The poetic exploration of ecological anguish

Ecology presents a profound paradox: it is both ancient and perpetually new, interwoven with the dynamic and poetic anxieties of our time. This interplay of time and space in ecological matters often feels overwhelming, a sentiment echoed in discussions of both universal and specific contexts, including Nepal's.

Artist Rasheed Araeen's "ecoaesthetics" manifesto articulates this paradox, suggesting that despite millennia of accumulated knowledge, humanity remains no wiser than ancient civilizations. We can conceptualize distant galaxies but struggle to resolve simple disputes without resorting to confrontation and violence, a situation starkly visible in current global affairs.

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We are no wiser than the Mesopotamians, the ancient Persians, Egyptians, Greeks, Chinese, Indians or Arabs. Our imagination can reach beyond Mars, but is often unable to resolve even small disagreements or disputes among ourselves without resort to confrontation, leading to all kinds of violence.

In Nepal, the ecological phenomenon is a pervasive, silent experience for its inhabitants. However, the article notes a conspicuous absence of outstanding, all-embracing ecological insights from Nepali scholars and writers. This leaves the country's ecological narrative largely shaped by lived experience rather than profound intellectual discourse.

Two recent triggers bring Nepal's ecological challenges to the forefront. A survey published in Kantipur highlighted critical issues related to resource constraints and neglected ecological problems, questioning whether the recent budget presented by Finance Minister Swarnim Waglé adequately addresses these concerns. The survey cautiously suggests that while Nepal may not face the most extreme effects of ecological change, the budget might not do justice to the nation's ecological problems, despite its capacity to manage vast green resources. Additionally, the 6th Conservation Asia Congress 2026, held in Kathmandu under the theme 'Translating Qualitative Ecologies, Embodied,' provides another platform for discussing these pressing issues.

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Ecological change does not cover only one area. It covers diverse areas like agriculture, energy and calamities. Though Nepal is not facing the uncanny effects of ecological changes and related calamities, it also has the capacity to manage the vast green resources. Judging from these two perspectives… it appears that perhaps this budget has not done justice to the ecological problems.