New Delhi, July 18 Expressing concern over the sudden flooding in Western Germany and Belgium, Buddhist spiritual leader and active globetrotting environmentalist, the Gyalwang Drukpa on Sunday said the world must pay attention to global warming.
"We must pay attention to global warming and make stronger individual contributions to the world, so that our next generation will not have to suffer," His Holiness said in a message.
"Please don't think, 'I will be okay'. This is so selfish and irresponsible. The truth is, we all are on the list of those who will suffer from the next climate crisis. And there is no other solution than working together hand-in-hand to solve this problem!
"Please be a good boy and good girl, and try saving the world through paying more attention to your environment. Be kind to nature!"
Heading the 17th century Hemis Monastery, the largest such in the Himalayas and some 45 km from Leh, the Gyalwang Drukpa said: "In the high-altitude Himalayas, where many of the world's glaciers are, the devastating effects of climate crisis are everywhere. We are having cloudbursts and flash floods just like this on a frequent basis now, with people dying and countless beings lost.
"It is very scary that a developed country like Germany, which is a fairly well-organised country in terms of environmental issues, can also suffer like this from global warming.
"This is because so many people in this world create the causes of these disasters, that the results are so big and unpredictable no one can really avoid them. Many people think they just can't be bothered to make day-to-day acts of change, that they can't be bothered to be a little more careful with our environment."
The Buddhist leader, also known as the 'Guardian of the Himalayas', said: "This is really a time for all of us around the world, no matter where we live, to wake up and be more cautious in everyday life."
"We need to be aware of the way we live, the way we eat, the way we deal with problems. Even a small increase in attention and care will make a huge difference in the world. Why not do it right now? We have nothing to lose by making a bigger effort, and so much to lose if we don't," the recipient of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Award ended by saying.
The maroon-robed monk, now recognised as a prominent voice for modern issues facing the Himalayas, also founded the Druk Amitabha Mountain nunnery in Kathmandu which is a unique instance of gender reversal: the nuns run the administration. Over 300 nuns receive modern education, besides training in ancient Chinese martial arts.
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