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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 examined 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 identifies areas for further action and suggests ways to gather and sustain a critical momentum for a positive change. Taking the GREEN India project forward, TERI is presently conducting a study under the aegis of ICSD, with an aim to analyze the damage or enhancement in the state of India’s natural capital over the last decade (1997-2007), both in physical and economic terms. And thereby suggest strategies that help the country move on a more sustainable path. In addition the present study will also analyze the energy and climate change challenge with a view to examine low carbon pathways for India. 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, Government of India The Finance Commission is 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 Center and States in India. The 13th Finance Commission established, under the chairmanship of Dr Vijay Kelkar, lays emphasis on the need to manage ecology, environment, and climate change vis-à-vis sustainable development amongst its terms of reference. In this regard, TERI is about to complete a yearlong study under the aegis of ICSD, which will be provided as inputs to the 13th Finance Commission. ICSD and CCICED The India Council draws inspiration from the CCICED and seeks to work in close coordination with the China Council, to help forge a common understanding between India and China with regard to prime sustainability issues. As a step in that direction, the India Council launched its first collaborative project with CCICED, "Environment for Development: India and China" in the month of September 2008, and is now in its interim stage. This yearlong study would draw commonalities, differences and lessons that both India and China can learn from each other in the context of environment and development nexus in the two countries. It would also highlight the state and trends of the environment in the last decade thereby suggesting and charting a low carbon pathway for India and China. The results of the study would be presented in form of a joint publication with respective sections on India and China, along with a common chapter on “Commonalities and Synthesis”. Newsletter series With an objective of creating awareness and disseminating information on issues of environment and development pertinent for India, the Council Secretariat, publishes a biannual newsletter, which along with raising issues of concern also puts forth, point of views, of various experts on these issues. The newsletter is also a medium through which the readers are informed about the current activities of the Council. The first issue under the Newsletter series released in December 2008, focuses on ‘Energy transformations for India – responding to energy security and climate challenges’. Events Joint Project on ‘Environment for Development: India
and China’ The collaborative project on ‘Environment for Development: India and China’, between the India Council for Sustainable Development (ICSD) and the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED), recently concluded its first phase. An interim meeting, comprising of two days of working session between the respective India and China project teams followed by a stakeholder workshop on the third day, was held from 13-15th January 2009 in Beijing, China.
The meeting provided an opportunity for the working team members,
to meet and discuss the progress on the project so far as well as
identify gaps and other issues in the respective components of the
study. The stakeholder workshop following the working session provided
an excellent opportunity to the project team to seek feedback and
inputs on the issues covered in the report. Participants present
at the workshop included group of environment experts, academicians
from China and Embassy representatives (Sweden and Norway). At the
outset the two team leaders made detailed presentations on the objective,
scope, methodology and the key issues being dealt with in the report.
This was immensely appreciated by the gathering, which recognized
the progress made by both sides in collating data and highlighting
the pertinent issues. What was seen as a major challenge to the
project was the roadmap for furthering cooperation amongst the two
countries. Identification of areas where partnerships could be forged
between the two countries was seen as a very crucial section of
the report drawing the most interest amongst the present audience.
The project is looked upon as a crucial steeping stone to foster
bilateral partnerships and encourage regional cooperation between
the two countries. ICSD collaborates with the CCICED
Conference on “Vision 2025: a sustainable roadmap
for India”
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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, which 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.
