Poor public support for environmental protection coupled with poverty and underdevelopment, can create macro-economic conditions that assist industrial and corporate pressure groups to lobby with the policymakers
As environmental conditions continue to degrade in India, challenges to ensure healthy development that is in conformity with the environmental norms is mounting. New Delhi already figures amongst the world’s most polluted cities, and according to estimates, the cost of environmental degradation in India is between 2.6 and 8.8 per cent of the gross domestic product. Despite these conditions, the focus of the Government policies is on economic growth.
It is, therefore, necessary to recalibrate the focus area and provide equal priority to environmental conservation as well. A shift of focus to environmental conservation and sustainable development can help achieve human developmental goals and nurture the ability of natural systems to provide natural resources and ecosystem services upon which the economy and society are so closely dependent.
Apart from the Government, public opinion too is in favour of economic growth. This does not augur well for the future of a truly sustainable India. According to a recent study conducted by the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, people’s preference for environmental protection is ebbing. And priority is being accorded to economic growth. The disturbing aspect is that this loss in interest for environmental protection is occurring during the economic downturn.
As per a study in 2006, when the economy was experiencing a boom, 52 per cent of the people evinced interest in environmental protection. Whereas, in 2014, which was a period of economic downturn, only 32 per cent of the people were interested in environmental protection. Poor public support for environmental protection coupled with poverty and underdevelopment, can create macro-economic conditions that assist industrial and corporate pressure groups to lobby with policymakers. This expedites economic growth at the expense of environmental protection and interests. These conditions also make it very difficult for various environmental groups to mobilise support for stronger environmental regulations. And this, in turn, further weakens the initiative for sustainable development.
India, with its emerging economy and developing infrastructure, cannot afford to have a lopsided scenario wherein economic growth is achieved at the cost of environment. Compared to the equilibrium reached by the developed nations in establishing sustainable development that is in harmony with economic growth, India has a lot of catching up to do. According to the Environmental Performance Index, in which countries are ranked based on the status of environmental health and ecosystem vitality, India was ranked 155 out of 178 countries in 2014. However, this ranking can improve if India gets the right equilibrium.
The absence of this crucial equilibrium is causing the nations to lose more from pollution than they are gaining from industrialisation. China is a perfect example. Twenty years of uncontrolled economic development has created a serious chronic air and water pollution. This has increased health problems too and has resulted in annual losses to farmers’ crops.
Another instance is the cost extracted by global economic growth on natural resources. According to The Global Forest Resources Assessment report, 13 million hectares or 50,000 sq miles of forest, roughly the size of Greece, are lost each year. Surely, growth need not be accompanied by such colossal collateral damage.
India can stem the adverse impacts on natural resources and avoid extreme environmental losses by ensuring a pragmatic implementation of sustainable development strategies. These strategies must be incorporated into public policies after thoroughly evaluating the challenges, synergies and tradeoffs. Executed in an appropriate manner, these strategies can deliver the desired environmental conservation and also ensure the necessary and swift economic development.
The Government must also aim for a high-level integration of ecological principles and traditional values in economic planning and legal framework. This will help combat the adverse effects of climate change and ensure a future with less greenhouse gas emissions, less risks of floods and droughts, and more stability in economic growth that is compliant with environment norms.
Additionally, public participation must be encouraged and sought at every step, as this is instrumental in conserving the environment, besides being helpful in generating valuable feedback on policies. This in turn prevents policy failures. India was the first country in the world to enshrine environmental protection as a state goal in its Constitution. The time has come to achieve this goal and at the same time maintain the growth rate at a healthy clip.