INTER SCHOOL DEBATE

Topic: Environmental protection is more important than development.

The Inter School Debate Competition organised by the Nilgiri Library was held on 22 October, 2011 at Ootacamund. SAIF ZAKI, Std. XII participated. Text of his speech is reproduced below (For the topic)

For how long will we neglect what really matters? For how long will we blindly run after materialistic development at the cost of our future? For how long will we chase these so called fruits of development to feed your hunger for money? For how long!

Good evening to one and all present I am Saif Zaki from Good Shepherd International School and I firmly believe that this so called option between the environmental protection and development is nothing but a disastrous joke on our race.

I’m not here to tell you the importance of the forests. I’m not here to tell you about global warming, CFC’s, green house effect, ozone depletion. Yes I’m not here to inform you all about the things that you already know today I stand here to try to put a bit sense into those people who have the audacity to even say that development is even more important than protecting the environment.

It is true that development is what sustains a future for mankind but development that takes place in name of the very fuel that keeps us running is an idea which still boggles me. My opponent’s say that man took a risk by being civilised but they forget that man took a RISK! Man did not decide to free fall from 34 storey building without a parachute. Similarly development is a necessary risk but development that harms the environment to me is similar to suicide.

In the last 20 years environmental thinking has become very much a part of our everyday lives. The term 'sustainable development' has entered the mainstream and is used to guide policy in both the developed and developing countries. Developing countries like Brazil are meeting 87% of their energy demands through renewable sources of energy. On the other hand countries like Iceland and Norway meet 100% of their demand. Such countries have put environmental protection as their first priority.

And even after this my opponents still harp on the idea that development at the cost of the environment is justified. On the other hand I believe that the environment is the very foundation on which development grows. Without the environment there would be no man without man no development and without development my worthy opponents would not have the opportunity to present their completely justified points.

People state the awe inspiring stories where in development has brought people out of the darkness and into the light. My friends let me give you some awe inspiring stories about development there have been more than 5000 cancer cases just due to nuclear reactors, more than 5000 deaths occur per year due to coal mining in the U.S alone, 10000 deaths per day worldwide due to diseases caused by developmental pollution, more than 60000 species extinct in the last decade due to numerous developmental projects. For More than For 200 years we've been conquering nature. Now my worthy opponents suggest we beat it to death. I would like to conclude with the words of Mohandas K. Gandhi there is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed.

Thank you.