From Guest Blogger James Timpson: Should India Look West For Sustainability Inspiration?
In a recent rundown in the International Business Times of the world’s most polluted cities, India was placed on the list six times. Delhi, Patna and Gwalior are three of the cities most affected.
Population growth and industrial development, amongst other issues, have taken their toll on the environment in India. This has led to severe air and water pollution; waste disposal problems; and pollution of the natural environment. These environmental issues have led to poor health, disease and decreased life expectancy for those living in the most polluted areas. A recent study reported that over half a billion Indians lose at least 3.2 years from their lives on average, due to the quality of the air. This is hardly surprising when you consider that in Delhi, the most polluted city in the world, the dangerous particulates in the air are regularly measured at six times higher than the WHO’s recommended maximum.
India Is Not Alone
India is not alone when it comes to struggling with environmental issues and it is a situation which is echoed in other rapidly developing countries around the round. It is also not a situation unknown in the West. We only need to think back to the Great Smog of London in 1952 to know that air pollution was a major issue here not that long ago.
In fact in the middle of the 20th century the UK earned a reputation as the ‘dirty man of Europe’ as air quality was so poor due to our high level of sulphur dioxide emissions. Our own government’s attempts to curb pollution were erratic, and they failed to make much headway until the UK joined the European community in 1972. The European Union is seen as one of the most progressive organisations in terms of improving environmental conditions and has issued more than 500 directives to its member states relating to green legislation over the years. These directives shaped our own UK regulations as they relate to: pollution; carbon emissions; climate; conservation; waste; and recycling.
Let Business Take the Lead
While every individual can play their part in making green changes, if substantial progress is to be made, it needs to come from the top. Legislation is vital to force organisations and businesses to initiate the major changes needed on a widespread scale. Earlier this year the Indian Environment Minister vowed to find a solution to the ever worsening pollution problem within his country, and to create a national air index. This was an announcement which was welcomed by experts as until now the approach had seemed to be rather haphazard, especially when compared with China, who also struggle with issues of pollution.
As in Europe, once regulations are laid down in legislation, it is imperative that businesses make the necessary changes. Ultimately this can even give them a competitive advantage as consumers increasingly want to purchase from organisations who take their environmental responsibilities seriously. Of course India has a much larger population and greater pressures on its resources. However, once a change is implemented, if it receives support from the population at large and the business community who have a great impact on the economic development, it is possible for that change to gather momentum. Advances in technology can also assist in reducing the environmental impact. This is because technology can not only look at existing processes and see where they can be improved but technology can also create new processes.
While we may look at rapidly developing countries and tell them that improvements need to be made, we must never forget that we were in a very similar situation not that long ago. With our increasingly globalised society, hopefully we can learn from the environmental issues we experience, and work together to find a solution.
