This is really sad to hear. We are spending million of dollars on space research for finding possibility of human survival on other planets by dumping our own planet with plastic, co2 etc and making it hell.
Instead of that we can spend the same amount to revamp and protect our own ecosystem. But this will not come true until nation leaders understand this.
Nation leaders don't have as much power as you seem to think. It's all a problem with incentives and starts with every individual. You could stop buying anything that contains plastic, you could stop using your car, never travel with a plane etc. etc. The problem isn't with nation leaders, it's with the incentives we have leading us to do the things we do.
We are spending billions on military, fossil fuels, buying useless crap... If we could make a list of what we can cut, space research shouldn't be in the top 100.
It is also carrying one satellite of NASA. on top of that...India is planning to land their rover on south pole of the moon which is no yet done by any other country.By this probably we will get new information about moon which helps us to get more insights about chances of life on moon.
Instead of that we can spend the same amount to revamp and protect our own ecosystem. But this will not come true until nation leaders understand this.