Policy Watch: Environment, Natural Resources and Sustainability – October 2023

This issue of Policy Watch is on the theme Environment, Natural Resources and Sustainability. While compiling this issue, we heard the sad news of the demise of father of India’s Green Revolution, Prof M.S. Swaminathan on September 28, 2023. Throughout his life he contributed immensely to increase food production, enhance farmer’s income and advocate for sustainable agriculture. He also served as trustee of Rajiv Gandhi Foundation until early 2020. We remember him fondly and will miss his guidance and sage advice.

The first article of the issue is an analysis of the New Delhi Declaration of G20 released during its summit in Delhi in September. The analysis by Mr. Jeet Singh, Head of RGICS Research is focused on discussion and decisions of G20 members on issues pertinent to environment, natural resources and climate change. The article attempts to highlight the gap between G20 declaration and actual progress required to meet temperature targets, SDGs, Net Zero and Biodiversity targets by 2030.
The second article is by Mr. Saurabh Rai, Chief Executive Officer of Arahas Technologies and his colleagues Mr. Devesh Dubey and Mr. Manoj Chauhan on India’s land holdings boundary mapping and property tax collection. The article describes problems related to land records in India and provides technological solutions to revolutionize land mapping. The article also highlights major challenges pertaining to use of technologies in the Indian context.

The third article is by Simrin Sirur, published originally by Mongabay India on October 9, 2023 on causes of severe consequences of Sikkim Flood in the month of October 2023. Article concludes that authorities were ignorant about scientific prediction of glacial outburst, there was no early warning system and dam safety is very poor in the state. This year three hill states one after the other – Himachal, Uttarakhand and now Sikkim have seen the disastrous effects of interfering with fragile ecology of the Himalayas. When will our “growth at any cost” policy makers learn?

The fourth article is a commentary by Dr. Heera Lal and Dr. Kaviraj Singh on the recently notified Carbon Credit Trading Scheme by the Government of India. This article was originally published by CNBC on 10th August 2023. The article argues that the scheme will be instrumental in achieving India’s target of net zero by 2070.