This first part of a three-part climate crisis series defines what climate change is, clarifies why it is increasingly described as a climate crisis, and explains the primary causes. It frames the subject through a shared dharmic lens across Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhismtraditions that converge on Ahimsa, karuṇā, sewa, and Aparigrahaencouraging a unifying, ethical response grounded in non-violence and responsibility toward all beings.
Q17. What is climate change / climate crisis? And what are the reasons for climate crisis? In scientific terms, climate change refers to long-term shifts in average temperatures and weather patterns, driven today primarily by human activities. The term climate crisis is used when these shifts create high-risk, system-wide disruptionsintensifying heatwaves, erratic monsoons, floods, droughts, sea-level rise, and biodiversity lossposing serious threats to livelihoods, health, food security, and ecological balance.
Climate crisis refers to a long-term, human-amplified alteration of Earth’s climate system that accelerates extreme events and undermines resilience in natural and human systems. Observable indicators include record-breaking global temperatures, shrinking Himalayan glaciers, rising seas, ocean heat and acidification, and more frequent compound disasters (for example, heat followed by floods). Many households recognize the pattern in everyday life: unseasonal rains, longer summers, urban heat islands, smoke-filled skies, and volatile food prices linked to weather shocks.
The principal causes are well established. Burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas) for electricity, transportation, and industry releases carbon dioxide, the largest contributor to global warming. Deforestation reduces nature’s capacity to absorb carbon and disrupts rainfall patterns. Industrial agriculture adds potent greenhouse gasesmethane from livestock and rice cultivation, and nitrous oxide from fertilizerswhile landfills and waste mismanagement release additional methane. Cement production, black carbon (soot), and rapid land-use change further intensify warming and degrade local air quality.
Feedback loops amplify risks: ice and snow loss decreases Earth’s reflectivity, accelerating warming; forest dieback reduces carbon sinks; and thawing permafrost can release methane. Ocean heat uptake masks some surface warming but drives marine heatwaves and coral bleaching, while acidification threatens fisheries and coastal livelihoods. Biodiversity loss weakens ecological resilience, making communities more vulnerable to climate extremes and threatening long-term food and water security.
A dharmic ethical lens illuminates both causes and responsibilities. Ahimsa calls for minimizing harm to all life forms; Aparigraha encourages restraint and mindful consumption; karuṇā and sewa inspire compassion and service to the vulnerable. Jain thought offers the Path of Minimum Violence and the Order of Degree of Violence as practical guides for food, energy, and mobility choices that reduce suffering. Addressing Mithyätvafalse beliefs that deny interdependencesupports Soul Consciousness and ecological awareness, aligning with the shared dharmic insight that all beings are interconnected.
Viewed systemically, climate change arises from energy, land, food, and material systems that prioritize short-term gains over long-term balance. High-emissions energy systems, deforestation-linked commodities, carbon-intensive transport, wasteful production, and overconsumption collectively drive the crisis. Solutions therefore require both structural transformationClean Energy, RenewableEnergy, climate-resilient agriculture, and circular economy practicesand everyday choices that embody Ahimsa and environmental stewardship.
This series proceeds from definition to duty and action. Subsequent parts explain why the climate crisis matters for public health, economic stability, and intergenerational justice, and outline what can be donemitigation and adaptation strategies consistent with dharmic values. The shared goal is unity in purpose: to reduce suffering, protect Mother Earth, and cultivate a just, low-carbon future through compassion, restraint, and wise, evidence-based action.
Inspired by this post on Jainism Says.
