by 1940.

 The Indian Environmental Protection Act, 1986, states that the term ‘environment’ includes water, air and land and the inter-relationship which exists among and between water, air and land, and human beings, other living creatures, plants, micro-organisms and property. The word ‘inter-relationship’ plays a key role in our understanding of the environment. Most often, ‘environment', as we understand it,  commonly or colloquially refers to our surroundings, natural resources and living organisms other than human beings.