TERI: 25 Years of Excellence in Research and Innovation

 


The Green India 2047 study series In 1997, TERI undertook a major study called the GREEN India 2047 (GREEN – Growth with Resource Enhancement of Environment and Nature), with an objective to determine and quantify the extent of damage to India’s natural resource base that accompanied economic growth during the first 50 years of independence (1947–97). The results of this study were documented in a publication titled ‘Looking Back to Think Ahead’. This study was followed by a ‘think ahead’ component, documented in the form of ‘DISHA for sustainable development’ (DISHA – Directions, Innovations, and Strategies for Harnessing Action), envisaging alternative development options for adopting strategies that would lead to a more sustainable future, presenting ‘base’ and ‘alternative’ scenarios for the period 1997–2047 and projected quantitatively the status of our natural resources and environment.

The sequel to GREEN India 2047, ‘GREEN India 2047 renewed: looking back to change track’, reviews the status of the environment and natural resources to assess the gains and losses since 1997. Through this study, TERI examines if the country indeed has changed track to a more sustainable path when compared with the first 50 years of development, since 1947. It also aims at identifying areas for further action and suggests ways to gather and sustain a critical momentum for a positive change.

The analysis contained under TERI’s GREEN India project, will be used over a period of time in various documentations under the Council.

Inputs for the 13th Finance Commission: the Finance Commission was set-up with the mandate to examine ‘the need to improve the quality of public expenditure to obtain better outputs and outcomes’. It is a premiere commission responsible for identifying the flow of funds between the centre and states in India. The 13th Finance Commission set-up, under the chairmanship of Dr Vijay Kelkar, lays emphasis on the need to manage ecology, environment, and climate change consistent with sustainable development amongst its terms of reference. In this regard, TERI, has undertaken a yearlong study under the aegis of ICSD, with the overarching objective of studying the feasibility and laying out criteria of achieving ‘Fiscal Environment Federalism’, in the light of maximizing social welfare. As a result of this study the Council will submit a report, which will serve as an input to the Finance Commission.

ICSD and CCICED: the Council envisages to work in close coordination with the CCICED, by bringing together experts and policy community from the two countries, to help forge a common understanding and comparative analysis of the country contexts of both India and China. As a step in that direction, ICSD in collaboration with CCICED is to carry out a joint project on “Environment for Development: Policy Observation for China and India”. The study seeks to influence, share and draw upon each country’s environmental policies and actions to inform environmental policies and actions in various other countries, thereby charting a sustainable Low Carbon Path of Development by setting an example. The yearlong study will have comprise of two working teams representing the two Councils, with the first project initiation meeting to be held in September 2008.

ICSD Newsletter: the first issue of the ICSD Newsletter will be published in the month of September 2008. The newsletter will focus on sustainability issues for India based on an economic modeling framework and future scenarios, thus suggesting key policy initiatives.

Events

ICSD collaborates with the CCICED
11-12 September 2008
TERI, New Delhi

A collaborative study "Environment for development: policy observations for India and China" was formally launched by India Council for Sustainable Development (ICSD) and the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) in a two-day meeting held from 11-12 September 2008, at TERI, New Delhi. During the meeting the two-core team members representing the two Councils discussed the scope of work for the yearlong study.

Being first of its kind the study aims to understand the environment and development nexus in the two countries in the overall sustainability context. It would provide an overview of environmental issues in the last decade (1997-2007), identify key challenges and suggest areas of mutual interest where cooperation between the two countries can be enhanced. This project will enable identification of commonalties and differences in the environment-developmental context in India and China and with both countries emerging as major players in the global arena the messages from the study can enhance the lessons that the two countries can draw from each other while tacking their environmental issues.

Conference on “Vision 2025: a sustainable roadmap for India”
1-2 November 2007
The Oberoi Hotel, New Delhi

This was one of the first events under the aegis of ICSD, held during 1-2 November 2007. The Hon’ble Vice-President of India, Prof. M Hamid Ansari, inaugurated the conference. The conference drew wide participation from various distinguished leaders from all fields, both from India and overseas. The discussions at the event provided extremely useful policy-relevant insights on the theme of the conference. The conference also provided an opportunity to identify and build a consensus on the strategic directions that the country must follow in order to overcome or avert challenges in ensuring resource and distributive sustainability as India traverses a high growth trajectory in the next 18 years.

Some of the themes discussed at the conference included the following:

Basics first- ensuring universal and equitable access to essential services
A second agricultural revolution spurring rural development
Urban centers as engines of sustainable growth
Infrastructure support to growth
An energy secure future for India
Governing water wisely
Natural resource dimensions of growth

A policy-relevant document in the form of theme papers of the conference is soon to be published for widespread distribution and for use by all stakeholders.