TERI Launches GREEN India 2047 Report

A Comprehensive Assessment Report on the Current State of Management of the Country’s Natural Resources, and a Roadmap for India to Embark on the Path of Sustainable Development


On Earth Day 1995, TERI made a commitment that was reflective of our philosophy of sustainable development and protection of the country’s natural resources and the environment. Two years later, commemorating India’s 50th Independence Day, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) presented the first GREEN India Report (‘Looking back to Think ahead’) to Mr. I. K. Gujral, the then Prime Minister of India, and his cabinet colleagues. The sequel to the study was released today by Mr. Jairam Ramesh, Hon'ble Minister of State for Environment and Forests in the presence of Dr RK Pachauri, Director General TERI, Dr Vijay Kelkar, Chairman, 13th Finance Commission.

Talking about the importance of the report, Dr RK Pachauri, said “This project started in 1995 to see the state of India's natural resources. Environment, development and quality of life have been the focus of the same. This report has looked at trends, economic cost of degradation and priority issues in environment management in India. The central point to our report is distributive justice -- much of the turmoil today is due to degradation of resources. Hence, for the benefit of the society, we need to have a different approach. The issues define the state of the society -- it is estimated that 4% of GDP is lost due to depletion and resource degradation and we are also paying a huge toll in terms of loss of human life. Our endeavor is to reorient the mindset towards environment.”

While releasing the report, Mr. Jairam Ramesh, said “This is a commendable work done by TERI and is indeed path breaking in nature as it also suggests a way forward to the existing challenges. It is time to mainstream environment concerns and its costs needs to be accounted in GDP. This report is an ambitious agenda. Dr Pachauri has talked about many key issues including -- environment governance. It is important to evolve new models of environment governance that is independent of govt. bodies. MoEF will look into this comprehensive document and find ways with TERI on how the suggestions can be implemented.”

The updated GREEN India 2047 report shows that while some steps have been taken to deal with the problem, in several areas the situation has actually worsened. This forward looking study comes at an opportune time, more so as we are now nearing the Copenhagen Conference of the Parties on climate change.

The first GREEN India 2047 report was a detailed analysis of India’s record of management of its natural resources -- and how choices need to be made for the country to embark on a path of truly sustainable development -- as evidenced by facts and information relating to the 50 years from 1947 to 1997. It was an assessment of where we are likely to end up by 2047, a full hundred years after India’s independence, if we continued on the same path.

The study found that India was losing over 10 percent of its GDP on account of environmental damage and degradation of natural resources. This was essentially because of steady loss of wealth in several spheres including forest and biodiversity, excessive depletion of ground water resources, pollution of rivers and most importantly air pollution in several parts of the country which imposed very heavy costs in the form of health effects and absenteeism from work for those who suffered from several respiratory and other diseases caused by air pollution.

A total of 11 to 26 percent of agricultural output was being lost on account of soil degradation, part of which was caused by human actions. One major message from the findings of the study was that protecting the environment was not merely the dream of environmentalists and activists but an urgent imperative for all those responsible for a vast range of economic activities.

This report argues that the key lies in defining a path of development in India that ensures removal of poverty and, at the same time, protects and conserves the natural resources. The priority is in understanding what is at stake – and the possible solutions.

A number of corporate organizations -- IOC, NTPC, HDFC, Punj Lloyd Ltd. and Gujarat Ambuja Cements Ltd. are supporting this phase of TERI’s painstaking research.

source: Businesswireindia