Ease of Doing Business Under Sustianable Environment
Environmental Sustainability and Economic Development: Mutual Exclusive or Concordant Objectives.
The history of the human race is marked by the search for general wellbeing and material prosperity from the hunter gatherer communities of yore to the current day modes of production. Humans have relied on the natural environment for personal gains. Scholars say that humanity has entered the ANTHROPCENE era where humans are shaping and moulding the environment according to their needs and desired. The end gear of the race towards industrialization, urbanization and mass production is to deliver prosperity, increase per capita incomes, uplift livelihoods for all. However, we are staring at an environment crisis of epic proportions. The single minded focus on growth and development is calling into question the sustainability of this endeavour.
Environmental sustainability emerged as a concept in the development discourse after the Brundtland Commission report “OUR COMMON FUTURE”. It defines sustainable development as the economic model which fulfils the needs of the present generation without impairing the needs the future generations. The big push to environmental sustainability came with the 1992 EARTH SUMMIT which released AGENDA 21. There is a consensus emerging that environmental sustainability and economic development are inter-linked and mutually reinforcing concepts. They must not be analysed separately but are concordant objectives.
The reason that one must view environmental sustainability and economic development together is due to the SPACESHIP EARTH MODEL put forward by environmentalists. They argue that the planet earth is a closed system with a finite number of resources. It has a carrying capacity, like any other system, which must not be breached at the rate at which human-centric exploitation is progressing, we need not one but 2.5 earths till 2100. This is alarming and points towards the need for a balanced approach. Economic principles must respect environmental ethics.
Three illustrations of contemporary scenarios will make the thesis amply clear:
1. The spectre of CLIMATE CHANGE
The model of industrial development has led to an increase in the greenhouse gas emissions in the global atmosphere. This has resulted in the phenomenon of global warming, which is having a range of adverse consequences on human lives.
Ultimate change is contributing to the unpredictability of forecasting weather events and extreme episodes like drought, famine on the one hand and flooding, coastal inundation and cloud bursts.
The International panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which is the leading scientific research body has categorically stated that the poor, vulnerable and marginalized communities will be at the receiving end of the negative consequences.
This was seen recently when DOWN TO EARTH magazine reported on a story of a farming community in Uttar Pradesh who lost their crop because of the region received a month of rainfall in 4 days.
2. POOR AIR QUALITY
The national as well as many other cities in India are in the news frequently for terrible air quality that is high in toxins like Co2, particulate matter, So2, No2. This has a devastating impact on human health as pollution related morbidity in India is rapidly accelerating, like expectancy gains that India made in the previous decades are at risk once more. This has led to increased mortality and out of pocket health expenditures while decreasing the economic productivity of our human capital.
3. RESOURCE MINING IN ECO-SENSITIVE ZONES:
Western Ghats are a globally recognised biodiversity hotspots with high degree of species endemism. However, these areas are vulnerable because of unrestrained greed for natural resources. This is not only leading to large scale deforestation which is causing problem like soil erosion and destruction of natural habitats of wildlife. It also means that India is losing a valuable carbon sink. The natural flora and fauna is a source of genetic resources linked to the bio-economy and benefit for all.
WAY FORWARD:
Thankfully, India has mainstreamed this perspective in its own path to higher rates of growth. The think tank of the central government, NITI AATOG, is vigour sly pursuing post 2015 sustainable development goals which give a vision for responsible capitalism.
India is showing dynamic leadership on the issue of climate change by embracing the PARIS AGREEMENT on limiting global average temperature to below 2C by 2100. It has galvanised the global community by establishing the INTERNATIONAL SOLAR ALLIANCE. India has adopted the target of 175 GW of renewable power by 2022 signalling its commitment to sustainable development.
The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change adopted the National Action Plan on Climate Change with 8 mission like National Solar Mission, Sustainability of the Himalayan Ecosystem. There is recognition that the EASE OF DOING BUSINESS cannot come at the cost of destruction of the natural environment and that environmental sustainability and economic development are two sides of the same coin.
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