The downturn witnessed by economies across the world has turned the spotlight on environmental degradation, raising an unprecedented level of awareness globally, Nobel prize winner Rajendra Pachauri, has said.
"There is growing worldwide concern that economic slowdown could lead to a parallel slowdown in environmental progress, with governments less willing to advocate hard steps essential for reducing greenhouse emission," Pachauri, head of the United Nation's Nobel Prize-winning scientific panel said, in an article published in the Guardian.
"This is indeed a worry, but I see a ray of hope, as I believe that global society is seriously questioning... whether today's problems are the result of fundamental flaws in past growth and development patterns," he wrote.
The reputed environmentalist said people around the world now are seriously concerned about climate change as they have started witnessing its effects.
"The world has reached an unprecedented level of awareness of science behind climate change. . . a growing number of people - and not just typical environmentalists -- now believe that climate change is not a concern for the distant future but something we are witnessing here and now," Pachauri wrote.
The cyclone that caused massive devastation in Burma and the extensive floods in Iowa, for instance are linked in the public perception to climate change, he said.
"Public concerns in several parts of the world have been heightened to such an extent that extreme weather events are invariably attributed to climate change. Never before has human society been gripped by such a strong realisation of the need to reduce our dependence on fossile fuels -- and even change our lifestyle -- in order to reduce emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases."
Simultaneously, he said, the existing resolve is being strengthened considerably by increasing oil prices, which have prompted even a conservative Republican like President Bush to state that America is 'addicted to oil' and must switch to alternatives, he said.
"I believe the world is beginning to look at the deep underlying causes of its current problems, and is preparing for radical change. Barack Obama's performance in the US presidential race is, I think, symptomatic of a widespread thirst for such a change."
Pachauri added that the current generation is ready for a significant shift and 'is unlikely to be distracted for long by an economic downturn that emanates from serious systemic distortions in existing patterns of growth.
