New Delhi — Speaking at the launch of the book Decoding Success, renowned spiritual teacher and environmental advocate Acharya Prashant delivered a powerful address on the urgent climate challenges facing humanity, especially in light of Operation 2030, a global initiative to curb carbon emissions and limit global warming.
“All the countries of the Earth have set a target,” he said, referencing the UNFCCC’s climate framework, which calls for a 43% reduction in global carbon emissions by 2030, using 2019 levels as a benchmark.
“The Limit Has Already Been Breached”
Citing the latest climate science, Acharya Prashant warned that the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C may no longer be attainable:
“Even if we reduce emissions by 43 per cent, the best-case scenario was 1.5°C. But that barrier has already been breached—we’re already at around 1.7°C in 2025.”
He explained that 2019 is used as the benchmark due to distortions in emission data during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite global pledges like the Paris Agreement, he cautioned that delayed action and political inertia have worsened the situation.
A Historical Lens: From Conquest to Collapse
Taking the audience back to 1750, Acharya Prashant connected the dots between the Industrial Revolution and today’s environmental crisis.
“Mankind, after millions of years, finally began overcoming poverty and disease. The Industrial Revolution brought prosperity—but also sparked the unchecked extraction of energy and the exponential rise of carbon emissions.”
He described this period as a “conquest of nature”, warning that humanity’s obsession with material success has blinded it to ecological consequences.
“Success Without Wisdom Is a Catastrophe”
Using the book’s title, Decoding Success, as a metaphor, Acharya Prashant made a sobering observation:
“Man has felt emboldened to extract energy and act as he pleases. But what is the other side of that story? It’s a story of imbalance, of nature hitting back.”
He highlighted how the same progress that led to modern comforts is now threatening future generations.
“The youth will inherit this catastrophe. The people hoarding power and wealth today are the older generation, but the consequences will fall on you.”
Call to Action for the Youth and Policy Makers
The talk concluded with a call to conscience, urging young people to question the definition of success and demand climate accountability from global leaders.
“This century has begun with warnings. It’s your time now—not just to chase jobs and careers, but to save the very Earth you’ll live on.”