1. THE CHANGING ROLE OFTHE CHANGING ROLE OF
ENGINEERS IN THEENGINEERS IN THE
EMERGING GEO-STRATEGICEMERGING GEO-STRATEGIC
ENVIRONMENTENVIRONMENT
LT COL K C MONNAPPALT COL K C MONNAPPA
MA in Social Work (DU)MA in Social Work (DU)
Sustainable Development (CEU-Hungary)Sustainable Development (CEU-Hungary)
Lead Auditor ISO 140001 Env StdLead Auditor ISO 140001 Env Std

2. ““Human progress is neither automatic norHuman progress is neither automatic nor
inevitable. We are faced now with the factinevitable. We are faced now with the fact
that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with thethat tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the
fierce urgency of now. In this unfoldingfierce urgency of now. In this unfolding
conundrum of life and history there is such a thingconundrum of life and history there is such a thing
as being too late…We mayas being too late…We may
cry out desperately for time to pause in hercry out desperately for time to pause in her
passage, but time is deaf to every plea andpassage, but time is deaf to every plea and
rushes on. Over the bleached bones and jumbledrushes on. Over the bleached bones and jumbled
residues of numerous civilizations areresidues of numerous civilizations are
written the pathetic words: Too late.”written the pathetic words: Too late.”
Martin Luther King Jr.Martin Luther King Jr. ‘Where do we go from here:‘Where do we go from here:
chaos or community’chaos or community’

3. INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

4. ENVIRONMENT – A FUTUREENVIRONMENT – A FUTURE
SECURITY THREATSECURITY THREAT

5. Environment – A Future SecurityEnvironment – A Future Security
ThreatThreat
HUMAN SECURITY WILL BE THE MAIN CASUALTY ASHUMAN SECURITY WILL BE THE MAIN CASUALTY AS
DAMAGE TO THE ECOSYSTEM DELIVERS A MAJORDAMAGE TO THE ECOSYSTEM DELIVERS A MAJOR
BLOW TO VULNERABLE ECONOMIC SECTORS.BLOW TO VULNERABLE ECONOMIC SECTORS.
DISPARITIES WOULD INTENSIFY.DISPARITIES WOULD INTENSIFY.
THE SPECTER OF RESOURCE CONFLICTS, FAILEDTHE SPECTER OF RESOURCE CONFLICTS, FAILED
STATES, LARGE-SCALE MIGRATIONS, GROWINGSTATES, LARGE-SCALE MIGRATIONS, GROWING
EXTREMISM, AND HIGHER FREQUENCY AND INTENSITYEXTREMISM, AND HIGHER FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY
OF EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS HELPS UNDERSCOREOF EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS HELPS UNDERSCORE
THE HUMAN SECURITY COSTS.THE HUMAN SECURITY COSTS.

6. Environment – A Future SecurityEnvironment – A Future Security
ThreatThreat
HIGHER FREQUENCY OF EXTREME WEATHER EVENTSHIGHER FREQUENCY OF EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
AND A RISE IN OCEAN LEVELS ARE LIKELY TO SPURAND A RISE IN OCEAN LEVELS ARE LIKELY TO SPUR
GREATER INTERSTATE AND INTRASTATE MIGRATIONGREATER INTERSTATE AND INTRASTATE MIGRATION
— ESPECIALLY, THE POOR AND VULNERABLE — FROM— ESPECIALLY, THE POOR AND VULNERABLE — FROM
DELTA AND COASTAL REGIONS TO THE HINTERLAND.DELTA AND COASTAL REGIONS TO THE HINTERLAND.
SUCH AN INFLUX OF OUTSIDERS MAY PROVOKE ASUCH AN INFLUX OF OUTSIDERS MAY PROVOKE A
BACKLASH THAT STRAINS INTERNAL AND REGIONALBACKLASH THAT STRAINS INTERNAL AND REGIONAL
SECURITY.SECURITY.
INDIA, FOR EXAMPLE, COULD FACE A HUGE REFUGEEINDIA, FOR EXAMPLE, COULD FACE A HUGE REFUGEE
INFLUX FROM THE WORLD’S SEVENTH MOSTINFLUX FROM THE WORLD’S SEVENTH MOST
POPULOUS COUNTRY, BANGLADESH, WHICH ISPOPULOUS COUNTRY, BANGLADESH, WHICH IS
ALREADY LOSING LAND TO SALTWATER INCURSION.ALREADY LOSING LAND TO SALTWATER INCURSION.

7. Environment – A Future SecurityEnvironment – A Future Security
ThreatThreat
DAMAGE TO THE ECOSYSTEM IS LIKELY TO INTENSIFYDAMAGE TO THE ECOSYSTEM IS LIKELY TO INTENSIFY
INTERSTATE AND INTRASTATE COMPETITION OVERINTERSTATE AND INTRASTATE COMPETITION OVER
NATURAL RESOURCES.NATURAL RESOURCES.
A NEW FORM OF WARFARE OVER WATER COULDA NEW FORM OF WARFARE OVER WATER COULD
UNFOLD. FOR e.g. WITH ASIA AS THE HUB, GIVENUNFOLD. FOR e.g. WITH ASIA AS THE HUB, GIVEN
CHINA’S CONTROL OVER TIBET — THE SOURCE OF ALLCHINA’S CONTROL OVER TIBET — THE SOURCE OF ALL
OF ASIA’S MAJOR RIVERS EXCEPT THE GANGES.OF ASIA’S MAJOR RIVERS EXCEPT THE GANGES.
ACCELERATED MELTING OF GLACIERS AND MOUNTAINACCELERATED MELTING OF GLACIERS AND MOUNTAIN
SNOWS WOULD AFFECT RIVER-WATER FLOWS.SNOWS WOULD AFFECT RIVER-WATER FLOWS.
THOUGH HIGHER AVERAGE TEMPERATURES ARETHOUGH HIGHER AVERAGE TEMPERATURES ARE
LIKELY TO BRING MORE RAINFALL IN THE TROPICS.LIKELY TO BRING MORE RAINFALL IN THE TROPICS.

8. NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ONNATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON
CLIMATE CHANGECLIMATE CHANGE

9. National Action Plan on ClimateNational Action Plan on Climate
ChangeChange
PROTECTING THE POOR AND VULNERABLE SECTIONSPROTECTING THE POOR AND VULNERABLE SECTIONS
OF SOCIETY THROUGH AN INCLUSIVE ANDOF SOCIETY THROUGH AN INCLUSIVE AND
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, SENSITIVESUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, SENSITIVE
TO CLIMATE CHANGE.TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
ACHIEVING NATIONAL GROWTH OBJECTIVESACHIEVING NATIONAL GROWTH OBJECTIVES
THROUGH A QUALITATIVE CHANGE IN DIRECTIONTHROUGH A QUALITATIVE CHANGE IN DIRECTION
THAT ENHANCES ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY,THAT ENHANCES ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY,
LEADING TO FURTHER MITIGATION OF GREENHOUSELEADING TO FURTHER MITIGATION OF GREENHOUSE
GAS EMISSIONS.GAS EMISSIONS.
DEVISING EFFICIENT AND COST-EFFECTIVEDEVISING EFFICIENT AND COST-EFFECTIVE
STRATEGIES FOR END USE DEMAND SIDESTRATEGIES FOR END USE DEMAND SIDE
MANAGEMENT.MANAGEMENT.
DEPLOYING APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES FOR BOTHDEPLOYING APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES FOR BOTH
ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION OF GREENHOUSEADAPTATION AND MITIGATION OF GREENHOUSE
GASES EMISSIONS EXTENSIVELY AS WELL AS AT ANGASES EMISSIONS EXTENSIVELY AS WELL AS AT AN
ACCELERATED PACE.ACCELERATED PACE.

10. National Action Plan on ClimateNational Action Plan on Climate
ChangeChange
ENGINEERING NEW AND INNOVATIVE FORMS OFENGINEERING NEW AND INNOVATIVE FORMS OF
MARKET, REGULATORY AND VOLUNTARY MECHANISMSMARKET, REGULATORY AND VOLUNTARY MECHANISMS
TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.
EFFECTING IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMMESEFFECTING IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMMES
THROUGH UNIQUE LINKAGES, INCLUDING WITH CIVILTHROUGH UNIQUE LINKAGES, INCLUDING WITH CIVIL
SOCIETY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONSSOCIETY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS
AND THROUGH PUBLIC PRIVATE-PARTNERSHIP.AND THROUGH PUBLIC PRIVATE-PARTNERSHIP.
WELCOMING INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION FORWELCOMING INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION FOR
RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, SHARING AND TRANSFERRESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, SHARING AND TRANSFER
OF TECHNOLOGIES ENABLED BY ADDITIONALOF TECHNOLOGIES ENABLED BY ADDITIONAL
FUNDING AND A GLOBAL IPR REGIME THAT ENABLESFUNDING AND A GLOBAL IPR REGIME THAT ENABLES
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIESTECHNOLOGY TRANSFER TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
UNDER THE UNFCCC.UNDER THE UNFCCC.

11. NATIONAL MISSIONSNATIONAL MISSIONS

12. National MissionsNational Missions
NATIONAL SOLAR MISSIONNATIONAL SOLAR MISSION
NATIONAL MISSION FOR ENHANCED ENERGYNATIONAL MISSION FOR ENHANCED ENERGY
EFFICIENCYEFFICIENCY
NATIONAL MISSION ON SUSTAINABLENATIONAL MISSION ON SUSTAINABLE
HABITATHABITAT
NATIONAL WATER MISSIONNATIONAL WATER MISSION
NATIONAL MISSION FOR SUSTAINING THENATIONAL MISSION FOR SUSTAINING THE
HIMALAYAN ECOSYSTEMHIMALAYAN ECOSYSTEM
NATIONAL MISSION FOR A "GREEN INDIA"NATIONAL MISSION FOR A "GREEN INDIA"
NATIONAL MISSION FOR SUSTAINABLENATIONAL MISSION FOR SUSTAINABLE
AGRICULTUREAGRICULTURE
NATIONAL MISSION ON STRATEGICNATIONAL MISSION ON STRATEGIC
KNOWLEDGE FOR CLIMATEKNOWLEDGE FOR CLIMATE

13. ROLE OF THE ENGINEERSROLE OF THE ENGINEERS

14. ROLE OF THE ENGINEERSROLE OF THE ENGINEERS
NON-MARGINAL CHANGESNON-MARGINAL CHANGES
SIGNIFICANT SHORT TERM COSTSSIGNIFICANT SHORT TERM COSTS
PRESSURE GROUPPRESSURE GROUP
PIVOTAL ROLEPIVOTAL ROLE
LEADERSHIPLEADERSHIP
VISIONVISION

15. CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION