Every year on June 5, we celebrate World Environment Day. There is growing awareness among people of the hazards posed by environmental degradation, pollution, ozone layer depletion, global warming, and climate change. Governments and NGOs are taking more measures to maintain ecological balance, even as pollution in various cities is on the rise.

It is praiseworthy that we are all becoming increasingly aware of the need for this ecological balance. We need to minimise pollution, clean up the air, plant more trees, and do everything necessary to maintain ecological balance. While there is rightly a growing concern for the natural environment of the earth, we have failed to pay sufficient attention to the need for "human ecology."

Pope John Paul II, in his Encyclical Letter, Centesimus Annus, said: "In addition to the irrational destruction of the natural environment, we must also mention the more serious destruction of the human environment... Although people are rightly worried... About preserving the natural habitats of the various animal species threatened with extinction... Too little effort is made to safeguard the moral condition for an authentic human ecology" (CA, 38).

Millions of poor people live in subhuman conditions, lacking even basic amenities of life, in conditions which are far below human dignity. The first and fundamental structure for human ecology, according to Pope John Paul, is the family: "family founded on marriage, in which the mutual gift of self by husband and wife creates an environment in which children can be born and develop their potentialities, become aware of their dignity and prepare to face their unique and individual destiny" (CA, 39).

Sadly, the institution of the family itself is in danger. Pre-marital sex, casual sex, live-in relationships, etc., are increasing, and many in the younger generation are neither interested in family nor children.

Another serious threat to human ecology is the widespread use of contraception and abortion. It is estimated that about 150 million abortions take place in the world every year! And India alone is responsible for about 10% of them! The impact of widespread use of contraception and abortion all over the world is obvious.

In several affluent countries, there are more deaths than births. There are more older people than youth and children. Such an imbalance is detrimental to human ecology and demographic balance. In India, with the widespread practice of selective abortions of girl children, the imbalance is more alarming. Due to the rampant practice of female foeticide and infanticide in many states (especially Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, etc.), the sex ratio for 1000 males is about 780 females, in some districts even lower.

This imbalance is certainly due to man's arbitrary interference with God's plan for creation and procreation.

Pope Francis said: "Since everything is interrelated, concern for the protection of nature is also incompatible with the justification of abortion" (Laudato Si', 120). He further affirmed: "Human ecology also implies another profound reality: the relationship between human life and the moral law, which is inscribed in our nature and is necessary for the creation of a more dignified environment" (Laudato Si', 155).

If we do not pay heed to the need of human ecology and give it the attention it deserves, but continue to destroy human life at the rate of millions, there will be a serious demographic imbalance. Abortion is an abominable crime, which involves the killing of an innocent child in the womb.

As Catholics, we must be at the forefront in respecting and defending human life. We must respect life from the moment of conception to its natural death. May the God of life inspire us and motivate us to defend life. Protection and defence of innocent life in the womb must be our topmost priority.

We must respect life at every stage and teach others to do the same. In our given situation, we must also protect the girl child and promote gender equality. Any discrimination against the girl child must be condemned, and she must be given equal rights and opportunities. We need to create, within our families and society, a conducive environment where both girls and boys can grow together as equals and develop their potential.

Therefore, it is not sufficient to protect only the natural environment. Perhaps, it is even more important to protect and maintain what we call human ecology, i.e., proper family environment, proper living conditions with basic amenities, and above all, demographic balance as intended by God, without arbitrarily interfering in the plan and order designed by God through contraception and abortion.