Climate change is global, action is individual, says Supreme Court Judge K.V. Viswanathan

Supreme Court judge K.V. Viswanathan on Sunday (December 21) said that while climate change is global, the action is individual. “And if we move together urgently and purposefully, we will have a better future,” he added.

He was delivering a lecture titled ‘The Constitution through an Environmental Prism; Challenges and Solutions to Counter Climate Change’ at the 7th D.V. Subbarao Memorial Lecture organised by the Centre for Policy Studies and Visakha Public Library here.

Justice Viswanathan said the climate change problem requires the cooperation of all fields of human knowledge. It is not just a problem for governments or courts or scientists; it is the responsibility of every stakeholder. He emphasised that educating children about climate change, instilling thoughts and awareness about climate change in their minds and building a society that can respond collectively to the problem is a crucial step. When climate education is introduced at a formative stage, it fosters long-term understanding rather than reactive responses later in life, he added.

“Science tells us what is happening. The law tells us that we have a responsibility to act, and history will tell us whether what we did was right or wrong. Real solutions require collective action from every corner of society,” Justice Viswanathan opined.

Later, he spoke about the late D.V. Subba Rao and his legal services to society, and also his tenure as the Mayor of Visakhapatnam city, as well as his contributions to cricket as the former president of the Andhra Cricket Association. He also congratulated Subba Rao’s family, including his son D.V.S.S. Somayajulu, a former Judge of the A.P. High Court, for organising such inspiring programmes to commemorate Subba Rao’s memory and inspire the youth.

Subsequently, some individuals, including Sohan Hatangadi of Greater Visakha Citizens’ Forum, former Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University G.S.N. Raju, senior advocate K. Adibabu, heritage activist Jayashree Hatangadi and others, expressed their views on climate change-related petitions, reforms and recent judgements. Ms. Jayashree Hatangadi remarked that ‘common sense’ is far more important than the law.

Visakha Public Library secretary D.S. Varma was present.