Greening of Desert Project for the Arabian Peninsula - Inside the Largest Environmental Project in History with Michal Kravcik, Chairman of People and

Q: Would you like to explain the importance of holistic management?
Michal Kravcik: Our world is divided and organized into sectors. As result, problems, crises, failures and declines continue to emerge. This undertaking will succeed in its endeavor only if structured on principle of integrity. In other worlds, integrity in the project is understood as the integrity of small water cycles. It also means that water evaporating from the landscape is not a loss! On the contrary, it is a gift to Heaven, and as God’s Blessing" returns to the Earth in the form of rainfall. As mentioned before, the world has not – yet - understood this vertical integrity.

We face never ending problems since we do not "offer" rainwater to the Heaven, but we allow to flow away – to the seas and oceans. Further, a number of states continue to approve laws focused mostly on horizontal integrity of water. But once realized, they will run into number of problems. The continents continue losing its sweet-water resources. Imagine, over 700 milliards m3 of rainwater flows to the world oceans. They contribute to remarkable increase of the oceans levels, And - finally cause global unbalance.

Q: The undertaking - once realized - what will be the ultimate result, outcome, benefit?
Michal Kravcik: Once realized it should bring satisfaction for all. There will be enough water for people, food and a restored nature and what is much important – a healthier climate. Water will become available to all, and within reach. There will be no more water war and conflicts, and more tolerance among people. Many may think of it - as utopia. Such attitude is sign of spiritual emptiness, of dependent thinking and lack of healthy responsibility for one’s own life and for the environment we live in.

Q: Come with me on a journey of imagination! It is being argued if environmentalist are to achieve their goals, they must joint with social activists, cultural innovators, and neighborhood advocates in creating New Economics – one that shares wealth, encourages diversity and decentralization of production, is responsible to the environment and put community accountability ahead of profits. What is your opinion?
Michal Kravcik: We tend to think of it as "a good deed" , as philanthropic support when we give money to someone. Somehow, we seem to forget that when we offer somebody a "fish", we deprive him of his own active approach to his own self and make him literally - a "slave"! The challenge of contemporary world is to teach people how to "catch fish". People must be taught to understand and assume responsibility for the revitalization of water in their own environment. By failing to do so, we all shall perish, even those who like to think that money can buy everything. Social innovators should play the role of mobilizing that drive, in enforcing this message titled the
"Blue Economy".

Q: This New Environmentalism is as much a political movement as an economic one. It will take rethinking policies at the national, state and local levels, to encourage a "sustaining" economy. Do you think it can be done?
Michal Kravcik: Best I can support this quotation from the "New Water Paradigm", because one can draw a parallel between water and money: " It's good to be aware of the objective fact that water itself represents a financial value and adds to a country's wealth. Let's imagine, then, that a society of people living in a watershed or one of its parts, is employed in a relatively independent branch of a large company which includes all of humanity. The company deals in the appreciation of fresh water, which, in this case, we can imagine as synonymous with money. Water in living organisms will have the most value. The more water there is in living organisms, the more life, biodiversity and food there will be and the better will be the protection of all other water environments.

We can compare this water in living organisms to a treasure we do not want to give up under any circumstances. Water in the soil is a deposit in a high-interest account. If there is money in the bank, the profit from it will pleasantly grow thanks to the interest rate. If, however, we fall into debt in soil moisture and we don't want to lose our treasure of water stored in living organisms, the downward spiral of taking new loans from other surrounding water to pay the interest may suddenly threaten to destroy us. The draining of the land is like living on debts.

Water falling from the large water cycle is like a state subsidy. It comes for free but not regularly, often to wrong recipients and in the wrong amounts. It sometimes brings more harm than good. To rely on it is risky because today it is here but tomorrow it may not be. It is only the rainfall in the small water cycle which springs from the activities of the company, or sometimes from the activities of its other branches; often, too, it is the previous generation of company employees who, through their hard work, deserve credit for much of the profit we have today.

Water in rivers is, if you like, a gift which the community higher in the watershed hands down to the communities lower on the river. The society which acts as the bearer of such a gift should not try to plunder it, but should pass it down in a fit and cared-for state."

Sustainability of economy is literally dependent on the sufficiency of water: No water, no economy. The recent turbulences, for example in Europe, are most dramatic mainly in its southern regions. Taking a closer look, one notices that those countries are also the most arid ones. Why so?

Because water is a cultural and social phenomenon!

Q: Restoring nature to its natural state is a cause beyond party and beyond factions. The argument is increasingly heard that a fundamental contradiction has arisen between economic growth and the quality of life, so that to have one we must forsake the other. What is your view?
Michal Kravcik: Indeed, this opinion prevails. But, I do not share it, because it is based on consumerist principles of the society. In other words, it means to extract the resources fully, then find new ones, elsewhere. The revitalization of natural resources is not given consideration and this is a fatal error. Our civilization desperately needs "new models" of how to use the resources economically. Given the possibility of realization of our "Green Desert Projec", we could prove that growth of economy is literally "dependent on ecology".

Additional proof is to be found in some poorer African countries with unstable weather conditions. During the years, when there is more rain, the GDPs show dramatic growth, but as soon as the weather turns arid, a decline in their GDP is a direct consequence. However, this can be managed by application of wise management models including awareness and understanding of the interrelationships.

Q: Joined with this is a call from many sources for us to break from our consumerist and materialistic ways to seek simpler lives in harmony with nature and each other. How can this be brought about?
Michal Kravcik: We have precious and wonderful places all over the world. We protect them as our natural heritage. The problem is, that the surrounding devastated countryside endangers these masterpieces of nature. We can save them only by restoring natural resources where we live. This is the only chance we have for saving these truly unique natural masterpieces for the generations to come. The dynamics and our hectic life may be best understood and seen through the water cycle.

We – as humans - are closely linked to water and its cycles. The shortage of water makes the country arid and even the remaining water evaporates faster and faster. Nature makes rain fall in order to cool the hot earth. But as there is less and less water, the "exchange" between "Earth and Heaven" becomes faster and faster until collapse. As result, our life becomes faster and faster, and may be approaching – a collapse too. For this reason, we must explore ways and means, which will allow more and more circulating water in small water cycles on the continents.

Having more water, our present hectic life would slow down, become more harmonious, tolerant both to ourselves, our neighbors and to nature.

Q: You can see that the world we are imagining is one of high hopes and optimism that the job can and will be done. It is also a world of deep searching for the next steps that will be required once the immediate goals are met. What way do you suggest?
Michal Kravcik: Oh, yes, I can well imagine it. Believe me, it is possible and very easy to achieve! It would be enough to accept and apply the concept of withholding rainwater globally everywhere – on all the continents. This concept alone would allow to provide some 50 million workplaces -what in our present state of affairs and financial crises is an enormous number.

This – relatively simple step - would allow us to forget some of those frightening scenarios about global climatic changes. As result, hunger would disappear, so would conflicts and wars for water and a joyful life would fill the continents. The silly idea about forceful decreasing birth rates would loose its justification too and there would be more people feeling free and showing respect and solidarity towards others.

Q: The "new economy", the prime objective of the new environmentalism must be about more than "green". We need a broader, more inclusive framing of goals. What is your view?
Michal Kravcik: One of my books is titled "Green without Blue is only Yellow". It means that the yellow energy of the Sun, once penetrates the blue energy of water, turns green – and together they make the globe green. This is true for the colors, too. So, the "new environmentalism" will be greener when the continents keep its rainwater, now channeled unwisely, into the seas and oceans. This is the only tool for bringing a new era into environmental policy. But as it is, what we are doing it saving one tree and have not noticed that it is dying - because we have forgotten to water it.

Q: To build the "new economy", we need innovative economic thinking and new models. The new economy needs new economics. How this "new economy" might look?
Michal Kravcik: US President Roosevelt gave rise to the New Deal project after the Great Economic Crisis during Thirties. It focused on providing jobs for revitalization of the countryside. So he employed more than 3 million young people who – thanks to this project – survived the crisis. The money invested into the project had an 800-fold return. It is our misfortune that - presently there is lack of noble -minded politicians who would be capable to take serious decisions.

Much of our world is suffocated with bureaucracy and producing nothing. I just do not understand how we can continue speaking about "sustainable development" while each year - without return - 700 milliard tons of sweet water are channeled into seas and ocean. I also do understand how universities can produce water-management engineers the world, who continue to design silly structures for getting rid of - precious rainwater.

Q: Says the Earth Charter "we stand at a critical moment in Earth`s history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once hold great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms, we are one "human family" and one Earth community with common destiny. We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace. Towards this end, it is imperative that we, the Peoples of Earth declare our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life, and to future generations. Would you like to comment"?
Michal Kravik: Yes, we are a planet with unique diversity and a multitude of structures in lands, cultures, ethnic groups, etc. living in one "single house". We have but one home: the Planet Earth. Historically, we have arrived at the crossroads and we have two destinations to choose from.

The first is a paved road leading towards degradation of diversities and multitudes of natural and cultural structures caused by absence of water on the continents – water as basic primordial element of all life on Earth. This paved road will take us to - Hell. If we continue to follow it, we will run into global flood described in the Bible. In the course of the flood, the Earth will be cleaned from all parasailing, who are irresponsible and therefore can not take care of their own "Home".
After the "Great Flood" a handful of survivors may repeatedly start a new population boom.

The other road not well known, not yet sufficiently researched, but offers chances for the fortification of diversity, multitudes of forms of life by restoration of water in small water cycles. Choosing this unmarked road - the road of revitalization of small water cycles – peace and harmony will return to the Earth, tolerance will prevail, so will coexistence of various cultures and societies for the sake of well-being and wellness of all of us.
I would like to suggest, let’s try to take this rough, unpaved and unmarked road that eventually will take us to "Earthly Paradise". It is our duty! In addition we are also responsible for the future generations.