“Many of those whom I respect for their sobriety of thought speak of this”

“Many of those whom I respect for sobriety of thought say this: in some fifty years, the biosphere may simply not withstand our presence, which is becoming more and more intrusive and impudent. Of course, I don’t have to wait until then…

But if I were younger, I would perceive the current situation as a personal threat to myself and my future. However, in the West this has already been understood, and in some countries it is possible to achieve a balance between the desire for personal freedom and an understanding of the need for social discipline. Once, when I was in Norway, we were taken to the mountains. The road there is non-state, local residents repair it themselves. And here is an announcement: “From cars — 10 kroons, from buses — 25 kroons”. Our friend got out of the car, signed somewhere there, put money in a box — and we drove on. I asked if it happens that someone puts his hand in this piggy bank on the road. He was amazed: “Well, there are impudent people who drive by and do not put anything. But how can you take someone else’s money from there? That doesn’t happen.» So in northern Europe — apparently on the basis of the Protestant ethic — it was possible to achieve a serious attitude towards public duties. It extends to the care of nature. Here’s another example: in 1990 in West Germany, I was shown dead trees destroyed by chemicals, and next to them were water bodies that had been polluted until recently, in the late 1960s. The Germans realized it and corrected the situation in 20 years. And now there is clean water and fish swim. So with proper organization and energy, you can do a lot, and quickly enough. Another problem is that the destruction of nature is uneven in different parts of the planet. When the politician of one economically backward country was asked what he dreams of seeing in his homeland in 15–20 years, he replied: “I could.” Do you understand? He was referring to air pollution as an indicator of industrial development! Compared with famine and epidemics, the disasters of developed countries can indeed seem almost a boon. However, from the point of view of the planet as a whole, this is an absolute evil. Air pollution in America and Europe threatens everyone, and Africans too. Only global, planetary coordination of efforts can defeat this threat. It must be understood that the future of the Earth depends on how much concerted action by the major powers can be achieved.

Ecology could become a kind of new religion that defines our relationship with the planet. Traditional religions are not suitable here. At the time when they arose, concern for the fate of the planet was not on the agenda. (Although it should be noted that in the minds of the inhabitants of India and in general the countries of the East, the idea that nature should be protected is better rooted: for example, in ancient China, more than two thousand years ago, the question of whether to expand the salt mines and not will it disturb the harmony of nature.) But I want to believe that the thought of children and grandchildren, who may be on the verge of death along with the entire planet, will make us behave smarter. Of course, we are in for very big worries. The development of the productive forces has given us boundless freedom, and this has led to the uncontrolled course of civilization. We tend to strive for maximum efficiency and prosperity. But I have hope that the problem can be solved. The experience of, say, Great Britain during the war years shows that with strict observance of the laws, consumption can be limited and this will not be perceived as a violation of personal freedom. It is difficult to find the line separating our habitual freedom from responsible freedom: for oneself, everyone will have to grope for it personally.

It is clear that we need profound changes: our freedom must come not only from personal motives, but also from considerations of global prosperity. Yes, limiting individual desires may be painful, but it is simply ecologically inevitable. It is necessary to get used to moderate consumption of non-renewable goods, in particular water. And such groves as the one that I, fortunately, see from the window, must be carefully preserved.

We have come to the edge of the abyss — and we can fall there. Even in my memory in China there were 400 million inhabitants. Today this figure is at least three times higher. All through my life! Of course, I am many years old, but from the point of view of the Universe, these few decades are an insignificant period. And what changes, what a leap! India also has a huge population growth. This is a very serious problem, and growth must be maintained, otherwise neither our efforts nor the efforts of environmentalists will help. In our country, for many years, people were forced to do this and not to do this by brutal violence. We have gone through the hunger strike of the revolution, through the rationing system and many such hard restrictions. And many people have this feeling — a false feeling — that now, when the Soviet system collapsed, you can roam. Therefore, self-restraint takes root poorly. Many are afraid of what we will have like in the West, for example, water and heat only by the meter. This is unusual, but we will have to accept new conditions. We are faced with the task of finding a balance, bringing into harmony our desires, needs and sense of personal responsibility. Only in this way will we save space for a common disciplined life, in which there will be both freedom and joy.