SUSTAINABILITY IN 21st CENTURY

Gaurav Wadhwa & Priya BhargavaBBA, Year III

Ansal University, Gurgaon

Sustainability• Sustainability could be defined as an ability or capacity of something to

be maintained or to sustain itself. It’s about taking what we need to live now, without jeopardizing the potential for people in the future to meet their needs.

• Sustainable Development: “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Common Sustainable Development practices-Solar and wind energy-Sustainable construction-Water fixtures-Rain water harvesting-Sustainable consumption and production practices etc.

Three Pillars of Sustainability – Triple Bottom Line-People-Planet-Profit

Advantage Sustainable Development-Involves local people and provides them with rewarding, immediate work, income, and education-Preserves the natural sources-Protects the environment-Provide basic needs-Accommodate city development-Control climate change-Provide financial stability-Sustain biodiversity-Improving triple bottom line-Preserves technological resources

PLANET

Natural Resources

• Natural resources - land, water, biodiversity and genetic resources, biomass resources, forests, livestock and fisheries

• Foundation of human survival, progress and prosperity

• Their erosion is one of the root causes of the crisis

• Along with the Government of India, Corporate houses there are several NGOs who are dedicated towards the cause of Natural Resource Management.

Problems in 21st Century • Acceleration of economic & population growth• Extreme poverty• Climate change• Over exploitation of natural resources by growing population‐• Destruction of vegetation• Unmindful agricultural intensification• Over-use of marginal lands• Imbalanced use of fertilizers• Deteriorating soil health• Misuse and inefficient use of irrigation water• Depleting aquifers

• Salination of fertile lands & water logging• Deforestation• Biodiversity loss & genetic erosion• Land degradation• Denudation• Soil erosion• Landslides• Floods, drought • Unbalanced ecosystems

Consequences

There is a need for greater attention to the management of water, forests and land in order to mitigate pressure

on natural resources

Role of NGOs• They can also contribute significantly by undertaking

research and publication on environment and development related issues.

• It is necessary to support and encourage genuine, small, local level NGOs in different parts of the country which can provide much needed institutional support specific to the local needs.

• The importance of public awareness and NGOs involvement in environmental protection is acknowledged worldwide.

Role of NGOs• NGO’s have been taking a number of steps to promote

discussion and debate about environmental issues, outside the broad spheres of popular media and the educational system.

• Advocacy and awareness is especially crucial in promoting concepts such as sustainable development, natural resource conservation and the restoration of ecosystems.

• NGOs can sensitize policy makers about the local needs and priorities.

• They can often intimate the policy makers about the interests of both the poor and the ecosystem as a whole.

• In providing training facilities NGOs can play a significant role.

NGOs can act as a Critical Interface between Business

Houses and the Societal Concerns

NGOs can be the Implementation Agencies for the companies which

do not have time / resources to contribute towards the society

Corporate Inc. - NGO Collaboration

• Business Houses can rely for the implementation of their CSR initiatives on NGOs

• The Connect of the NGOs with the grassroots would help the Companies

• 21st Century would see an increase in the number of such collaborations and synergies between the corporates and the NGOs– The Companies Act 2013 would act as an enabler

for the same

Existing Collaborations

• Coke – MANTHAN• Microsoft – Smile Foundation• NTPC – CANKIDS… KIDSCAN• Birla Group – Smile Foundation, Maya

Foundation, Childline India Foundation

NGOs in NRM

• Many innovative practices have been adopted by the NGOs in the area of Natural Resources Management for the purpose of conservation. • Some of these NGOs are- – PRADAN– Dorabji Tata Trusts – Sadguru– Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan– Dharampur Utthan Vahini (DHRUVA)– Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS)– Aga Khan Rural Support Programme

Best Practices in Sustainability

Rajendra Singh – Water Conservationist

Dark Zone to Flow• Rivulet Arvari: Making stream alive by constructing a small Johad in a

village Bhaota.

• Later seeing the advantage of Johad, many villagers came forward to build such structures in their own areas. And to this date, there are 375 RWH structures in the catchment area of the river Arvari.

• Water in RWH structures raised the water table in the entire catchment area of the river. This in turn, enriched the forest in the same area.

• This way, in a decade, the river Arvari came to life from a dried up dead water-course. Today, the river-flow continues the year round.

Struggle Against Mining

• An ecological imbalance was setting in, with faster degradation of the area under mining operations.

• A public interest petition was filed by TBS in the Supreme Court of India. In 1991, the court issued an order against continuing mining in the ecologically fragile Aravalis.

National Water Awareness Campaign• Judicious use and regeneration of water resources for enhancing

water quality and quantity in all parts of India.

• To increase awareness about water as a basic right of each citizen

• To meet & bring together activists who are working on water issues in isolated pockets of India.

• To form a pressure group for making state and national water policies more people-oriented and responsive.

Tarun Jal VidyapeethTJV has till now facilitated following activities:• Two-year course for “Water Warriors”.

• Short term capacity building course for all stakeholders in water management

• Organizing State & National level workshops

• Publications of exemplary work and issues on water management.

Way Forward• Enhance the existing collaborations with the

NGOs by the corporate– Leverage the expertise and grassroots connect of

the NGOs to Create and Implement Scalable and Replicable projects in Natural Resource Management

– A more serious financial and resource commitment by the businesses to the NGOs

– Meticulous planning and structured efforts towards Sustainability

– Monitoring by way of Impact Assessment & CSR Audit

These will lead towards SUSTAINABILITY IN 21st

CENTURY