India currently lacks a comprehensive index that can assess sustainability. Existing indices like the UNDP's Human Development Index are inadequate. This document discusses several potential indicators and tools for assessing sustainability in India, including:
1. Ecological footprint and carbon footprint analyses, which have been conducted for India but have limitations. Ecological footprint calculations show India runs an ecological deficit.
2. Well-being indicators and national accounts of well-being, which measure subjective factors like life satisfaction, but no exact measures exist for India.
3. Environmental accounting, which attempts to quantify environmental impacts monetarily; India currently lacks green accounting but aims to implement it by 2015.
4. Sustainability reporting,
by Robert Costanza, Chair in Public Policy, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
and Editor in Chief, Solutions
Presentation given at the 'Beyond-GDP in Africa: Innovative Ideas for a Regional Dashboard' workshop, Centre for the study of Governance Innovation, University of Pretoria. www.governanceinnovation.org
Climate change in Uganda: Insights for long-term adaptation and building comm...Dr. Joshua Zake
This briefing paper highlights key challenges and issues for
consideration in policy development and planning processes at
community, local, national and regional levels towards creating
awareness and building resilience to climate change impacts in
Uganda. It’s an output from a review of various documents and
literature on climate change impacts and responses in Uganda
and else where. Furthermore, it’s informed by Environmental
Alert’s experiences and lessons generated through facilitating
initiatives to support climate change adaptation at community
and local levels particularly in the West Nile region (in the districts
of Adjumani, Moyo and Yumbe) and Lukwanga Parish in Wakiso
district, Central region of Uganda; and also targeted engagement
with key policy and decision makers at all levels including local,
national, regional and international on issues of climate change. It
is targeting key stakeholders at all levels (including local leaders,
Government, Development Partners, Civil Society, Policy Makers,
Political Leaders, Private Sector, Academia, Research Institutions,
Cultural and Faith Based Leaders and Communities among others;
to mainstream, prioritize and support climate change adaptation
actions at all levels of planning and development.
by Robert Costanza, Chair in Public Policy, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
and Editor in Chief, Solutions
Presentation given at the 'Beyond-GDP in Africa: Innovative Ideas for a Regional Dashboard' workshop, Centre for the study of Governance Innovation, University of Pretoria. www.governanceinnovation.org
Climate change in Uganda: Insights for long-term adaptation and building comm...Dr. Joshua Zake
This briefing paper highlights key challenges and issues for
consideration in policy development and planning processes at
community, local, national and regional levels towards creating
awareness and building resilience to climate change impacts in
Uganda. It’s an output from a review of various documents and
literature on climate change impacts and responses in Uganda
and else where. Furthermore, it’s informed by Environmental
Alert’s experiences and lessons generated through facilitating
initiatives to support climate change adaptation at community
and local levels particularly in the West Nile region (in the districts
of Adjumani, Moyo and Yumbe) and Lukwanga Parish in Wakiso
district, Central region of Uganda; and also targeted engagement
with key policy and decision makers at all levels including local,
national, regional and international on issues of climate change. It
is targeting key stakeholders at all levels (including local leaders,
Government, Development Partners, Civil Society, Policy Makers,
Political Leaders, Private Sector, Academia, Research Institutions,
Cultural and Faith Based Leaders and Communities among others;
to mainstream, prioritize and support climate change adaptation
actions at all levels of planning and development.
Civil society actors from Uganda and the Philippines to learn how they are advancing effective, equitable adaptation finance systems to build resilience in a changing climate.
Innovation and Sustainable Development: The Question of Energy EfficiencyIOSR Journals
This article aims to examine the conditions in which technological innovation can foster and promote sustainable development. It takes into account all forms of technological innovation potential for sustainable development: process innovations, product innovations, organizational innovations, market innovations. It is also interested in the whole chain of innovation and pays particular attention to the plurality of devices innovation. This Research continues scientific representations which are guided by operational concerns. This paper will attempt to discern the relationship between innovation and energy efficiency. Thus, we will describe the technology and process innovation for sustainable development and where energy consumption is minimized for a service rendered identical. We will put the findings into perspective in relation to the Tunisian context
Environmental Accounting and Sustainable Development: A Study of Niger Delta ...inventionjournals
This work was borne out of the expectation of the gap that exists between the companies operating in Niger Delta and their host communities; years of neglect, environmental degradation, pollution and massive outcry for redress which resulted to arm struggle with attendant consequences. The objective of this study is to determine how environmental accounting has influenced the sustainable development in Nigeria, particularly Niger Delta area. Two (2) hypotheses were formulated and tested as an off shoot of the research questions. Environmental Accounting as Independent variable was measured by Sustainable development variables such as infrastructural amenities, poverty eradication, health care delivery, natural disaster and pollution. Quasi experimental research design was employed in the research. Data were gathered using questionnaires which were distributed to garner opinion from accountants, auditors, environmentalist, and community leaders in six states in Niger Delta area. Of 400 questionnaires distributed 388 were retrieved out of which 8 were invalid. Chi-square, Spearman’s coefficient correlation among others under SPSS Version 23 package was used to analyze the data and test the hypotheses. The result showed that there is relationship between Environmental accounting, Sustainable development and Economic Stability in Nigeria. We conclude that Environmental accounting is imperative for sustainable development and therefore suggests that all companies operating in Niger Delta area should imbibe environmental accounting as part of their operational standard.
In this Greening Governance seminar, leading air pollution experts highlight the challenges of reducing ozone pollution.
Join the conversation: #GreeningGovernance, #airpollution, #ozone, #ozonepollution
Learn more:
FOR CS PROFESSIONAL, CA, CMA
Sustainable Development
• Role of Business in Sustainable Development
• Sustainability Terminologies
• Corporate Sustainability
• Corporate Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility
• KYOSEI & TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE (TBL)
• One of the fundamental characteristics of a corporate is perpetuity. In the eyes of law, it is treated as a separate legal entity which can hold assets and bear liabilities, can sue and be sued.
• The word sustainable is derived from sustain or sustained. The synonyms of the word sustained as per the Collins Thesaurus include perpetual, prolonged, steady.
• Sustainable development is a broad, concept that balances the need for economic growth with environmental protection and social equity.
• WCED recognized that the achievement of sustainable development could not be simply left to government regulators and policy makers. It recognized that industry has a significant role to play.
• Four fundamental Principle of Sustainable Development- Principle of Intergenerational equity; Principle of sustainable use; Principle of equitable use or intergenerational equity; Principle of integration.
• Corporate Sustainability is a business approach that creates long-term shareholder value by embracing opportunities and managing risks deriving from economic, environmental and social developments. corporate sustainability describes business practices built around social and environmental considerations • Key drivers need to be garnered to ensure sustainability - Internal Capacity Building strength; Social impact assessment; Repositioning capability; Corporate sustainability.
• Kyosei philosophy reflects a confluence of social, environmental, technological and political solutions. It works in five stages-- First is economic survival of the company. Second is cooperating with labour. Third is cooperating outside the company. Fourth is global activism, and fifth is making the government/s a Kyosei partner
• In 1999 Elkington developed the concept of the Triple Bottom Line which proposed that business goals were inseparable from the societies and environments within which they operate.
• The emergence of corporate responsibility, from being a niche interest of environmentalist and pressure groups to one public. Concern, has in part, stemmed from the realization that corporate governance and social and environmental performance are important elements of sustained financial profitability.
NEP is a policy formulated in 2006 by Ministry of Environment and Forest,Govt. of India for providing certain strategies and standards that ensures environmental safety to surrounding areas,working areas, laboratories or facilities, are free from dangers.
Foreign Direct Investment and Environmental Sustainability in NigeriaQUESTJOURNAL
ABSTRACT: Empirical studies have focused more on the impact of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on economic growth while neglecting its impact on environmental degradation. FDI contributes to environmental hazards which are harmful and detrimental to human wellbeing. This study employed the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) method to analyze the impact of Foreign Direct Investment on environmental sustainability in Nigeria. Data were collected on CO2 emissions (proxying environmental degradation), FDI, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and population covering the period 1986 to 2015. The study found out that FDI contributes to CO2 emissions, hence environmental degradation. This is attributed to the activities of resource extracting industries which cause pollution in Nigeria. In addition, growth in GDP spurs environmental sustainability against a priori expectation due to the low level of Nigeria’s industrialisation. Furthermore, population growth leads to environmental degradation because majority of Nigerian citizens are poor and depend on the environment for their livelihood which leads to its depletion. The study therefore concludes that Foreign Direct Investment impedes environmental sustainability – giving credence to the pollution haven hypothesis. It is recommended amongst others that; first, the Nigerian Government should impose stringent laws to protect our environment and regulate the activities of international corporations and ensure that these laws are adhered to; second, environmental friendly equipments should be employed by multinational corporations and resource extracting industries; finally, adequate lands should be provided for housing, farm and resources productivities among the less privileged to achieve environmental sustainability
Climate financing in Indonesia: Finance for REDD+ & forest conservationCIFOR-ICRAF
Presented at a media training workshop by the Center for International Forestry Research at the 3rd Asia-Pacific Rainforest Summit, on 23–25 April 2018 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Designing Sustainability, a brief introduction with some fast guidelines to buildings' energy efficiency. Presented at Tongji University, Shanghai, China, December 2012.
Civil society actors from Uganda and the Philippines to learn how they are advancing effective, equitable adaptation finance systems to build resilience in a changing climate.
Innovation and Sustainable Development: The Question of Energy EfficiencyIOSR Journals
This article aims to examine the conditions in which technological innovation can foster and promote sustainable development. It takes into account all forms of technological innovation potential for sustainable development: process innovations, product innovations, organizational innovations, market innovations. It is also interested in the whole chain of innovation and pays particular attention to the plurality of devices innovation. This Research continues scientific representations which are guided by operational concerns. This paper will attempt to discern the relationship between innovation and energy efficiency. Thus, we will describe the technology and process innovation for sustainable development and where energy consumption is minimized for a service rendered identical. We will put the findings into perspective in relation to the Tunisian context
Environmental Accounting and Sustainable Development: A Study of Niger Delta ...inventionjournals
This work was borne out of the expectation of the gap that exists between the companies operating in Niger Delta and their host communities; years of neglect, environmental degradation, pollution and massive outcry for redress which resulted to arm struggle with attendant consequences. The objective of this study is to determine how environmental accounting has influenced the sustainable development in Nigeria, particularly Niger Delta area. Two (2) hypotheses were formulated and tested as an off shoot of the research questions. Environmental Accounting as Independent variable was measured by Sustainable development variables such as infrastructural amenities, poverty eradication, health care delivery, natural disaster and pollution. Quasi experimental research design was employed in the research. Data were gathered using questionnaires which were distributed to garner opinion from accountants, auditors, environmentalist, and community leaders in six states in Niger Delta area. Of 400 questionnaires distributed 388 were retrieved out of which 8 were invalid. Chi-square, Spearman’s coefficient correlation among others under SPSS Version 23 package was used to analyze the data and test the hypotheses. The result showed that there is relationship between Environmental accounting, Sustainable development and Economic Stability in Nigeria. We conclude that Environmental accounting is imperative for sustainable development and therefore suggests that all companies operating in Niger Delta area should imbibe environmental accounting as part of their operational standard.
In this Greening Governance seminar, leading air pollution experts highlight the challenges of reducing ozone pollution.
Join the conversation: #GreeningGovernance, #airpollution, #ozone, #ozonepollution
Learn more:
FOR CS PROFESSIONAL, CA, CMA
Sustainable Development
• Role of Business in Sustainable Development
• Sustainability Terminologies
• Corporate Sustainability
• Corporate Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility
• KYOSEI & TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE (TBL)
• One of the fundamental characteristics of a corporate is perpetuity. In the eyes of law, it is treated as a separate legal entity which can hold assets and bear liabilities, can sue and be sued.
• The word sustainable is derived from sustain or sustained. The synonyms of the word sustained as per the Collins Thesaurus include perpetual, prolonged, steady.
• Sustainable development is a broad, concept that balances the need for economic growth with environmental protection and social equity.
• WCED recognized that the achievement of sustainable development could not be simply left to government regulators and policy makers. It recognized that industry has a significant role to play.
• Four fundamental Principle of Sustainable Development- Principle of Intergenerational equity; Principle of sustainable use; Principle of equitable use or intergenerational equity; Principle of integration.
• Corporate Sustainability is a business approach that creates long-term shareholder value by embracing opportunities and managing risks deriving from economic, environmental and social developments. corporate sustainability describes business practices built around social and environmental considerations • Key drivers need to be garnered to ensure sustainability - Internal Capacity Building strength; Social impact assessment; Repositioning capability; Corporate sustainability.
• Kyosei philosophy reflects a confluence of social, environmental, technological and political solutions. It works in five stages-- First is economic survival of the company. Second is cooperating with labour. Third is cooperating outside the company. Fourth is global activism, and fifth is making the government/s a Kyosei partner
• In 1999 Elkington developed the concept of the Triple Bottom Line which proposed that business goals were inseparable from the societies and environments within which they operate.
• The emergence of corporate responsibility, from being a niche interest of environmentalist and pressure groups to one public. Concern, has in part, stemmed from the realization that corporate governance and social and environmental performance are important elements of sustained financial profitability.
NEP is a policy formulated in 2006 by Ministry of Environment and Forest,Govt. of India for providing certain strategies and standards that ensures environmental safety to surrounding areas,working areas, laboratories or facilities, are free from dangers.
Foreign Direct Investment and Environmental Sustainability in NigeriaQUESTJOURNAL
ABSTRACT: Empirical studies have focused more on the impact of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on economic growth while neglecting its impact on environmental degradation. FDI contributes to environmental hazards which are harmful and detrimental to human wellbeing. This study employed the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) method to analyze the impact of Foreign Direct Investment on environmental sustainability in Nigeria. Data were collected on CO2 emissions (proxying environmental degradation), FDI, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and population covering the period 1986 to 2015. The study found out that FDI contributes to CO2 emissions, hence environmental degradation. This is attributed to the activities of resource extracting industries which cause pollution in Nigeria. In addition, growth in GDP spurs environmental sustainability against a priori expectation due to the low level of Nigeria’s industrialisation. Furthermore, population growth leads to environmental degradation because majority of Nigerian citizens are poor and depend on the environment for their livelihood which leads to its depletion. The study therefore concludes that Foreign Direct Investment impedes environmental sustainability – giving credence to the pollution haven hypothesis. It is recommended amongst others that; first, the Nigerian Government should impose stringent laws to protect our environment and regulate the activities of international corporations and ensure that these laws are adhered to; second, environmental friendly equipments should be employed by multinational corporations and resource extracting industries; finally, adequate lands should be provided for housing, farm and resources productivities among the less privileged to achieve environmental sustainability
Climate financing in Indonesia: Finance for REDD+ & forest conservationCIFOR-ICRAF
Presented at a media training workshop by the Center for International Forestry Research at the 3rd Asia-Pacific Rainforest Summit, on 23–25 April 2018 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Designing Sustainability, a brief introduction with some fast guidelines to buildings' energy efficiency. Presented at Tongji University, Shanghai, China, December 2012.
Office design today must help productivity, boost ideas and make the work process go faster, giving space to teams and individuals to find the space that best suits their task and mood.
Introduction to SlideShare for BusinessesSlideShare
As the global hub of professional content, SlideShare can help you or your business amplify its reach, get discovered by targeted audiences and capture more professional opportunities. Learn why you should use SlideShare for your business
powerpoint presentiation for sustainable development powerpoint presentiation for sustainable development powerpoint presentiation for sustainable development powerpoint presentiation for sustainable development powerpoint presentiation for sustainable development powerpoint presentiation for sustainable development
Integrating Environmental Accounting in Agro-Allied and Manufacturing Indust...IJMER
ONLY WHEN THE LAST TREE IS CUT, ONLY WHEN THE LAST RIVER IS POLLUTED, ONLY WHEN THE LAST FISH IS CAUGHT, ONLY THEN WILL THEY REALIZE THAT YOU CANNOT EAT MONEY’ American proverb
Due to growing awareness and concern on the impact of human activity on the ecosystem, there is an
increasing trend to judge organizations in relation to the community in which it operates. The impact of the activities on the environment with regard to pollution of water, air, land and abuse of natural resources are coming under scrutiny of governments, stakeholders and citizens. Education is considered the key to effective development strategies and TVET institutions then must be the master
key that can alleviate poverty, promote peace, conserve the environment, improve the quality of life
for all and help achieve sustainable development. Unless proper accounting work is done, it cannot be determined that both have been fulfilling their responsibilities. The aim of the study was to explore whether distinctive processes of environmental accounting are possible in agro-allied and
manufacturing industries with a view to enhancing sustainability. To accomplish this aim, this research explores environmental accountability practices in TVET institutions. This paper is in part of an exploratory research project and it is limited in that it attempts to be illuminative and theoretically driven. The paper aims to prove that environmental reporting and disclosure will
enable in agro-allied and manufacturing industries undertake a major transformation that includes
approaches that harmonize economic prosperity, environmental conservation and social well-being.
However, while strategies for achieving this goal are not widespread, a range of international experiences is beginning to suggest ways forward. These initiatives include national TVET policy reforms, green campus, green curriculum, green community, green research and green culture. The paper includes suggested templates that can be useful in agro-allied and manufacturing industries
Integrating Environmental Accounting in Agro-Allied and Manufacturing Industr...IJMER
‘ONLY WHEN THE LAST TREE IS CUT, ONLY WHEN THE LAST RIVER IS
POLLUTED, ONLY WHEN THE LAST FISH IS CAUGHT, ONLY THEN WILL THEY REALIZE
THAT YOU CANNOT EAT MONEY’ American proverb
Due to growing awareness and concern on the impact of human activity on the ecosystem, there is an
increasing trend to judge organizations in relation to the community in which it operates. The
impact of the activities on the environment with regard to pollution of water, air, land and abuse of
natural resources are coming under scrutiny of governments, stakeholders and citizens. Education is
considered the key to effective development strategies and TVET institutions then must be the master
key that can alleviate poverty, promote peace, conserve the environment, improve the quality of life
for all and help achieve sustainable development. Unless proper accounting work is done, it cannot
be determined that both have been fulfilling their responsibilities. The aim of the study was to explore
whether distinctive processes of environmental accounting are possible in agro-allied and
manufacturing industries with a view to enhancing sustainability. To accomplish this aim, this
research explores environmental accountability practices in TVET institutions. This paper is in part
of an exploratory research project and it is limited in that it attempts to be illuminative and
theoretically driven. The paper aims to prove that environmental reporting and disclosure will
enable in agro-allied and manufacturing industries undertake a major transformation that includes
approaches that harmonize economic prosperity, environmental conservation and social well-being.
However, while strategies for achieving this goal are not widespread, a range of international
experiences is beginning to suggest ways forward. These initiatives include national TVET policy
reforms, green campus, green curriculum, green community, green research and green culture. The
paper includes suggested templates that can be useful in agro-allied and manufacturing industries
1. INDICATORS, INDICES AND TOOLS FOR ASSESSING SUSTAINABILITY AS RELEVANT FOR INDIA
Prarthana Gupta
(prarthanagupta21@gmail.com)
(Discussion paper put together as volunteer with Kalpavriksh, January 2014)
There is no composite index in official use today, which could at a glance tell us whether India is on a path of
sustainability. The currently used frameworks, such as UNDP’s Human Development Index though significantly
more preferable to the GDP–growth rate as an indication of ‘development’, are still woefully inadequate with
regard to sustainability.
Existing Indices
1. An attempt towards a composite sustainability index was commissioned by the Former Minister for
Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh (CSTEP 2011), but the draft available does not necessarily take into
account several issues and factors. Currently used frameworks, such as the UNDP’s Human Development Index,
though significantly more preferable to the GDP-growth rate as an indication of ‘development’, are still
woefully inadequate with regard to sustainability.
2. Attempt taking greater complexity, proposing a Composite Sustainability Index and doing a preliminary
analysis of how various states in India are faring (Roy and Chatterjee 2009)1
. This paper proposes a method for
arriving at a ‘single index of sustainability’ namely the CSI and demonstrates how to apply it to assess the status
of the states and union territories of India on the development pathway. However it is quite evident from the
current study that the areas of concern differ largely for the states and union territories. Unsustainability can
result not only from environmental issue but from social and economic issues also. Hence a single policy for all
of the states and union territories would not be the solution. Indeed, as Stiglitz et al (2009) have pointed out, a
single composite index may be misleading and unable to represent the complexity of environmental factors that
are important.
3. Better indicators which take into account shortcomings of the few existing indicators, include:
• Environment Sustainability Index: a composite index published from 1999 to 2005 that tracked 21
elements of environmental sustainability covering natural resource endowments, past and
present pollution levels, environmental management efforts, contributions to protection of
the commons, and a society's capacity to improve its environmental performance over time
• Green GDP: an index of economic growth with the environmental consequences of that growth
factored into a country's conventional GDP. It monetizes the loss of biodiversity, and accounts for
costs caused by climate change.
• ea-NDP (environmentally adjusted Net Domestic Product): It is obtained by subtracting the costs of
natural resource depletion and environmental degradation from net domestic product (NDP).
• Adjusted Net Savings: it measures the true rate of saving in an economy after taking into account
investments in human capital, depletion of natural resources and damages caused by pollution.
However, these have serious limitations as standalone measures. Another is the Environment Vulnerability
Index, which takes into account 50 indicators related to weather, geography, biodiversity, natural resources, and
human activities.
What is needed?
Also needed are a set of tools for assessment. Preferably, these should be widely usable and not dependent on a
small set of ‘experts’, fully transparent, and subject to peer reviews. Some tools that are slowly being considered
in official circles, and/or by civil society and the private sector in several countries, are:
1. Ecological footprint
DEFINITION: This tool calculates the ecological impact of a unit of population, from an individual to the entire
human species, depicts it in terms of land area used by each unit, and compares this to a global optimum level to
show whether the unit is exceeding its ‘quota’ of the earth’s resources.
1
http://www.indiastat.com/article/01/drjoy/fulltext.pdf
2. ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN INDIA: The only known attempt at calculating this for India is from the report
of the Global Footprint Network and CII report2
, but their methodology is not clear in the paper. Systematic and
periodic use of this tool could be made at various levels, from individual settlements to districts, states, and the
country as a whole.
The Global Footprint network published a report in 2010 based on data collected in 2007. Data is given as
global hectares per capita. The world-average ecological footprint in 2007 was 2.7 global hectares per person.
With a world-average bio-capacity of 1.8 global hectares per person (12 billion in total), this leads to an
ecological deficit of 0.9 global hectares per person (6 billion in total). If a country does not have enough
ecological resources within its own territory, then there is a local ecological deficit and it is called an ecological
debtor country. Otherwise, it has an ecological remainder and it is called an ecological creditor country.
According to the data, India has a population of 1164.67 million. The ecological footprint (measured in
gha/pers) is 0.91 and the bio-capacity is 0.51 gha/pers. Thus, the ecological remainder for India is -0.40, making
India an ecological debtor country due to the ecological deficit.3
2. Carbon footprints
DEFINITION: Several organizations and processes are using different methods to calculate the carbon footprint,
basically Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions (direct or indirect, e.g. emissions from a factory or car, as also
emissions from production processes used in making products we use), of a country/region/city, organization,
event, product or person. As a single parameter, it is useful to gauge some aspects of sustainability, though this
will not cover all aspects.
LIMITATIONS OF CARBON FOOTPRINTS: GHG accountings are a widely used metric of climate change
impacts and the main focus of many sustainability policies among companies and authorities. However,
environmental sustainability concerns not just climate change but also other environmental problems, like
chemical pollution or depletion of natural resources, and the focus on CFP brings the risk of problem shifting
when reductions in CFP are obtained at the expense of increase in other environmental impacts. Carbon
footprints in many situations turn out to be a poor representative of the environmental burden of products. Thus,
use of more broadly encompassing tools to assess and manage environmental sustainability in needed.
CARBON FOOTPRINTS IF INDIA: The US Dept of Energy Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Centre
calculated data collected from country agencies by the UN Statistics Division. Countries are ranked by their
tonne of carbon dioxide emissions per capita in 2009. The data only considers carbon dioxide emissions from
the burning of fossil fuel and cement manufacture, but not emissions from land use such as deforestation.
In India the annual carbon dioxide emission (in tonnes) per capita was measured at 0.8 in 1990 and increased to
1.6 by 2010. This data when compared to that of many countries during the same time period shows that India
ranks much better than a lot many of the developed counties.
Country 1990 2010
India 0.8 1.6
China 2.2 6.6
Japan 9.4 10
USA 19.1 -na-
UAE 29.4 -na-
Table: Annual Carbon Dioxide Emissions (tonnes) Per Capita 4
Thus, in this respect, India fairs pretty well. However taking into consideration the limitation of the CFP
estimation, better tools, which take into account more environmental hazard, are needed.
As at the international level, where there is common but differentiated responsibility, there needs to be a intra-
national common but differentiated responsibility too. Developed nations need to cut their CO2 emissions not
only to prevent climate change but also to give space to the developing world to catch up, without cooking the
planet. The same is true within India; if the upper and the middle class do not manage to check their CO2
2
http://www.footprintnetwork.org/download.php?id=504
3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_ecological_footprint
4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_carbon_dioxide_emissions_per_capita
3. emissions, they will not only contribute to global warming, they will also deny the hundreds of millions of poor
in the country, those who will be the most severely impacted by climate change, access to development.
The rich income classes need to acknowledge that their wealth and freedom to consume, adds to the increasing
crisis and poverty of the poor. Lifestyles with excessive carbon emissions are similar to a smoker smoking in a
room: they not only affect the smoker, but others around as well. as discussed in the introduction, it impacts
mostly the ones who have contributed least to the problem.5
3. National accounts of well-being
DEFINITION: Proposed by the New Economics Foundation and building on recommendations made several
decades back before being displaced by purely economic/financial indicators and methods, this measures
people’s subjective well-being. It is based on the realization that indicators like income or economic wealth are
highly unreliable in assessing whether people are actually satisfied and happy, and what needs to be measured
are a number of factors in people’s personal and professional lives, including social relationships, self-esteem,
emotional well-being, sense of belonging, and so on.
WHAT DOES WELLBEING DEPEND UPON? Well-being does not depend only on social and economic
factors but also on environmental ones. Indeed, historically, much of the research on expanded measures of
well-being has been driven by concerns about environmental degradation. Concern about sustainable
development emphasises the need to take into account resources and capital stocks that are not included in the
production boundary of conventional economic accounts. Although a sustainable development approach has
direct implications for the measurement of income – in particular in terms of resources and environmental
values that are affected by production but not calculated in market exchanges – there are not yet established
mechanisms for integrating these concerns into measurements of economic resources. Further, as in the social
area, the relation between environmental quality and economic development is complex. Higher GDP levels
generally tend to stress the environment more, but also increase the capacities and resources for dealing with
environmental problems.
Studies have shown that individuals who report higher levels of satisfaction with their lives are also rated as
happier by their relatives and friends, tend to smile more during social interactions, have higher pre-frontal brain
activity (the part of the brain associated with positive states), are more likely to recall positive life events, and
have a higher resilience to stress. The best example under this kind of a study is the Gross National happiness
tool used by Bhutan.
No exact measure exists for India, and thus, it might be safe to say that there surely exist mixed levels of well
being in the Indian society.6
4. Environmental accounting/budgeting
DEFINITION: Predominantly economic in nature, these attempt to portray environmental assets, and damage to
these assets in monetary terms, including showing how they may be contributing to or reducing overall GDP or
NDP. These have been heavily criticized for attempting to quantify or monetize the essentially qualitative values
of the environment, but they may be of use as part of larger sets of tools and measures that include the socio-
cultural, normative, and physical aspects of the environment. They could also include periodic assessments of
the creation or exacerbation of poverty by ecological damage, including loss of ecosystem-based livelihoods.
ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOUNTING IN INDIA: Former Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests,
Jairam Ramesh, says he has set the ball rolling for a system of green national accounting in India, by 2015 at
least. India currently does not have "green accounting"7
. The Green National Accounts in India- A Framework is
a report by an Expert Group Convened by the National Statistical Organization Ministry of Statistics and
Programme Implementation Government of India. The Chairman, Partha Dasgupta, St John's College,
Cambridge says, “This report was commissioned by the Government of India under the direction of the Prime
Minister”.8
5
http://www.greenpeace.org/india/Global/india/report/2007/11/hiding-behind-the-poor.pdf
6
http://www.beyond-gdp.eu/download/oecd_measuring-progress.pdf
7
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Bangalore/India-to-have-green-national-accounting-system-in-
five-years/Article1-605742.aspx
8
http://mospi.nic.in/mospi_new/upload/Green_National_Accouts_in_India_1may13.pdf
4. Economists estimate gross domestic product (GDP) as a broad measure of national income, while net domestic
product (NDP) accounts for the use of physical capital. But as yet, India has no generally accepted system to
convert gross domestic product into green domestic product that would reflect the use up of precious depletable
natural resources in the process of generating national income. Economists all over the world have been at work
for quite some time on developing a robust system of green national accounting but India has not reached there
yet.
By using the tool of environmental/ green accounting, we can report both gross domestic product and green
domestic product, and will get a better picture of the trade-offs involved in the process of economic growth.
5. Sustainability reporting
DEFINITION: ‘Sustainability reporting is the practice of measuring, disclosing, and being accountable to
internal and external stakeholders for organizational performance towards the goal of sustainable development’;
and the framework used for this includes a host of environmental, human rights, economic, and social
performance indicators. Several private or public sector companies are voluntarily reporting on their
sustainability performance. Sustainability Reporting is not a mandatory requirement in India. Except for some
high performing, visible companies, a lot of organisations in India haven’t started using the GRI sustainability
reporting framework effectively.
in the GRI reporting database, only 74 companies from India are listed, compared to 242 companies from China,
334 companies from South Africa, 213 companies from Brazil. So for India’s economic might, it still has a long
way to catch up with other emerging economies on the area of Sustainability Reporting.9
SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING IN INDIA: India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. With
growth comes pressure on resources, social inclusion and environmental sustainability. Sustainability reporting
is not a mandatory framework requirement in India. Except for some high performing, visible companies, a lot
of organisations in India haven’t started using the GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) sustainability reporting
framework effectively.
About 80 Indian companies are now doing sustainability reporting using the framework developed by the GRI.
The framework enables organizations to measure and report their economic, environmental, social and
governance performance - the four areas that are seen to be key to sustainability.
The Indian government, and each state government, could be required to present an annual Sustainable
Development–Human Well-being report. However, it is important that such a report be produced in a
participatory and transparent manner. Indeed, the process of preparing such a report could itself become a tool
towards assessing and furthering the goals of sustainability and equity.10
6. Genuine Progress Indicator
GPI is a refined version of the Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare developed by Herman Daly and John
Cobb in the late 1980s. GPI starts with the same personal consumption data as GDP, but then makes some
crucial distinctions. It adjusts for factors such as income distribution, adds factors such as the value of household
and volunteer work, and subtracts factors such as the costs of crime and pollution. The GPI is used in green
economics, sustainability and more inclusive types of economics by factoring in environmental and carbon
footprints that businesses produce or eliminate. 11
Comparatively speaking, the relationship between GDP and GPI is analogous to the relationship between the
gross profit of a company and the net profit; the Net Profit is the Gross Profit minus the costs incurred; the GPI
is the GDP (value of all goods and services produced) minus the environmental and social costs. Accordingly,
the GPI will be zero if the financial costs of poverty and pollution equal the financial gains in production of
goods and services, all other factors being constant. 12
The calculation methodology of GPI was first adopted to US data in late 1990s. According to results, the GDP
has increased substantially, but at the same time the GPI has stagnated. Thus, according to GPI theory, the
9
http://efficientcarbon.com/blog/state-of-sustainability-reporting-in-india
10
http://efficientcarbon.com/blog/state-of-sustainability-reporting-in-india
11
http://steadystate.org/wp-content/uploads/CASSE_Brief_GDP.pdf
12
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genuine_progress_indicator
5. economic growth in the USA i.e. the growth of GDP, has not increased the welfare of the people during last 30
years. So far, GPI time-series have been calculated for USA and Australia as well as for several of their states.
In addition, GPI has been calculated for Austria, Canada, Chile, France, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands,
Scotland and the rest of the UK.
An elaborate calculation of India’s GPI has been explained in a book, along with an analysis of India’s GDP vs.
GPI. 13
7. Happy Planet Index
HPI measures the ecological efficiency with which human wellbeing is delivered. It is calculated by multiplying
indices of life satisfaction (estimated by compiling responses to international surveys) and life expectancy, and
dividing that product by ecological footprint. Nations score well when they achieve high levels of satisfaction
and health while impacting environmental resources lightly. 14
The Happy Planet Index is a new measure of progress that focuses on what matters: sustainable well-being for
all. It tells us how well nations are doing in terms of supporting their inhabitants to live good lives now, while
ensuring that others can do the same in future. At a time of uncertainty, the index provides a clear compass
pointing nations in the direction they need to travel, and helping groups around the world to advocate for a
vision of progress that is truly about people's lives.15
Nine out of the ten top countries are located in the Caribbean Basin despite high levels of poverty. India’s HPI
score of 50.9 and ranks number 32 of all the countries analysed. India’s HPI score reflects a ‘middling’ life
expectancy, relatively low levels of experiences well-being, and a very low ecological footprint. 16
13
http://econpapers.repec.org/article/blaapacel/v_3a23_3ay_3a2009_3ai_3a1_3ap_3a117-118.htm
14
http://steadystate.org/wp-content/uploads/CASSE_Brief_GDP.pdf
15
http://www.neweconomics.org/publications/entry/happy-planet-index-2012-report
16
http://www.happyplanetindex.org/countries/india/