Development at what cost?

The Karnataka Minister for Forest and Environment, speaking at the Sustainability Leadership Summit a few days ago, raised a pertinent question: “Development at whose cost, for whose sake?” It is unusual for a minister or politician these days to contemplate these issues. Nevertheless, it underscores a serious flaw in the development model we are pursuing, resulting in an ‘air emergency’ in Delhi and the surrounding areas.

The AQI (Air Quality Index) of the national capital has soared to an alarming 470, disrupting daily life and movement. Mumbai is grappling with high levels of air pollution, causing upper respiratory infections in a large number of people. While the Supreme Court described Delhi's situation as “the murder of people’s health,” a Mumbai-based NGO notes a shift from a city that never sleeps to one where inhabitants struggle to sleep. Bengaluru, once known for fresh air, has become one of the most congested cities in the world, fast turning into a polluted city due to an increasing number of vehicles.

Beyond air pollution, water pollution and a lack of clean drinking water contribute to health problems. With depleting fresh water resources and uncontrolled groundwater exploitation, India faces a looming water crisis. The World Water Index ranks India near the bottom—at 120 out of 122 countries—with 70% of the country’s water contaminated. According to one prediction, the third world war may be fought over water. As one part of India experiences severe droughts and intense heat, another part is subject to devastating floods following heavy rains, as witnessed in states like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Sikkim. Flooding in urban areas is now a common occurrence, particularly in coastal cities like Chennai and Mumbai.

Waste pollution includes issues such as municipal solid waste dumped on open sites, electronic waste (90% of which is disposed of without processing), and plastics, which account for 3.4% of GHG emissions. India’s plastic consumption has surged 20 times in the last 30 years. Global plastic production has doubled in 20 years to 460 MT a year and may triple by 2060, posing a significant threat to the world, according to experts. According to the UN, the production of plastic is one of the most energy-intensive manufacturing processes in the world, as it is made from fossil fuels and also contributes to the climate crisis.

The climate crisis is undeniable, despite those in high positions being in denial. According to the Earth Commission, global warming above 1.5 degrees C will impact more than 200 million people, most of whom are already poor, vulnerable, and marginalised. The effects of climate change include hotter temperatures, intense droughts, severe storms, rising sea levels, increasing floods, and declining biodiversity. The Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change has warned that climate change is “a grave and mounting threat to our wellbeing and a healthy planet. Our actions today will shape how people adapt and nature responds to increasing climate risks”. It has further pointed out that progress on adaptation is uneven and that there are increasing gaps between the action taken and what is needed to deal with the increasing risks.

So what is the action to be taken? SDG 13 (Sustainable Development Goals) declared by the UN focuses on climate action and calls for a sustainable strategy for energy transition—decarbonising the global economy, expanding renewable energy sources, and adopting new technologies that can drive the global economy to net zero by 2050. Action taken so far shows that we are not likely to reach this goal by 2030 or even by 2050. India has set for itself the year 2070 to achieve net zero. The developed nations are the prime culprits, with business lobbies, especially the oil industry, exercising strong influence and their governments not fulfilling the investment commitments.

In India, as in other developing nations, there are compelling imperatives to pay adequate attention to economic development with a view to removing poverty and providing for basic requirements such as clean and adequate water supply, sanitation, and electricity for all the people. But we cannot ignore the environmental problems we are facing—air and water pollution, waste disposal, and loss of biodiversity—which are causing serious health problems, declining productivity, and loss of income, particularly for the poor, affecting their livelihoods. In fact, we are facing not just an air emergency but an ‘environmental emergency’.

We are back to the question: development at what cost? The simple answer is at great environmental cost and cost to the health of the people. Development, for whose sake? The answer to this question is not so simple. This leads us to another question. If the development model we are now pursuing causes more harm than good to the people and the planet, then why are we pursuing it and for whose benefit? The inevitable answer seems to be the decision-makers and those who influence decision-making. The Deccan Herald’s editorial on November 9 was rightly titled, 'What is dirtier—Delhi's air or its politics?'

Dirty politics, not only in Delhi but in almost all states, is playing a significant role in environmental degradation. Environmental clearances given by the central and state governments overlooking the prescribed norms, flyovers and grade separators being built in cities promoting private transport, adding to congestion and pollution, and reckless expansion of cities in violation of planning norms are leading to loss of farmland and greenery, more construction, and the generation of more heat and pollution.

We need a development model that adopts ethical and sustainable practices. Growth at all costs must be replaced by sustainable development. In particular, we must focus attention on SDG 8: promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all; and SDG 12: ensure sustainable consumption and production. All this calls for changes in our lifestyles, especially for those indulging in wasteful practices and excessive consumption. As an expert on climate change said, “Climate change is sometimes misunderstood as being changes in the weather; in reality, it is about changes in our way of life”.

Will the politicians wake up to the environmental crisis and act? In my view, this will happen the day the environment becomes an election issue. When will it be? That's the million-dollar question.

(The writer is a former chief secretary, Government of Karnataka)