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Cse In News

Cse In News

कल आपके शहर की भी हो सकती है बेंगलूरु जैसी हालत

पहले बेंगलूरु को झीलों के विशाल नेटवर्क से पानी की आपूर्ति मिलती थी जो बारिश का पानी इकट्ठा करने और बाढ़ कम करने के लिए विशेषतौर पर बनाया गया था। कुछ साल पहले बेंगलूरु में ‘इक्सक्रीटा मैटर्स’ पर हमारी रिपोर्ट जारी करते समय, मैं शहर के जल और गंदे नाली के पानी का प्रबंधन करने वालों के साथ एक जोश से भरी चर्चा में शामिल हुई थी। इस चर्चा का मुद्दा शहर में जल प्रबंधन का ढांचा था जो हमारे शोध के अनुसार किफायती और टिकाऊ नहीं था। हालांकि इंजीनियर इस बात से असहमत थे। उनके अनुसार वे पाइपलाइनों के माध्यम से लगभग 100 किलोमीटर दूर से कावेरी नदी का पानी प्राप्त करने में सफल रहे थे और इसलिए उनके पास चिंता करने का कोई कारण नहीं था। उनका मानना था कि उन्होंने सब कुछ अपने नियंत्रण में कर रखा है। अब जब यह अत्याधुनिक तकनीक वाला शहर गंभीर जल संकट की ओर बढ़ रहा है, ऐसे में संभव है कि ये लोग फिर से अपने विकल्पों पर पुनर्विचार करने के साथ ही उस पर आगे दोबारा काम करें। तथ्य है कि अन्य शहरों की तरह ही बेंगलूरु भी एक ऐसा ही शहर है जिसे आईना देखने के लिए मजबूर होना पड़ रहा है कि अधिक लागत वाले इंजीनियरिंग समाधानों वाली बेहतर जल आपूर्ति का सपना किस तरह गलत है। जलवायु से जुड़े जोखिम वाले इस दौर में यह स्थिति और खराब होने वाली है क्योंकि अब बारिश अधिक चरम स्तर पर होने के साथ ही अधिक परिवर्तनशील हो जाएगी। पहले बेंगलूरु को झीलों के विशाल नेटवर्क से पानी की आपूर्ति मिलती थी जो बारिश का पानी इकट्ठा करने और बाढ़ कम करने के लिए विशेषतौर पर बनाया गया था। इसके बाद फिर इस खोज का विस्तार हुआ। इसकी पहली आधिकारिक जल आपूर्ति प्रणाली, शहर से लगभग 18-20 किमी दूर अर्कवती नदी पर हेसरघट्टा झील से जुड़ी थी और इससे आगे यह 35-40 किमी दूर टीजी हल्ली जलाशय से जुड़ी थी। लेकिन यह सब पर्याप्त नहीं था और 1974 के आसपास महत्त्वाकांक्षी कावेरी जल आपूर्ति योजना की परिकल्पना की गई थी जिसके तहत पानी को लगभग 490 मीटर की ऊंचाई तक पंप करने की योजना थी और इसे 100 किमी से अधिक दूर ले जाने की बात भी थी। जब मैंने शहर के इंजीनियरों से बात की तो वे इस चमत्कारिक इंजीनियरिंग परियोजना के चौथे चरण में थे और जैसा कि मैंने कहा, उन्हें इसमें चिंता करने का कोई कारण नहीं दिखता था। मैंने लगभग एक दशक पहले, लंबी दूरी तक पानी पहुंचाने की लागत के बारे में बात की थी। शहर को पानी पहुंचाने के लिए पहले से ही बहुत ज्यादा बिजली की जरूरत थी, जिससे शहर के जल और सीवर बोर्ड की पहले से ही कमजोर आर्थिक स्थिति और खराब हो रही थी। जैसे-जैसे दूरी बढ़ती गई, वैसे-वैसे पानी की बरबादी की मात्रा भी बढ़ती गई। आधिकारिक सूत्रों के मुताबिक एक दशक पहले तक यह लगभग 40 प्रतिशत थी। इसका मतलब यह हुआ कि लोगों के लिए पानी की आपूर्ति की लागत बढ़ रही थी और वित्तीय स्थिति अनिश्चित थी। लेकिन ऊपरी स्तर पर सब ठीक था। शहर ने अपने नागरिकों के लिए शत-प्रतिशत जल आपूर्ति का दावा किया और यह संकेत भी दिए कि समस्याएं चाहें जो भी हों लेकिन कावेरी के चौथे चरण के तहत इन्हें सुलझा लिया जाएगा। मैंने उनका ध्यान कुछ तथ्यों की ओर दिलाया जिनको लेकर वह गंभीर नहीं थे। पहला, यह कि शहर और उसके आसपास के इलाकों में भूजल का उपयोग बढ़ रहा था जिससे यह साफ पता चल रहा था कि जलापूर्ति की स्थिति उतनी ठीक नहीं है जितना दिखाया जा रहा था। दूसरा, यह कि शहर का तेजी से विस्तार हो रहा था और इस विस्तार की रफ्तार के साथ ही जल और जल निकासी के बुनियादी ढांचे का तैयार होना असंभव था और यह इस वृद्धि के साथ तालमेल नहीं रख पाएगा। तीसरी, सबसे महत्त्वपूर्ण बात यह थी कि गंदे पानी का उपचार नहीं किया जा रहा था जिसके चलते झीलों और झरने के जाल में प्रदूषण बढ़ रहा था। हालांकि, इंजीनियर भविष्य को लेकर आशावादी थे। उन्होंने दावा किया कि उन्होंने हर उपलब्ध तकनीक का उपयोग करके पहले ही रोजाना 72 करोड़ लीटर गंदे पानी की उपचार क्षमता तैयार कर ली है और इससे वे तकनीकी रूप से लगभग सभी तरह के गंदे पानी का उपचार करने में सक्षम होंगे। लेकिन जब मैंने बताया कि आधी से भी कम क्षमता का उपयोग किया जा रहा है तब उन्होंने मुझसे कहा कि यह कुछ समय की बात है और जल्द ही पाइपलाइन नेटवर्क का विस्तार होगा और सब ठीक हो जाएगा। अब आइए आज की स्थिति पर नजर डालते हैं। वर्ष 2010 में, शहर की पानी की आवश्यकता लगभग 112.5 करोड़ लीटर प्रतिदिन आंकी गई थी जो अब दोगुने से भी ज्यादा बढ़कर 260.0 करोड़ लीटर प्रतिदिन हो चुकी है और कावेरी अब भी आधी जल की आपूर्ति करती है और बाकी जल की आपूर्ति अब भी भूजल के माध्यम से होती है। दूसरे शब्दों में, मांग में आई तेजी के मुकाबले आपूर्ति कम ही रही है और ऐसे में लोगों के पास पानी की आपूर्ति सुनिश्चित करने के लिए गहरी खुदाई करने के अलावा कोई विकल्प नहीं बचा है। बारिश की अनियमितता बढ़ने के साथ, ये स्रोत तेजी से सूख रहे हैं। लेकिन पाइपलाइन के सपने दिखाने और उसे बेचने वाले इस संकट को नहीं समझ पाए हैं। शहर के मुख्य जल प्रबंधक अब कावेरी परियोजना के पांचवें चरण पर दांव लगा रहे हैं और उनका कहना है कि इसकी शुरुआत बहुत जल्द हो जाएगी और इससे पानी से जुड़ी सभी चिंताएं दूर हो जाएंगी। जहां तक गंदे पानी और मल आदि का सवाल है इसकी कहानी भी कुछ ऐसी ही है और इसका बुनियादी ढांचा दोगुने से भी ज्यादा हो गया। केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड की वर्ष 2021 की इन्वेंट्री के अनुसार, शहर में अब रोजाना 166.8 करोड़ लीटर गंदे पानी की उपचार क्षमता है और रोजाना 42.5 करोड़ लीटर की उपचार क्षमता निर्माणाधीन है। लेकिन इसका क्षमता उपयोग 50 प्रतिशत के स्तर पर स्थिर है, यानी दूसरे शब्दों में कहा जाए तो अधिक गंदे पानी आदि को रोका जा रहा है। लेकिन पानी की जरूरत दोगुनी होने के साथ ही गंदे पानी आदि की मात्रा भी बढ़ गई है और अधिकांश गंदे पानी को रोका नहीं जा पा रहा है और न ही इसका उपचार किया जा रहा है। लेकिन, आप इंजीनियरों से बात करें तो वे आपको बताएंगे कि यह सिर्फ समय की बात है और सब ठीक हो जाएगा। सभी घर जुड़ जाएंगे, गंदे पानी को रोका जाएगा और इसे उपचार संयंत्रों में ले जाकर फिर नदियों में स्वच्छ पानी बहाया जाएगा जो चमत्कारिक तरीके से बदला हुआ होगा। यही हमारी जल से जुड़ी योजना की असली समस्या है। हम यह समझने में असमर्थ हैं कि पानी और कचरे से जुड़े इस पूरे कारोबार में बदलाव लाने की कितनी जरूरत है और इसमें कितना अवसर है। इस व्यवस्था बेहतरी के लिए रोकने की जरूरत है। सच तो यह है कि बेंगलूरु में पर्याप्त बारिश होती है और यहां कई झीलें हैं जो इस पानी को फिर से जमीन के नीचे तक पहुंचा सकती हैं। ऐसे में हमारा भूजल सुरक्षित हो सकता है। अगर ऐसा हो तब भारी बारिश के समय भी शहर के अमीर और प्रभावशाली लोगों को बाढ़ में डूबने से बचने के लिए तैरना नहीं पड़ेगा। बारिश की हर बूंद का इस्तेमाल सूखा पड़ने दौर में किया जा सकता है। तब शहर अपने गंदे पानी की निकासी वाली प्रणाली का प्रबंधन अलग तरीके से कर सकता है। पाइपलाइनों के जरिये गंदा पानी ले जाने पर भरोसा करने के बजाय, यह सुनिश्चित किया जा सकता है कि गंदे पानी और मल का हर एक बूंद टैंकरों द्वारा इकट्ठा किया जाए और फिर इसका उपचार करने के बाद इसे झील के बुनियादी ढांचे में डाला जाए और फिर से इसका इस्तेमाल किया जाए। लेकिन इसके लिए जल इंजीनियरों को जमीनी हकीकत को समझना होगा और उन्हें भविष्य के लिए जल प्रबंधन पर पुनर्विचार करना होगा। यह सिर्फ बेंगलूरु की कहानी नहीं है। यह स्थिति आज भले ही उनकी है लेकिन ऐसी स्थिति कल आपके सामने भी बन सकती है। (ले​खिका सेंटर फॉर साइंस ऐंड एनवायरनमेंट से संबद्ध हैं)

An order in the making

In 2024, we must rework trade rules for a different kind of globalisation. This is important both for the economies in the Global South and the fight against climate change. Many yesterdays ago, when the world was discussing the possibility of a climate crisis, it was also negotiating a new trade agreement. In early 1990, when the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change was agreed at the Rio Summit, the World Trade Organization (WTO) was also set up and global rules to facilitate free trade between nations was signed on. The deal was simple: the cost of manufacturing would come down when goods were produced in countries with lower labour costs and environmental standards. The export-economies would drive prosperity in the still-developing world, but most importantly in the rich world where consumers would benefit from cheaper goods and the boom in services. The tectonic shift came in 2001, with the acceptance of China into WTO. China had massive workforce; no trade unions; little environmental safeguards; and an authoritarian government. After joining WTO, China’s share of global CO2 emissions rose from 5 per cent in 1990 to 21 per cent in 2019. Trade boomed but the age of global prosperity did not come, and an increased trade meant that CO2 emission increased. In 20 years, this idea of globalisation has soured—the proponents of the grand scheme are turning their backs to the idea of unfettered global trade, which was designed to be without distortions of subsidy and support by national governments. The question is how will these new globalisation rules take shape in a climate-risked and war-torn world? Today the most hyped issue is US’ position against China. This is being talked about as the fight against autocratic and undemocratic regimes (which is true). But the real reason is to gain control over resources and technologies needed for the future, including the green economy that the world so desperately needs. China today dominates the supply chains for batteries; it processes over half of the world’s lithium, cobalt and graphite; and it is an established leader in solar energy. To fight this “enemy”, the US has decided to give up all its ideological qualms about subsidies; the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is providing finance to companies to manufacture low-carbon products in the US. The issue is if the western world’s mission to break this stranglehold will lead to higher costs of the green transition and even delay it? Or will it be successful in doing the impossible—securing access to rare minerals and rebuilding its manufacturing industry, despite the higher costs of labour and environmental standards. This could lead to de-globalisation or localisation as more countries decide to maximise their advantage as holders of natural resources, and technology and the knowledge that goes with it. It is also a possibility that there are new breakthroughs in technology, which would make the China-dominated supply chain redundant. For instance, there is talk about sodiumion batteries that could take down the need for lithium batteries. It is the same in India. We have decided—and rightly so—to invest in local capacity for solar industry. The Indian government has announced fiscal incentives for solar cell and module manufacture and imposed higher import duties on Chinese products. It is difficult to say, as yet, if this will impede India’s ambitious renewable programme, as domestic production may not be able to keep pace or be cost-competitive. On the other hand, there is an obvious advantage in building our industry. The gradual closing of the free-trade world will also have implications for Indian industry’s exports. All in all, there is a new game in town and we need to see if this time around the rules of trade will work for or against the people and the Planet. DTE The writer is the Director-General of CSE and editor of DownToEarth. Views expressed are personal

Bengaluru's story today; your city's tomorrow

Some years ago in Bengaluru, at the release of our report “Excreta Matters”, I got into a spirited discussion with the city’s water and sewage managers. The issue was the paradigm of water management in the city, which our research showed was unaffordable and so unsustainable. The engineers disagreed. According to them, they had managed to secure water from the Cauvery, being brought from some 100 km away through pipelines, and so had no reason to worry. They believed they had it all in control. Now as this hi-tech city hurtles towards a crisis of severe water scarcity, maybe, just maybe, these wise men will reconsider and rework their options. The fact is Bengaluru is just another city that is being shown the mirror — the dream of perfect water driven by high-cost engineering solutions is going horribly wrong. And this, in an era of climate risks, where rainfall will become more extreme and more variable, is only going to get worse. Bengaluru in the now distant past used to get its water supply from its vast network of lakes, designed to collect its rain and to mitigate floods. Then the search expanded, its first official water supply system was sourced from Hesaraghatta Lake on the Arkavathi river, 18-20 km from the city; then further to the T G Halli reservoir, 35-40 km away. But all this did not suffice and around 1974 the ambitious Cauvery Water Supply Scheme was conceived. By that, water would be pumped up to a height of some 490 metres and transported over 100 km. During my interactions with the city engineers, they were deep into stage 4 of this engineering marvel of a project and, as I said, they did not see any reason to worry. I spoke of the cost of transporting water over longer distances. About a decade ago, the city required huge power to pump the city, which was eating into the fragile economics of the city’s water and sewerage board. Also as the distance increased, so did the water loss — a decade ago, these were roughly 40 per cent, according to official sources. All this meant the cost of the water supplied to people was going up, and the finances were precarious. But on the surface, all was well. The city boasted 100 per cent water supply to its citizens and, whatever the problems, Cauvery stage 4 would sort it out. But I pointed out they were discounting the following facts. One was that groundwater usage was increasing in the city and its surrounding areas, which suggested that water supply was not so perfect. Two, the city was exploding and this expanding water-sewage infrastructure would be a pipedream and not keep up pace with growth. Three, most importantly, by their own admission, the bulk of the sewage generated was not being treated and this in turn was adding to the pollution in its intricate network of lakes and streams. But again, engineers were sanguine about the future. They boasted they had already built a sewage treatment capacity of some 720 million litres a day (MLD), using every available technology possible. This technically would be able to treat almost all the sewage generated. But when I pointed out that less than half the capacity was being utilised, they told me it was only a matter of time. Very soon the pipeline network would expand and all would be well. Now, let’s cut to today. In 2010, the city’s water requirement was estimated at some 1,125 MLD, and that has more than doubled to 2,600 MLD. And while the Cauvery still supplies half of it, the rest is now from groundwater. In other words, the explosion of demand has remained unmet and people have had no option but to dig and dig deeper to secure their water. With increased variability of rainfall, these sources are drying up, and fast. But the pipedream sellers have not understood the crisis — the city’s chief water manager is now banking on the fifth stage of the Cauvery project, which will be commissioned, he says, very soon and this will end all water worries. The sewage story is similar. Infrastructure was more than doubled. According to the Central Pollution Control Board’s 2021 inventory, the city now has a sewage treatment capacity of 1,668 MLD and another 425 MLD is under construction. But capacity utilisation remains stagnant at 50 per cent — and so in other words, more sewage is being intercepted but as water needs have doubled, so has sewage generation and still the bulk is not being intercepted and not being treated. But again, speak to the engineers and they will tell you that it is only a matter of time when all will be well. All the homes will be connected, sewage intercepted and taken to treatment plants, and discharged clean into rivers, which will be miraculously transformed. This is the real crisis of our water planning — the inability to understand the need and the opportunity for the change in the way we do this water-waste business. This is what needs to be punctured — for good. The fact is Bengaluru has enough rain; it has lakes that can recharge this water; this can make its groundwater secure so that even in times of extreme rain events its rich and powerful denizens do not have to swim to avoid drowning in the flood. Every drop can be used for the coming period of scarcity. Then it can do its sewage differently. Instead of believing that it can transport sewage with pipelines, it can ensure that every drop of excreta is collected by tankers and then treated and reused — once again by using the same lake infrastructure to recharge. But for this water engineers have to come down to earth and rework and rethink water futures. This is not just a Bengaluru story; it is theirs today and yours tomorrow. The writer is at the Centre for Science and Environment sunita@cseindia.org, X: @sunitanar

Himalayan mountains in dire straits: Study

Overall, the Himalayas have already lost more than 40 per cent of their ice, and are likely to lose up to 75 per cent by the end of this century. The western Himalayas had lost 8,340 sqkm of permafrost area between 2002-04 and 2018-20; about 965 sqkm of area disappeared in the Uttarakhand Himalayas between 1970-2000 and 2001-17 Between 2013 and 2022, the Himalayan region in India accounted for 44 per cent of all the disasters reported in the country. Floods, landslides and thunderstorms – 192 in all – constituted the bulk of these incidents. In fact, the cloudbursts and torrential rains experienced in the region in 2023 are curtain-raisers to a future that is already upon us, and will become more pronounced with every passing year. Between 2013 and 2022, the Himalayan region in India accounted for 44 per cent of all the disasters reported in the country. Floods, landslides and thunderstorms – 192 in all – constituted the bulk of these incidents. In fact, the cloudbursts and torrential rains experienced in the region in 2023 are curtain-raisers to a future that is already upon us, and will become more pronounced with every passing year. This assessment of the Himalayan region and the impacts of climate change that it is encountering is a key focus of the recently released State of India’s Environment 2024 report. The report is prepared and released every year by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down To Earth magazine. This year, the SOE 2024 (as the report is referred to in short) was unveiled at the Anil Agarwal Dialogue, an annual conclave of environment-development journalists attended by over 100 mediapersons and subject experts from across the country. The Dialogue is organised every year by CSE. Between April 2021 and April 2022, 41 incidents of landslides were recorded across the country: 38 of these happened in Himalayan states, with Sikkim witnessing the highest number (11). Writes Kiran Pandey, head of CSE’s Environment Resources Unit in the recently released CSE report: “A close look at the data shows an uncomfortable trend. In recent decades, these disasters are occurring more frequently and getting more severe, causing a significant loss of life and damage to property.” The worst long-term – and relentless -- damage isbeing seen in the upper reaches of the Himalayas. The rise in average surface temperatures in the Himalayas is causing glaciers to melt rapidly and retreatat an accelerating rate. The Hindu Kush Himalayas has seen a 65 per cent faster loss of glacier mass, according to a study by the Nepal-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). During 2010-19, glaciers in the region lost a mass of 0.28 metre of water equivalent per year (m we) in comparison to 0.17 m we per year in the period 2000-09. The Karakoram Range, which was known to be stable, has also started showing a decline in glacier mass, losing 0.09 m we per year during 2010-19. The State of India’s Environment 2024 report quotes Izabella Koziell, ICIMOD’s deputy director general: “The glaciers of the Hindu Kush Himalaya are a major component of the Earth system. With two billion people in Asia reliant on the water that glaciers and snow here hold, the consequences of losing this cryosphere are too vast to contemplate. We need leaders to act now to prevent catastrophe.” Overall, the Himalayas have already lost more than 40 per cent of their ice, and are likely to lose up to 75 per cent by the end of this century. The western Himalayas had lost 8,340 sqkm of permafrost area between 2002-04 and 2018-20; about 965 sqkm of area disappeared in the Uttarakhand Himalayas between 1970-2000 and 2001-17. The loss of permafrost can lead to infrastructure damage. “We are already seeing the effects of this, for example, in landslides caused by thawing permafrost,” says Dr Miriam Jackson, ICIMOD’s senior cryosphere specialist, and one of the speakers at the Anil Agarwal Dialogue.

Is India doing enough to woo Tesla?

Tesla has long eyed the Indian market, but it didn't want to invest in local production until the government addressed tariff-related issues. Prime M "This policy is designed to attract global investments to promote local manufacturing with adequate value addition and to specifically build the e-carmanufacturing," Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director at Center for Science and Environment, told DW.

BS Manthan: From trade & startups to China+1, here's what happened on Day 2

On Day 2 of the Business Standard annual summit, Manthan, Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and Amitabh Kant, and various industry stalwarts graced the occasion. Beginning with Goyal, the event streamlined India’s vision and challenges in its journey to be a developed nation by 2047. Here’s a look at how the event unfolded on the final day of the event: Trade policy calibrated with growth but open for expansion: Piyush Goyal India's trade policy is calibrated with its growth trajectory yet open for more expansion, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday. At the Business Standard Manthan in New Delhi, Goyal said, "We have to look at our growth trajectory and calibrate the trade policy as the country moves through this cycle of growth." India needs to internationalise its economy and look at a greater degree of engagement with the world and rapid growth in exports. "We will be doing $2 trillion of exports by 2030. I have no doubt we will achieve it," he said. Goyal also said that in the recently signed European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the four countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, have committed an additional $100 billion to create 1 million direct jobs in India in the next 15 years in lieu of market access. India must not brand itself with China-Plus-One tag It would be wise for India not to make its strategy around ‘China-Plus-One’, the trend of global companies avoiding investing only in the communist nation and diversifying their businesses to other places, said three foreign and defence policy experts. Kicking off the discussion, former foreign secretary Shyam Saran said China-Plus-One was not about Western and global multinationals abandoning China, uprooting their facilities and shifting to countries like India, adding that Plus One had more to do with these businesses directing most of their fresh investments to other locations. The three panelists concurred that China-Plus-One was either misunderstood as a wholesale movement away from China or at the least overplayed. India needs to develop in such a way that its dependency on China reduces, former Indian high commissioner to the UK, Nalin Surie said. According to former national security advisor Shiv Shankar Menon, India's choice was not between import substitution and complete dependency on China. Instead, he proposed that India should adopt its own China-Plus-One strategy for imports, under which it would find alternative sources and diversify. "India needs a de-risking or China-Plus-One strategy for itself," said Menon. Long road ahead for India in meeting green energy targets India needs to find a balance between its plans to become a developed country by 2047, clean energy and the environment, said a panel that discussed fossil fuel, clean energy and India’s stance in climate talks. The experts included Vivek Dewangan, chairman and managing director of REC Ltd; Sunita Narain, director general of Centre for Science and Environment; Ulka Kelkar, executive director at Climate, WRI India, and Derek M. Shah, senior vice-president & head-green energy business at Larsen & Toubro. India is standing at a crucial juncture and it is imperative to adapt to rapid economic growth along with addressing the vulnerability to environmental issues, Narain said Talking about India’s aspirations to become a $30 trillion economy by 2047, Kelkar said that no country in the world has become rich by remaining energy poor. She pointed out that there are some major problems at hand currently. India’s aim to tackle climate change cannot be only through carbon-lens. “As climate change risk starts manifesting, policy-making will have to become more adaptive, and decentralised. Even the new energy infrastructure or transport infra will be at risk due to climate change,” she said. On the issue of financing in the renewable energy sector, Narain said: “Indian industry is getting far more aware about the needs to transform, to take on actions which are good for them as well as the environment. Scale up needs to happen in sectors such as iron, cement, steel. There’s a lot the industry can do to decrease their carbon footprint.” However, she said that green energy financing is still lagging from the private sector. Luxury industry fuelling India's economic growth Pushpa Bector, executive director of DLF Retail, said the luxury industry is a catalyst for economic growth. Drawing parallels with other developing nations, she said luxury signifies confidence in consumer evolution and reflects a nation's readiness to embrace the finest things in the world. In India, the luxury market is projected to reach $200 billion over the years, with the retail segment alone accounting for $60-70 billion. Kapil Chopra, former president of The Oberoi and founder of Postcard Luxury Hotels and Resorts, said India's economy is in an aspirational phase. As the economy grows, there is a trend of people aspiring for better experiences. Alexis De Ducla, director at Mathieu Lustrerie, said India has a rich heritage of art, culture, and craftsmanship. Recent developments in terms of investment and policy have boosted customer confidence in the country. The panelists agreed that luxury in 2047 will redefine a developed India by not only reflecting economic prosperity but also by embodying sustainability, craftsmanship, and a unique Indian identity that resonates globally. Viksit Bharat can't thrive without nourishing farm policy To make India "Viksit Bharat" by 2047, it needs to focus on building human capacity before prioritising infrastructure-led development, Ajay Vir Jakhar, the chairman of Bharat Krishak Samaj, said. Jhakhar called for the revision of India's current agriculture policy and the need to address issues such as the trust deficit between farmers and the government, filling vacancies in agriculture universities, and addressing climate change disruptions. Agri economist Ashok Gulati added that without a strong and quality agricultural output, the Vikisit Bharat workforce will be affected. "People have to be fed and fed well. 35 per cent of Indian children below the age of five are stunted. They will become the new workforce," he said. Gulati also noted that this could have an impact on their earning capacity, which will be a roadblock for India's economy. We need more Adanis, Ambanis, Marutis for India to grow: Amitabh Kant For India to achieve 'developed nation' status, Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa and former chief executive officer of the National Institution for Transforming India (Niti Aayog), Government of India, stated that the country needs to have more large businesses like Adani and Ambani. Kant highlighted India's ability to achieve consensus across diverse issues in the multilateral forum of G20, showcasing its leadership role among emerging markets. He discussed India's contributions ranging from economic growth to Sustainable Development Goals, digital public infrastructure, and addressing the Russia-Ukraine crisis. When questioned about India's trajectory towards becoming a developed country by 2047, Kant emphasised the importance of driving growth across various sectors. He stressed the need for aggressive measures to promote manufacturing, sustainable urbanisation, and enhance agricultural productivity. Giving highest value for money key to Maruti's success: RC Bhargava Giving average Indians the maximum value for their money was one of the keys behind Maruti India’s success, its 89-year-old chairman RC Bhargava. “What has kept Maruti on top are two factors. The first is that we have always tried to understand the Indian customer, and the Indian customer is not just the customer who has multiple houses or multiple kinds of assets all over the world, but we are looking at the Indian customer right from the bottom, and we try to cater to all segments of the market. We have tried to do that throughout,” he said. Reflecting on historical challenges and policy frameworks, Bhargava acknowledged the nuanced dynamics of operating within a regulated environment. Despite critiques, Bhargava credited initiatives like the Phased Manufacturing Programme (PMP) for expediting the localisation of component manufacturing, underscoring the interplay between regulatory pressure and industry evolution. No country like India for tech companies, says Amazon India head Amazon Vice-President and India Manager Manish Tiwary said that there is no better country in the world for technological innovations than India. Talking about the large companies' outlook for India at 2047, Tiwary remarked that due to excellent demographic diversity and quick adoption of technology, India is well poised to become a developed nation by 2047. "I can't think of any country which is better poised. I wouldn't be surprised if we hit developed status before 2047," he added. When asked about the competitive landscape in the country, Tiwary replied that with the current penetration of e-commerce so low, there are no worries as of now. "If you look at e-commerce, the reality is penetration is only 1-2 per cent. Fashion is 0.5 per cent. You start worrying about competition when penetration is 97-98 per cent. More players will help the ecosystem get better. We have a long way to go before we worry about competition," he added. Plenty of funding for right startups: Rajesh Magow As the startup industry grapples with a prolonged period of funding challenges, Rajesh Magow, the CEO of travel company MakeMyTrip, provided reassurance that there is ample capital available for the “right” type of startups. Offering advice to aspiring entrepreneurs, Magow emphasised the importance of adopting a long-term perspective when starting a business. “Whoever is looking at starting the business, you can't think in terms of two, three, five, or 20 years…The three, five, or 10-year view is from the investors’ lens. They have fund compulsions, they look for exit periods, etc., but not for the founding or management team," he said. Startups generate more employment than big companies: Sanjeev Bikhchandani Sanjeev Bikhchandani, the founder of Info Edge and co-founder of Ashoka University, discussed the growth of Info Edge from a startup to a tech giant, and the crucial role of startups in India's development. Sharing insights from his entrepreneurial journey, Bikhchandani recounted the inception of Info Edge and its evolution into a successful startup. He emphasised the role of startups in driving employment generation and innovation, challenging conventional notions of growth and success. Using Zomato and Policybazaar as examples, Bikhchandani said that they generated thousands of jobs. However, since this was not in the formal sector, they were not counted. "But, that is also livelihood, and it was done by a startup," he said. He added that big companies had a limit to how much employment they could generate. Referring to the term "unicorn," Bikhchandani said, "I don't like the term 'unicorn'. I think it's rubbish. You measure a company's health by looking at revenue, profits, customer base, and sustainable growth." Must decentralise power from states to local govt: Montek Singh Ahluwalia On the path to making India a developed nation by 2047, there is a need to decentralise power further from states to more local authorities, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, former deputy chairman of the Planning Commission said. He said that India needs to work on health and education to make India a developed nation. "These are 100 per cent state subjects. Now the problem is that in the delivery of these services, is not at the state level. It's at the lower level," he said. Ahluwalia also said that the debate should not be about Centre versus states but whether it is even a problem or not. Arvind Subramanian, the former chief economic advisor, pointed out that the gap in the relations between states and the Centre has widened since the high growth period of the 2000s. He said that growth has led to divergent growth between the states and has ultimately turned the "amicable" into a "less amicable" union.

Unplanned growth, flawed notification endanger Delhi wetlands

Have you been to the Surajpur wetland, near Surajpur village in Gautam Budh Nagar district? Located in the midst of an expansive industrial city under the administrative purview of the Greater Noida Development Authority, it reveals itself as a mosaic of a sprawling lake, towering trees and thousands of birds, many flying in from distant lands. As you enter the wetland, the guards tell you not to go beyond the second viewpoint. It is untamed territory, the domain of many wild animals, they warn. However, all has not been well in this sanctuary of nature. In January 2024, the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Department (UPPCB) collected samples of untreated waste from an industrial unit adjacent to the Surajpur wetland, after several environmentalists alleged that hundreds of trees in a 20-acre area of the wetland had been destroyed due to effluent discharge. This was not the first time. Samples had been collected a year ago and tests had indicated the presence of high levels of heavy metals in untreated effluents. Much of this was being discharged in a drain connected to the wetland. This, environmentalists say, has caused significant loss of biodiversity in this prominent birding hotspot. “In the month of January, it came to our notice that a number of trees were destroyed in the Surajpur Wetland. There are factories and a residential area called Surajpur nearby from where effluents flow into the wetland, leading to waterlogging. Additionally, an attached drain has overflowed, causing extensive damage to a number of trees,” says Vikrant Tongad, an environment conservationist who has extensively worked for the protection of Surajpur Wetland. A study sharing satellite images has revealed a considerable reduction in the wetland area over the past 13 years. The deterioration has largely been a consequence of escalating urbanisation and construction of towering modern buildings in Greater Noida, wherein wetlands are increasingly being encroached. What we stand to lose when we lose our wetlands A wetland is land area that is saturated with water, either throughout the year or at different intervals of time during the year. They are typically shallow, thus, allowing the sunlight to penetrate into the surface facilitating plant growth through photosynthesis, making them one of the most biologically productive ecosystems on the planet. Wetlands occupy around 6% of the Earth’s surface in total. However, despite their small footprint, they are critical freshwater habitats. Himanshu Thakkar, Coordinator, South Asia Network on Dams, River, and People (SANDRP) says, “Wetlands perform a number of functions. For instance, they facilitate groundwater recharge, function as biodiversity hotspots, and provide livelihoods, reduce the flooding in the city, and change the microclimate around it. From a climate change point of view, they act as carbon sinks. They are extremely important for the ecology of the city.” Historically, however, wetlands were considered to have little to no value, and were largely deemed as wasteland. As a result, they were either drained or transformed into the so-called more productive land. The perils of Delhi’s wetlands Surajpur is a manifestation of a much larger problem. According to Vikrant Tongad, there are rarely any remaining wetlands in Delhi. There is a common belief among people that wetlands are merely marshlands with limited utility, so that they are often dismissed due to concerns such as mosquito breeding. As Vikrant points out, current rules for the conservation and management of wetlands in India were notified only in 2017, replacing the earlier 2010 guidelines. “Delhi is under immense population pressure. The city demands systematic management, including protection of areas surrounding wetlands from the encroachment of highways, construction, and buildings,” he says, “Surajpur, for instance, is an important biodiversity habitat. While people go to these places to see birds, have picnics, and spend time there, very few of them are actually willing to work for its protection. Out of the funds authorities invested, some were used, and the rest misused.” Tongad is currently in a legal tussle to ensure that those responsible for discharging treated or untreated effluents into the wetland are held accountable. He has filed a case in the Supreme Court against the National Green Tribunal (NGT)’s decision to exclude the six low-lying areas near the Surajpur wetland from being categorised as wetlands. The NGT had ruled that in the absence of any revenue record, it cannot recognise these areas as wetlands. However, according to the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017, all wetlands — regardless of their characteristics such as location, size, ownership, biodiversity or ecosystem services values — are eligible for notification and by extension, protection under the Rules. There are only a few exceptions to this, such as river channels, paddy fields, and human-made water bodies specifically constructed for drinking water, aquaculture, salt production, recreation, and irrigation purposes. Over the past century, India has lost 50% of its total wetlands. According to the Wetland Authority of Delhi (WAD), the national capital is reported to have over 1000 wetlands and waterbodies. However, none of them are officially notified, leaving them critically exposed to exploitation. According to data accessed by the Hindu, the Wetland Authority of Delhi has even received requests from some of the 16 agencies that own water bodies in the city (see table below), seeking the deletion of around 22.2% of the total water bodies in its records, citing encroachment or drying up as a reason. “Delhi has expanded exhaustively over the years, while the NCR area is developing at a really fast pace. There is nothing much for Delhi to lose anymore, because it has already lost most of its water resources over the past years. It has been mostly due to urbanisation, new construction, increasing population, and infrastructure,” repeats Pranab J. Patar, a Delhi-based environmentalist. Gaps in notification process Pranab also adds that a number of water bodies are left out of the notification process because of a policy lacuna and the unscientific nature of its process. Consequently, it is easy for encroachers to occupy that space or use that for waste dumping. Both the state and central government authorities contribute to the notification process. Wetlands are notified under the Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017. However, the notification process can extend over months or years, depending on the complexities involved and the efficiency of the relevant government departments. Besides, communities and stakeholders may also resist notification, fearing restrictions on activities like farming and construction. “For example, Bhalswa lake was a unique oxbow lake, which is not the case anymore because one of its arms has been turned into a dumpsite. This is again because notifications were happening during the dry season. The water level was low and depleted, leaving much of the catchment area dry. The authorities considered it to be a dry and barren land and left it out of the notification,” says Pranab, illustrating how legitimate wetlands get left out of the ambit of protection. According to India Water Portal, all wetlands of Delhi are vulnerable to aggressive infrastructural change and expansion of built-up areas. The study by the portal recommended an alternative, ecosystem based approach for city planning. An approach that would focus on sustainable development and include planning for the conservation and management of urban water bodies. It also emphasises the importance of geospatial analysis to understand and evaluate the situation of wetlands, and accordingly devise appropriate solutions. The aftermath of neglecting wetlands In July last year, a large part of Delhi was swamped in floodwaters from the river Yamuna, as its water level rose to a 45-year high mark. Visuals of the flooded capital took the internet by storm, where several claimed that the river Yamuna was reclaiming its historical course. The floods reportedly caused an economic loss of over Rs 10,000 crores. However, The State of India’s Environment 2023 report from the Centre for Science and Environment released earlier that year had spotted the danger signs already. It highlighted that the Yamuna floodplain originally had over 600 wetlands and water bodies, but more than 60% of them now lacked water. Embankments had disconnected river-fed water bodies from the Yamuna, raising the risk of flooding. Encroachment was rampant too. Notably, the Akshardham temple, constructed in 2000, and the Commonwealth Games Village in 2010, were built on the floodplains. Many people residing on the floodplains had converted the area into agricultural fields for their livelihoods. “There needs to be much stronger governance of wetlands. Even the judicial bodies are not very stringent. Urbanisation cannot be sustained without the wetlands. Wetland areas should be demarcated using satellite or physical mapping. Stronger rules and regulations should be brought to protect them. Continuous monitoring and local governance is crucial, and the help of the general population is key,” says Himanshu Thakkar. In an order dated June 2022, the Wetland Authority of Delhi issued detailed directions to all government authorities on how to expedite protection and restoration of water bodies in Delhi in a time-bound manner. This not only placed strict prohibitory orders on activities detrimental to the health of water bodies, but also emphasised proper identification. “Identify all water bodies, ensure listing and preparation of brief documents of all water bodies in the concerned jurisdiction as per the definition of Wetlands in Wetland Rules, 2017 with the Master list of the Wetland Authority of Delhi, so that none of the water bodies in Delhi is left unlisted, unmapped and documented under the statutory framework,” says the order. What can you do for the wetlands in your city? According to Himanshu, it is crucial for people to familiarise themselves with nearby wetlands. This involves preventing garbage dumping, sewage discharge, and encroachment, while also minimising personal waste generation through segregation and recycling.

Making Indian Cities Walkable

Indian cities grapple with shrinking spaces for pedestrians. In 2021 alone, pedestrian fatalities in India exceeded those of the EU and Japan combined, as reported by Bosch Limited. Shockingly, almost 99 per cent of Indian pedestrians are at risk of road injuries according to the same report. To make our cities more walkable and safer, a strategic urban planning overhaul is crucial. Prioritising pedestrians, restoring footpaths, and creating secure environments are vital steps forward. Manisha Natarajan in conversation with Mr Anupam Yog - Managing Partner at XDG Labs Pvt Ltd, Ms. Anumita Roychowdhury - Executive Director at the Centre for Science and Environment, and Mr Vivek Pai - Director at Sustainancy Consultants Pvt Ltd, for the right solutions.

Davis And Shirtliff Calls For Increased Investment In Water Projects For Food Security

Davis and Shirtliff has urged development partners and governments to escalate investment in water projects in drought-prone regions of Kenya to prevent conflicts and foster peaceful coexistence among communities. The firm stated that collaboration between the public and private sectors will continue to play a crucial role in ending extreme poverty, often leading to conflict in arid and semi-arid areas of the country as well as other parts of Africa. The Group CEO, George Mbugua,said the partnership will also help achieve sustainable development through technology, food security, climate change response, and the improvement of livelihoods through job creation and economic activities. “Counties in Arid and Semi-Arid Areas (ASALs) often experience perennial conflict occasioned by the absence or scarcity of this precious resource. However with investments in key water infrastructure and effective management, water will serve as the ultimate pathway for prevention of conflict, peace building and economic success,” said Mbugua. He further stated that targeted mapping of all water infrastructure and the deployment of necessary infrastructure technology will move communities from rain-fed agriculture, which will boost food security. “Even during rainy seasons, we know that in no time the water comes and goes leaving communities in arid and semi-arid regions back to the drawing board. But with the globally decreasing cost of solar PV modules and recent technological advances, solar installations are becoming increasingly popular for remote sites in Kenya and beyond, helping expand water access in every part of the country,” he added. In 2023, through the Improving Lives initiative, the company implemented 46 sustainable water projects impacting over 210,000 individuals in West Pokot, Marsabit, Turkana, Samburu, Taita Taveta, and Kajiado Counties. The group’s initiative has so far reached more than 1.2 million people across Kenya and other parts of Africa. According to the 2023 State of Africa Environment report, compiled by India’s Centre for Science and Environment in collaboration with Kenya’s Media for Environment, Science, Health, and Agriculture (MESHA), critical water basins across Africa are depleting due to unsustainable usage, becoming focal points for water competition and conflicts. ADVERTISEMENT. SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING. The report further warns that if the decline in natural capital, such as water basins, continues, approximately 1.5 billion Africans could face food insecurity by 2030.Another 1.2 billion people will also be exposed to water pollution, heightening tensions between countries and communities that share water resources. “More than 3 billion people worldwide depend on water that crosses national borders. Yet, out of 153 countries that share rivers, lakes, and aquifers with their neighbors, only 24 countries report having cooperation agreements for all their shared water,” noted Mbugua.

Himalayan region vulnerable to disasters: Study

BENGALURU: Researchers have found that the Himalayan region in India is highly vulnerable to disasters not only because of climate change but also population pressure. From 2013 to 2022, the region recorded 44% of all the disasters that occurred in the country. The region saw 192 incidents of floods, landslides and thunderstorms during the period. Members from the Centre for Science and Down to Earth magazine, who prepared a report, said torrential rains and cloudbursts in 2022 and 2023 were a precursor to more such disasters in the future. Kiran Pandey, head of CSE’s Environment Resources Unit, said, “We assessed data related to disasters that occurred from 2013. Multiple studies have indicated that the region is vulnerable for disasters. There will be more disasters in the coming times.” Kiran said from April 2021 to 2022, 41 incidents of landslides were reported in the country. Of them, 38 occurred in the region. Sikkim reported the highest of 11 such incidents. She said, “What is more worrying is the human activities and population pressure on the region. Of the 14 cities, including Shimla, Agartala, Shillong, Dehradun and Nainital, in 11 states that were part of the study, it was found that the rise in population was much higher than the national average. To address the impact of population, these cities were supposed to prepare master plans. However, it was found that seven cities were yet to prepare draft master plans till Feb 2024.” ‘Temp rise in Himalayas above average’ Kiran said as per the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, while the average rise in temperature at the national level was 1.5 degrees Celsius, it was 2.5 degrees Celsius in the Himalayan region Referring to the cloudbursts in 2022 and 23 in which 33 and 19 people died, respectively, she said more cases of ice melting, floods, landslides and thunderstorms could occur in the future. Dr Kalachand Sain, head of Dehradun-based Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, said multiple factors impacted the region. They included climatic and anthropogenic factors and environment degradation. Steps should be taken to protect the region. The report noted that the worst and long-term damage was seen in the upper reaches of the Himalayas. Melting of the glaciers led to formation of glacial lakes in the Himalayan range. The number of such lakes in Uttarakhand and east of Himachal Pradesh increased from 127 in 2005 to 365 in 2015. Because of frequent cloudbursts, these lakes overflow or in many cases breach, causing havoc downstream. Overall, the region has lost over 40% of its ice and is likely to lose up to 75% by the end of this century. With 90% of Himalayan agriculture being rain-fed, this will make it impossible to sustain the livelihoods of the people in the region. It will also endanger the lives of those in the plains who depend on water from the region, the report stated.

Economic Greed Over Environmental Concerns: Root Cause Of Natural Disasters

The Chipko movement (hugging the tree movement), a non-violent social and ecological movement by rural people, particularly women in India was launched in 1973 in the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand (then part of Uttar Pradesh). The movement began in response to the increasing destruction of forests for commerce and industry. When the government-induced exploitation of natural resources started to increasingly threaten the livelihoods of indigenous people in the Himalayan region in India, they sought to stop the destruction using Mahatma Gandhi’s method of Satyagraha or non-violent resistance. Soon, it began to spread throughout the country, becoming an organised campaign known as Chipko Movement. The movement’s major success came in 1980 when the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s intervention resulted in a 15-year ban on commercial felling of trees in the Uttarakhand Himalayas. Cut to 2023, the Uttarakhand tunnel collapse occurred on the Diwali day of November 12, when a portion of an under-construction 4.5 km-long tunnel shrunken in the district of Uttarkashi. It took over two weeks for the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the police to rescue 41 workers, who were trapped inside the tunnel. The larger question that one needs to realise is why such incidents across the country are happening quite often in the recent past. Are we destroying Mother Nature to such an extent that it is unleashing its fury? Have our Union and State governments not been serious enough in the enactment of appropriate laws and their proper execution in safeguarding the ecological order? In fact, the Uttarakhand tunnel collapse issue reminds us of some of the top deadly natural disasters that happened in recent times in different regions in the country, including a fragile Himalayan region. They are the Super Cyclone in Odisha in 1999 (over 15,000 people killed); the Gujarat earthquake in 2001 (20,000 deaths); the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004 (2.30 lakh deaths); Bihar flood disaster in 2007 (1287 deaths); Uttarakhand flash floods in 2013 (5,700 deaths) and Kashmir floods in 2014 (550 deaths). Chennai floods in 2015, Kerala floods (2018), Himachal Pradesh floods (2023) and Assam Floods (almost every year) are some of the natural disasters that caused a large-scale loss to the public and private properties, in addition to the loss of many lives of humans and livestock in recent times. Natural disasters triggered about 25 lakh (2.5 million) internal displacements in India in 2022, according to a report by the Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. South Asia witnessed 1.25 core (12.5 million) internal displacements due to disasters in 2022. The Char Dham Project: An Example of an Unsustainable Development Model The ongoing Char Dham Project (CDP) in Uttarakhand, which involves the construction of all-weather roads by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) linking the four religious pilgrimages of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath has raised some major issues in respect of India’s approach to protect the ecology and to combat climate change and its impacts. Fearful Global Challenges behind the Beautiful Himalayas Behind the beautiful mountain range of the Himalayas lies the fearful challenges! Himalayas are the youngest range of mountains and still in the formative stages. Geological scientists and geotechnical experts clarified that the CDP is a dangerous project and fatality-induced. The region is extremely sensitive to earthquakes and frictional shear rocks also exist. Preserving the Himalayan Region which consists of some of the Earth’s highest peaks like Mount Everest is a very important global imperative as the Himalayas cross four more countries, in addition to India, viz. Nepal, China, Pakistan, and Bhutan. Therefore, geologists and environmentalists have been posing at least two fundamental questions since the beginning: First, when the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) has been facing a wave of devastation due to the impacts of climate change leading to glacial melt and altered weather patterns and rampant urbanisation, how a very limited carrying capacity of the region could withstand the burden of heavy infrastructure projects such as the Char Dham Project? How much tourism, how many roads, how much cutting of mountains and dumping of the debris into the rivers is good? Second, have the governments considered the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) with all seriousness such projects deserve without exhibiting habitual monumental callousness and slumber of the bureaucracy? The basic idea of the Char Dham Project has been heavily criticised by geologists and experts on the ground that instead of having a single EIA for a around 900 km long project, it was broken into 53 sections so that EIA is prepared for a lesser region. In the process, the impact exhibited for a large ecosystem of 900 km was compromised intentionally and irrationally. Irresponsible Tourism Causing Pollution The IHR consists of ten States, of which Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh bear the biggest brunt of irresponsible tourism. Though tourism has brought economic prosperity to the Himalayan region to some extent, the environmental cost has been disastrous. Tourism causes about 80 lakhs (eight million) tons of waste every year, in addition to ten lakh (one million) tons of annual waste produced by the urban population. By 2025, it is projected that 24 crore (240 million) tourists will visit the hill States every year. It was 10 crore (100 million) in 2018. A study conducted by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) found that 55% of waste in IHR is biodegradable and comes largely from homes and restaurants, and 21% is inert such as construction material, and 8% is plastic. If the problem of solid waste disposal is not addressed scientifically, the fragile ecosystem of the Himalayas will pay a price the country can ill afford. Given that all our major ice-cold rivers originate in the mountains, it may not be difficult to envisage the calamitous implications. Dumping of biodegradable waste in open places in the Himalayan region is unscientific as in the sub-zero conditions, cold prevents decomposition. That could release harmful gases such as methane and carbon monoxide. In particular, the release of toxic chemicals into soil (caused by open waste) pollutes river waters when such soil (the leachate) reaches rivers and streams due to rains. Due to air pollution (caused by many factors, including open burning of waste and plastic), pollutants, carbon and other light-absorbing impurities darken glacial snow and trigger melting. In 2016, the Union government issued new rules for handling solid waste; however, like in other regions, the key lies in enforcement. Comprehensive Action Plan to Check Ecological Destruction The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change (headed by Jairam Ramesh) in its report submitted in March 2023 recommended that the Union environment ministry should prepare a practical and implementable action plan with clear timelines to put a check on ecologically destructive activities in the Himalayan region. The ministry should also formulate a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to be followed in the event of any natural disasters. The House Panel expressed its anguish over the “tremendous increase” of tourist activities in these areas leading to “over-exploitation of natural resources and illegal construction of homestays, guest houses, resorts, hotels, restaurants and other encroachments.” A more meticulous approach with the only aim of furthering the environmental interests rather than economic interest; Strict actions against illegal constructions; and Need for detailed procedure to be followed by the ministry before giving clearances to construction and infrastructure projects to achieve a proper ecological balance are some important recommendations of the House Panel. The Standing Committee Chairman, Jairam Ramesh, expressed his dissatisfaction for deliberately not referring the three very important Bills to the Committee. Two of such Bills were intended to radically amend the landmark Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. Legal experts and environmentalists warned these Bills passed by the Parliament in last August, without required debate, could magnify commercial exploitation of the country’s ecosystems consisting of trees, plants and other biological resources as well as traditional knowledge, and harm the communities that depend on them. The legislation also decriminalises violations of the Act. The amendment to the Forest Conservation Act 1980 triggered nationwide protests because in the name of “development” forests would be open for commercial exploitation thereby leading to harming biodiversity and weakening the rights of indigenous peoples. Analysts estimate that nearly 2, 00,000 sq. km. of forest will lose legal protection under the amendment. The reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) pointed out that the projects were not taken up in an integrated manner and blamed NDMA for institutional failures for poor flood management. Capacity building for preparedness, robust early warning systems and mitigation are the need of the hour. India should learn from the best practices of countries such as Hong Kong, China, Japan and South Korea. India Ranked the Last in the world! The Environment Performance Index (EPI) measures the environmental health of countries and ranks them accordingly. Started by the World Economic Forum in 2002, EPI aims to encourage countries around the world to make sustainable development a priority. The top countries on the EPI in 2022 were Denmark, the UK, Finland, Malta and Sweden. Ironically, Bharat which is the birthplace of four important religions in the world, and the country where different elements of the Nature such as the trees and rivers are worshipped by the people, is also a country that ranked last out of 180 countries! Sunita Narain, a committed environmentalist, way back in 2013 had advocated a pan-Himalayan development strategy which is based on the region’s natural resources, culture and traditional knowledge. The development strategy also included the voices and concerns of local communities, dependent on forests for their agriculture and basic needs. Are our governments ready to listen to the advocacy of such scientists and environmentalists?

Bengaluru today, your city tomorrow

Some years ago, at the release of our report Excreta Matters in Bengaluru, I got into a spirited discussion with the city’s water and sewage managers. The discussion was about water management in the city, which our research showed was unaffordable and so unsustainable. The engineers disagreed. According to them, they had managed to secure water from the Cauvery, some 100 km away, through pipelines, and so had no reason to worry. Now as this hi-tech city hurtles towards a severe water scarcity, maybe, just maybe, these wise men will reconsider and rework their options going forward. The fact is, Bengaluru is just another city that is being shown the mirror—the dreams of a perfect water supply driven by high-cost engineering solutions are being shattered. And this is in an era of climate risk, where rainfall will become more extreme and more variable. Bengaluru in the now-distant past used to receive water from its vast network of lakes, designed to collect rain and mitigate floods. Then the search expanded: its first official water supply was from Hesaraghatta lake on the Arkavathi river, 18-20 km from the city; and then from T G Halli reservoir, 35-40 km away. But all this did not suffice and around 1974, the ambitious Cauvery Water Supply Scheme was conceived—where water would be pumped up to a height of 490 metres and transported over 100 km. During my interactions with the city engineers, they were deep into stage 4 of this engineering marvel, and as I said, they did not see any reason to worry. I spoke about the cost of transporting water longer distances—about a decade ago, the city required huge power to pump the water, which was eating into the fragile economics of its water and sewerage board. Also, as the distance increased, so did the water loss which, according to official sources, was 40 per cent. All this meant that the cost of water supply was going up. I also pointed out that the engineers were discounting the following facts: one, groundwater usage was increasing in the city and its surrounding areas, which suggested that the water supply was not so perfect. Two, the city was exploding and this expanding water-sewage infrastructure would not keep pace with growth. Three, most importantly by their own admission, bulk of the sewage generated was not being treated and this in turn was adding to the pollution load in its lakes and streams. But again, the engineers were sanguine about the future. They boasted they had already built some 720 million litres per day (mld) of sewage treatment capacity, using every available technology possible—which technically would be able to treat almost all the sewage generated. When I pointed out that less than half the capacity was being utilised, they told me, very soon the pipeline network would expand and all would be well. Cut to present day. In 2010, the city’s water requirement was pegged at 1,125 mld, which has more than doubled to 2,600 mld. While the Cauvery still supplies half, the rest comes from groundwater. In other words, the demand has remained unmet and people have had no option but to dig and dig deeper to secure their water supply. With increased variability of rainfall, these sources are drying up, and fast. But the pipedream sellers have not understood the crisis—the city’s chief water manager is now banking on stage 5 of the Cauvery project, which, he says, will be commissioned very soon. The sewage story is similar. New hardware for treatment has been built; according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s 2021 inventory, the city now has 1,167.50 mld of sewage treatment capacity. And capacity utilisation has also somewhat improved to 75 per cent. But the gap between the generation of sewage and treatment capacity has widened. With the current water demand, sewage generation would be close to 2,000 mld—and so untreated sewage would be more than half. The city has gone round in circles, only to find that it is still standing where it was a decade ago. This is the real crisis of our water planning—the inability to understand the need and the opportunity for the change. The fact is, Bengaluru receives enough rain; it has lakes that can harvest this rain and recharge groundwater, so that in times of extreme rain events, its rich and powerful denizens do not have to swim to avoid drowning in the flood. Every drop can be used for the coming period of scarcity. Then it can manage its sewage differently. Instead of believing that it can transport sewage with pipelines, it can ensure that every drop of excreta is collected by tankers and then treated and reused. But for this, water engineers have to come down to earth, rework and rethink. This is Bengaluru’s story today and your city’s story tomorrow. (Writer is Director General of CSE and editor of Down To Earth, an environmentalist who pushes for changes in policies, practices and mindsets; Courtesy: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/)

BS Manthan: India has long road ahead in green energy targets, say experts

India needs to find a balance between its plans to become a developed country by 2047, clean energy and the environment, said a panel of experts at Business Standard summit, Business Manthan, in New Delhi on Thursday. The panel that discussed fossil fuel, clean energy and India’s stance in climate talks comprised Vivek Dewangan, chairman and managing director of REC Ltd; Sunita Narain, director general of Centre for Science and Environment; Ulka Kelkar, executive director at Climate, WRI India, and Derek M. Shah, senior vice-president & head-green energy business at Larsen & Toubro. India is standing at a crucial juncture and it is imperative to adapt to rapid economic growth along with addressing the vulnerability to environmental issues, Narain said Talking about India’s aspirations to become a $30 trillion economy by 2047, Kelkar said that no country in the world has become rich by remaining energy poor. She pointed out that there are some major problems at hand currently. India’s aim to tackle climate change cannot be only through carbon-lens. “As climate change risk starts manifesting, policy-making will have to become more adaptive, and decentralised. Even the new energy infrastructure or transport infra will be at risk due to climate change,” she said. New green jobs that will be created every year with the adoption of renewable energy won’t match up to the number of young people entering the labour market. “… but with the new workforce entering the job market every year is higher than the new jobs that will be created, it will become a problem,” said Kelkar. “As fossil fuels taper off, the tax revenue will also come down. A loss of 1.5 trillion dollars till 2047 unless we seek new ways of generating revenue from green energies,” she said. Dewangan, of REC Ltd, said India is the third largest producer and consumer of electricity and renewable energy will be intermittent to its needs. The country will need huge storage capacities. On the issue of financing in the renewable energy sector, Narain said: “Indian industry is getting far more aware about the needs to transform, to take on actions which are good for them as well as the environment. Scale up needs to happen in sectors such as iron, cement, steel. There’s a lot the industry can do to decrease their carbon footprint.” However, she said that green energy financing is still lagging from the private sector. “Cost of capital is still so high to make the transition we need. You cannot make renewable energy projects viable. Low concessional finance is going to be critical at the scale needed… “The private finance story is bad. I don’t see private finance coming in for the transformation at the scale at which it is needed,” she added. Kelkar said that while some states have invested in energy transformation, others will need assistance to overcome their geographical challenges. “Bihar, Jharkhand etc are highly climate change prone. They are badly placed in terms of generation of renewable energy. So much so they may have to buy renewable energy from other states in the future… These states might lose out and will need additional help,” she said. Shah, of Larsen & Toubro, said that states which had a lead in announcing green hydrogen policies have attracted investments. “While the states will lay the policies, the industries will also be attracted to demand centres,” he said.

पर्यावरण संबंधी चिंताओं पर आर्थिक लालच प्राकृतिक आपदाओं का मूल कारण - Exploitation Of Nature

चिपको आंदोलन (पेड़ को गले लगाना आंदोलन), भारत में ग्रामीण लोगों, विशेषकर महिलाओं द्वारा किया गया एक अहिंसक सामाजिक और पारिस्थितिक आंदोलन, पचास साल पहले 1973 में उत्तराखंड के हिमालयी क्षेत्र (तब उत्तर प्रदेश का हिस्सा) में शुरू हुआ था. यह आंदोलन वाणिज्य और उद्योग के लिए जंगलों के बढ़ते विनाश के जवाब में शुरू हुआ. जब प्राकृतिक संसाधनों के सरकार द्वारा प्रेरित शोषण से भारत में हिमालयी क्षेत्र में स्वदेशी लोगों की आजीविका पर खतरा मंडराने लगा, तो उन्होंने महात्मा गांधी के सत्याग्रह या अहिंसक प्रतिरोध के तरीके का उपयोग करके समस्या को रोकने की मांग की. जल्द ही, यह पूरे देश में फैलने लगा और एक संगठित अभियान बन गया, जिसे चिपको आंदोलन के नाम से जाना जाता है. आंदोलन को बड़ी सफलता 1980 में मिली, जब तत्कालीन प्रधान मंत्री इंदिरा गांधी के हस्तक्षेप के परिणामस्वरूप उत्तराखंड हिमालय में पेड़ों की व्यावसायिक कटाई पर 15 साल का प्रतिबंध लगा दिया गया. 2023 में, उत्तराखंड सुरंग ढहने की घटना 12 नवंबर की दिवाली के दिन हुई, जब उत्तरकाशी जिले में निर्माणाधीन 4.5 किमी लंबी सुरंग का एक हिस्सा सिकुड़ गया. सुरंग के अंदर फंसे 41 श्रमिकों को बचाने में राष्ट्रीय आपदा प्रतिक्रिया बल (एनडीआरएफ), राज्य आपदा प्रतिक्रिया बल (एसडीआरएफ) और पुलिस को दो सप्ताह से अधिक का समय लगा. एक बड़ा सवाल यह समझने की जरूरत है कि हाल के दिनों में देश भर में ऐसी घटनाएं अक्सर क्यों हो रही हैं? क्या हम प्रकृति को इस हद तक नष्ट कर रहे हैं कि वह अपना क्रोध प्रकट कर रही है? क्या हमारी केंद्र और राज्य सरकारें पारिस्थितिक व्यवस्था की सुरक्षा के लिए उचित कानून बनाने और उनके उचित कार्यान्वयन के प्रति गंभीर नहीं हैं? वास्तव में, उत्तराखंड सुरंग ढहने का मुद्दा हमें हाल के दिनों में देश के विभिन्न क्षेत्रों में हुई कुछ शीर्ष घातक प्राकृतिक आपदाओं की याद दिलाता है, जिसमें नाजुक हिमालयी क्षेत्र भी शामिल है. इन आपदाओं में 1999 में ओडिशा में सुपर चक्रवात (15,000 से अधिक लोग मारे गये), 2001 में गुजरात भूकंप (20,000 मौतें), 2004 में हिंद महासागर में सुनामी (2.30 लाख मौतें), 2007 में बिहार बाढ़ आपदा (1287 मौतें), 2013 में उत्तराखंड में अचानक आई बाढ़ (5700 मौतें), और 2014 में कश्मीर बाढ़ (550 मौतें) शामिल हैं. इसके अलावा 2015 में चेन्नई बाढ़, केरल बाढ़ (2018), हिमाचल प्रदेश बाढ़ (2023) और असम बाढ़ (लगभग हर साल) कुछ प्राकृतिक आपदाएं हैं, जो हाल के दिनों में कई मनुष्यों और पशुओं की जान जाने के अलावा, सार्वजनिक और निजी संपत्तियों को बड़े पैमाने पर नुकसान पहुंचाने के लिए जिम्मेदार हैं. जिनेवा स्थित आंतरिक विस्थापन निगरानी केंद्र की एक रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, प्राकृतिक आपदाओं के कारण 2022 में भारत में लगभग 25 लाख (2.5 मिलियन) आंतरिक विस्थापन हुए. दक्षिण एशिया में 2022 में आपदाओं के कारण 1.25 करोड़ (12.5 मिलियन) आंतरिक विस्थापन देखा गया. चार धाम परियोजना: सतत विकास मॉडल का एक उदाहरण: उत्तराखंड में चल रही चार धाम परियोजना (सीडीपी), जिसमें भारतीय राष्ट्रीय राजमार्ग प्राधिकरण (एनएचएआई) द्वारा चार धार्मिक तीर्थस्थलों गंगोत्री, यमुनोत्री, बद्रीनाथ और केदारनाथ को जोड़ने वाली ऑल वेदर सड़कों का निर्माण शामिल है, पारिस्थितिकी की रक्षा और जलवायु परिवर्तन और इसके प्रभावों से निपटने के लिए भारत के दृष्टिकोण के संबंध में कुछ प्रमुख मुद्दे उठाए गए हैं. खूबसूरत हिमालय के पीछे भयावह वैश्विक चुनौतियां: हिमालय की खूबसूरत पर्वत श्रृंखला के पीछे भयावह चुनौतियां छिपी हैं! हिमालय पर्वतों की सबसे नई श्रृंखला है और अभी भी प्रारंभिक चरण में है. भूवैज्ञानिक वैज्ञानिकों और भू-तकनीकी विशेषज्ञों ने स्पष्ट किया कि सीडीपी एक खतरनाक और घातक परियोजना है. यह क्षेत्र भूकंप के प्रति बेहद संवेदनशील है और घर्षणात्मक कतरनी चट्टानें भी मौजूद हैं. हिमालय क्षेत्र को संरक्षित करना, जिसमें माउंट एवरेस्ट जैसी पृथ्वी की कुछ सबसे ऊंची चोटियां शामिल हैं, बहुत महत्वपूर्ण वैश्विक आवश्यकता है, क्योंकि हिमालय भारत के अलावा चार और देशों नेपाल, चीन, पाकिस्तान और भूटान में फैला हुआ है. इसलिए, भूवैज्ञानिक और पर्यावरणविद् शुरू से ही कम से कम दो बुनियादी सवाल उठाते रहे हैं. इनमें पहला सवाल है कि जब भारतीय हिमालयी क्षेत्र (IHR) जलवायु परिवर्तन के प्रभावों के कारण हिमनदों के पिघलने और मौसम के बदलते पैटर्न और बड़े पैमाने पर शहरीकरण के कारण तबाही की लहर का सामना कर रहा है, क्षेत्र की बेहद सीमित वहन क्षमता चारधाम परियोजना जैसी भारी बुनियादी ढांचा परियोजनाओं का बोझ कैसे झेल सकता है? कितना पर्यटन, कितनी सड़कें, कितना पहाड़ों को काटना और नदियों में मलबा डालना कितना अच्छा है? दूसरा सवाल है कि क्या सरकारों ने पर्यावरण प्रभाव आकलन (ईआईए) पर पूरी गंभीरता से विचार किया है. ऐसी परियोजनाएं नौकरशाही की आदतन भारी उदासीनता और नींद को प्रदर्शित किए बिना उचित हैं? चार धाम परियोजना के मूल विचार की भूवैज्ञानिकों और विशेषज्ञों द्वारा इस आधार पर भारी आलोचना की गई है कि लगभग 900 किमी लंबी परियोजना के लिए एक ईआईए होने के बजाय, इसे 53 खंडों में तोड़ दिया गया था, ताकि कम क्षेत्र के लिए ईआईए तैयार किया जा सके. इस प्रक्रिया में, 900 किमी के बड़े पारिस्थितिकी तंत्र पर प्रदर्शित प्रभाव से जानबूझकर और तर्कहीन तरीके से समझौता किया गया. गैर-जिम्मेदाराना पर्यटन बन रहा है प्रदूषण का कारण: IHR में दस राज्य शामिल हैं, जिनमें से उत्तराखंड और हिमाचल प्रदेश गैर-जिम्मेदाराना पर्यटन का सबसे बड़ा खामियाजा भुगतते हैं. हालांकि पर्यटन ने कुछ हद तक हिमालय क्षेत्र में आर्थिक समृद्धि ला दी है, लेकिन पर्यावरणीय लागत विनाशकारी रही है. शहरी आबादी द्वारा उत्पादित दस लाख (दस लाख) टन वार्षिक कचरे के अलावा, पर्यटन हर साल लगभग 80 लाख (8 मिलियन) टन कचरा पैदा करता है. यह अनुमान है कि 2025 तक 24 करोड़ (240 मिलियन) पर्यटक हर साल पहाड़ी राज्यों का दौरा करेंगे. दरअसल, 2018 में यह 10 करोड़ (100 मिलियन) था. वैज्ञानिक और औद्योगिक अनुसंधान परिषद (सीएसआईआर) द्वारा किए गए एक अध्ययन में पाया गया कि आईएचआर में 55 प्रतिशत कचरा बायोडिग्रेडेबल है और बड़े पैमाने पर घरों और रेस्तरां से आता है और 21 प्रतिशत निष्क्रिय है जैसे कि निर्माण सामग्री और 8 प्रतिशत प्लास्टिक है. यदि ठोस अपशिष्ट निपटान की समस्या का वैज्ञानिक तरीके से समाधान नहीं किया गया, तो हिमालय के नाजुक पारिस्थितिकी तंत्र को ऐसी कीमत चुकानी पड़ेगी, जिसे देश बर्दाश्त नहीं कर सकता. यह देखते हुए कि हमारी सभी प्रमुख बर्फीली-ठंडी नदियां पहाड़ों से निकलती हैं, ऐसे में विनाशकारी प्रभावों की कल्पना करना मुश्किल नहीं हो सकता है. हिमालय क्षेत्र में खुले स्थानों पर बायोडिग्रेडेबल कचरे को डंप करना अवैज्ञानिक है, क्योंकि शून्य से नीचे की स्थिति में, ठंड सड़न को रोकती है. इससे मीथेन और कार्बन मोनोऑक्साइड जैसी हानिकारक गैसें निकल सकती हैं. विशेष रूप से, मिट्टी में जहरीले रसायनों का उत्सर्जन (खुले कचरे के कारण) नदी के पानी को प्रदूषित करता है जब ऐसी मिट्टी (लीचेट) बारिश के कारण नदियों और नालों में पहुंच जाती है. वायु प्रदूषण (कचरे और प्लास्टिक को खुले में जलाने सहित कई कारकों के कारण) के कारण, प्रदूषक, कार्बन और अन्य प्रकाश-अवशोषित अशुद्धियां हिमनदी बर्फ को काला कर देती हैं और पिघलने लगती हैं. 2016 में, केंद्र सरकार ने ठोस कचरे से निपटने के लिए नए नियम जारी किए, हालांकि, अन्य क्षेत्रों की तरह, कुंजी प्रवर्तन में निहित है. पारिस्थितिक विनाश को रोकने के लिए व्यापक कार्य योजना: विज्ञान और प्रौद्योगिकी, पर्यावरण, वन और जलवायु परिवर्तन पर संसदीय स्थायी समिति (जयराम रमेश की अध्यक्षता में) ने मार्च 2023 में प्रस्तुत अपनी रिपोर्ट में सिफारिश की कि केंद्रीय पर्यावरण मंत्रालय को हिमालयी क्षेत्र में पारिस्थितिक रूप से विनाशकारी गतिविधियों पर रोक लगाने के लिए स्पष्ट समयसीमा के साथ एक व्यावहारिक और कार्यान्वयन योग्य कार्य योजना तैयार करनी चाहिए. मंत्रालय को किसी भी प्राकृतिक आपदा की स्थिति में अपनाई जाने वाली एक मानक संचालन प्रक्रिया (एसओपी) भी तैयार करनी चाहिए. हाउस पैनल ने इन क्षेत्रों में पर्यटक गतिविधियों की 'जबरदस्त वृद्धि' पर अपनी नाराजगी व्यक्त की, जिसके कारण 'प्राकृतिक संसाधनों का अत्यधिक दोहन और होम स्टे, गेस्ट हाउस, रिसॉर्ट्स, होटल, रेस्तरां और अन्य अतिक्रमणों का अवैध निर्माण हुआ.' आर्थिक हित के बजाय पर्यावरणीय हितों को आगे बढ़ाने के एकमात्र उद्देश्य के साथ एक अधिक सावधानीपूर्वक दृष्टिकोण, अवैध निर्माणों के खिलाफ सख्त कार्रवाई और उचित पारिस्थितिक संतुलन प्राप्त करने के लिए निर्माण और बुनियादी ढांचा परियोजनाओं को मंजूरी देने से पहले मंत्रालय द्वारा पालन की जाने वाली विस्तृत प्रक्रिया की आवश्यकता हाउस पैनल की कुछ महत्वपूर्ण सिफारिशें हैं. स्थायी समिति के अध्यक्ष, जयराम रमेश ने जानबूझकर तीन अत्यंत महत्वपूर्ण विधेयकों को समिति के पास नहीं भेजने पर अपना असंतोष व्यक्त किया. ऐसे दो विधेयकों का उद्देश्य ऐतिहासिक जैविक विविधता अधिनियम, 2002 और वन संरक्षण अधिनियम, 1980 में मौलिक संशोधन करना था. कानूनी विशेषज्ञों और पर्यावरणविदों ने चेतावनी दी कि पिछले अगस्त में संसद द्वारा आवश्यक बहस के बिना पारित किए गए इन विधेयकों से देश के पेड़, पौधों और अन्य जैविक संसाधनों के साथ-साथ पारंपरिक ज्ञान वाले पारिस्थितिक तंत्र का व्यावसायिक शोषण बढ़ सकता है और उन समुदायों को नुकसान हो सकता है, जो उन पर निर्भर हैं. यह कानून अधिनियम के उल्लंघन को भी अपराध की श्रेणी से बाहर करता है. वन संरक्षण अधिनियम 1980 में संशोधन ने इस आधार पर देशव्यापी विरोध प्रदर्शन शुरू कर दिया कि 'विकास' के नाम पर वनों को व्यावसायिक शोषण के लिए खोल दिया जाएगा, जिससे जैव विविधता को नुकसान होगा और स्वदेशी लोगों के अधिकार कमजोर होंगे. विश्लेषकों का अनुमान है कि संशोधन के तहत लगभग 2,00,000 वर्ग किमी जंगल कानूनी सुरक्षा खो देंगे. भारत के नियंत्रक एवं महालेखा परीक्षक (सीएजी) की रिपोर्ट में बताया गया कि परियोजनाओं को एकीकृत तरीके से शुरू नहीं किया गया था और खराब बाढ़ प्रबंधन के लिए संस्थागत विफलताओं के लिए एनडीएमए को दोषी ठहराया गया था. तैयारियों के लिए क्षमता निर्माण, मजबूत पूर्व चेतावनी प्रणाली और शमन समय की मांग है. भारत को हांगकांग, चीन, जापान और दक्षिण कोरिया जैसे देशों की सर्वोत्तम प्रथाओं से सीखना चाहिए. भारत विश्व में अंतिम स्थान पर!: पर्यावरण प्रदर्शन सूचकांक (ईपीआई) देशों के पर्यावरणीय स्वास्थ्य को मापता है और तदनुसार उन्हें रैंक करता है. 2002 में विश्व आर्थिक मंच द्वारा शुरू किए गए, ईपीआई का उद्देश्य दुनिया भर के देशों को सतत विकास को प्राथमिकता देने के लिए प्रोत्साहित करना है. 2022 में ईपीआई पर शीर्ष देश डेनमार्क, यूके, फिनलैंड, माल्टा और स्वीडन थे. विडंबना यह है कि भारत, जो दुनिया के चार महत्वपूर्ण धर्मों का जन्मस्थान है, और वह देश जहां लोग प्रकृति के विभिन्न तत्वों जैसे पेड़ों और नदियों की पूजा करते हैं, वह भी एक ऐसा देश है जो 180 देशों में से अंतिम स्थान पर है! प्रतिबद्ध पर्यावरणविद् सुनीता नारायण ने 2013 में एक अखिल-हिमालयी विकास रणनीति की वकालत की थी, जो क्षेत्र के प्राकृतिक संसाधनों, संस्कृति और पारंपरिक ज्ञान पर आधारित हो. विकास रणनीति में अपनी कृषि और बुनियादी जरूरतों के लिए वनों पर निर्भर स्थानीय समुदायों की आवाजें और चिंताएं भी शामिल थीं. क्या हमारी सरकारें ऐसे वैज्ञानिकों और पर्यावरणविदों की वकालत सुनने को तैयार हैं?