In a recent interview with a national daily, Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi, the social activist, called for compassion to be integrated into climate action. Satyarthi said that policy responses to deal with the climate crisis must also mitigate inequality and injustice.

“I am new to the climate conversation, but I have worked on social issues long enough to understand that policy actions, however well-meaning they may be, can turn counterproductive for the socially and economically weak if they do not include compassion… The climate crisis is forcing large-scale transformation at the global level, and it is good for humanity and for the planet because climate change is indeed an existential crisis. But we must ensure this transformation is also used as an opportunity to improve the lives of those who are weak and disadvantaged,” said Satyarthi.

COP 30

Currently, the activist is roped in by the organising team of COP30, the annual climate meeting in Brazil. Scheduled for this year, the meeting will focus on the global “ethical stocktake” initiative of climate action and designate Satyarthi as a school leader for the dialogue in Asia. This initiative is an attempt to evaluate ongoing and upcoming climate actions from an ethical perspective — like increasing or reducing inequality, addressing concerns of countries or population groups disproportionately affected by the climate crisis, and giving priority to vulnerable classes.

“This exercise’s objective is similar to my work with children. I saw how unconnected policies relating to, for example, industrialisation or education had unintended consequences of child labour and human trafficking — sometimes for the good, sometimes not. So it is important to be aware of the possibility of such consequences and plan for them,” he said.

“President Lula of Brazil is aware of the work I do. He is a good friend. He might have suggested I should be involved in this,” Satyarthi told the national media.

Kailash Satyarthi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for his campaign against child labour and efforts to rescue children from bonded labour.