UNIT II

INTRODUCTION TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Historical Evolution of sustainable development:

The concept of sustainable development received its first major international recognition in 1972
at the UN conference on the human environment held in the stock holm, where the international
community agreed to the notion of the fundamental concept of sustainable development.
The concept of sustainable development formed the basis of UNC 0n Environment and
Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.It was attended by 100 heads of state and
representatives from 178 national governments The summit was also attended by representatives
by a range of organizations representing civil society. Sustainable Development was the solution
to the problems of environmental degradation discussed by the Brundtland commission
in1987report.
The term was popularised 15 years later in our common future, the report of the world
commission on environment and development, where the classic definition of sustainable
development came into existence.
Recently, the world summit on sustainable development was held in Johannesburg attended by
191national government agencies in 2002 to assess progress since RIO.The Johannesburg summit
delivered three key initiatives on sustainable consumption, production, water, and sanitation.

UN conference in 1972 on Fundamental to sustainable development considering both

Human Environment development and environment
World commission on
Environment and Development
Observations were made in Brundland report
Report (Brudland Report)
presented in 1987
United Nation conference on
Main focus was to draw up action plan and strategies for
Environment and Development Main focus was to draw up action plan and strategies for
moving towards more sustainable pattern of development
held in 1992 moving towards more sustainable pattern of development

World summit on sustainable Three Key initiatives /Key commitments on sustainable

development was held in 2002 consumption, production ,water and sanitation

United Nation conference on

Environment and Development held in The future we want. Sustainable development Goals
2012
Need for sustainable development
The need and importance of sustainable development to balance our economic, environmental
and social needs allowing wellbeing for now and upcoming generation.
It encourages us to conserve and enhance our resource base gradually changing the methods in
which we develop and use technologies.
Countries must be allowed to meet their basic needs of employment, food energy,water and
sanitation. It implies those ways in which development ways do not cause damage to the
environment. It sets limits on human activities. When supply cannot be increased the needs must
be reduced
Sustainable development increased the use of RENEWABLE natural resources and decreases
that of non-renewable. It makes proper management of natural resources.
The needs of people are better fulfilled but consumers have realized the importance of nature.
Sustainable development ensures the meaningful investment of capital and other means
because development SHOULD BE smooth and durable.
Definition:
Sustainable development is a development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Pillars of sustainable development:
The three pillars of sustainability are a powerful tool for defining the Sustainable Development
problem. This consists of three parameters: Economic, Social, and Environmental pillars. If any
one pillar is weak then the system as a whole is unsustainable. This is illustrated with
sustainability venn diagram.

Social Sustainability:
Social sustainability is the ability of a social system, such as a country, family, or organization, to
function at a defined level of social well-being and harmony indefinitely. Problems like war,
endemic poverty, widespread injustice, and low education rates are symptoms a system is socially
unsustainable. There should be proper equity for the worlds resources between rich and poor.

Environment Sustainability:
We are living within the means of our natural resources. To live in true environmental
sustainability, we need to ensure that we are consuming our natural resources such as materials,
fuels, land-water at a sustainable rate. Some resources are more abundant than others and
therefore we need to consider material scarcity, the damage to the environment from extraction of
these materials. Thus, we need to minimize environmental damage, pollution and exhaustion
of resources.
Economic sustainability:
Economic sustainability requires that a business or country uses its resources efficiently and
responsibly so that it can operate in a sustainable manner to consistently produce an operational
profit Without operational profit business cannot sustain its activities. Without acting responsibly
and using its resources efficiently or the company will not be able to sustain its activities in long
term. We need economic growth to assure our material welfare.

Relationship between three pillars of sustainable development

The largest system of them all is the biosphere we live in. It contains the human system,
which has two main systems: social and economic. When groups of people, from a tribe to a
nation, agree to form a government they form a social contract to increase their general welfare.
This contract binds the social and economic systems of the group of individuals together. The
people (the social subsystem) are working together under a central government to maximize their
economic system's output.

Seeing the overall system this way makes it clear that environmental sustainability must have the
highest priority, because the lower the carrying capacity of the environment, the lower the
common good delivered by the social system and the less output the economic system can
produce.

Background for Sustainable Development Goals

SDGs adopted by UN in 2015 with 17 Goals & 169 Targets.
Came into effect from 1.1.2016.
The time period for SDGs is 2016-30.
Several goals are to be achieved before 2030, and some of them even by 2020.
Addressing three dimensions of development; Social, Economic & Environmental
Goals 1 to 6 address social development, Goals 7-11 Address Economic development,
and Goals 12 to 15 on Environment issues.
There is a Goal on Good Governance (Goal 16) and a Goal on Means of
Implementation (Goal 17).
 India is a signatory of the UN Resolution and committed to the implementation of
SDGs.

Sustainable Development Vision

The new agenda is a promise by leaders to all people everywhere.

It is a universal, integrated and transformative vision for a better world.
It is an agenda for people, to end poverty in all its forms.
An agenda for the planet, our common home.
An agenda for shared prosperity, peace, and partnership.
It conveys the urgency of climate action.
It is rooted in gender equality and respect for the rights of all.
Above all, it pledges to leave no one behind.
The Sustainable Development Goals2030 Agenda (5Ps)
Implementation Period: January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2030
17 Goals, 169 Targets, and 230 indicators
No one Leaves Behind Universal
Five P’s – People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnership

Sustainable Development Goals

GOAL 1: No Poverty
GOAL 2: Zero Hunger
GOAL 3: Good Health and Well-being
GOAL 4: Quality Education
GOAL 5: Gender Equality
GOAL 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
GOAL 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
GOAL 10: Reduced Inequality
GOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
GOAL 13: Climate Action
GOAL 14: Life Below Water
GOAL 15: Life on Land
GOAL 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
GOAL 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Introduction:
By the term, it is reflected that it is something related to evaluating and estimating the impacts on
the environment.
For example, if someone wants to start a company then NOC or clearance from various agencies
to be taken at various levels like from ministry, state, municipal corporation,etc. One such type of
clearance certificate from the environment too for checking whether it is violating environmental
norms or not.
If it is causing any harm then what is the scale of it, how much can be controlled and how many
necessary precautions can be taken to protect the environment from such developmental activities.
Every anthropogenic activity has some impact on the environment.Often it is harmful to the
environment than benign. However, mankind, as it is developed today, cannot live without taking
up these activities for his food, security and other needs. Consequently, there is a need to
harmonize developmental activities with environmental concerns. It is desirable to ensure that the
development options under consideration are sustainable in doing so environmental consequences
must be characterized early in the project cycle and accounted for in the project design.
EIA is one of the tools available with the planners to achieve the goal of harmonizing
development activities with environmental concerns.
EIA integrates the environmental concerns in the developmental activities right at the time of
initiating for preparing the feasibility report.
In doing so it can enable the integration of environmental concerns and mitigation measures in
project development.

Definition of EIA:
Environmental Impact Assessment is defined as an activity designed to identify the impact on the
bio geophysical environment, on man and well-being of legislative proposals, projects, policies,
operational procedures and to interpret and communicate information.

Objectives of EIA:
 to identify, predict and evaluate the economic, environmental and social impact of
development activities
 to provide information on the environmental consequences for decision making and
 to promote environmentally sound and sustainable development through the
identification of appropriate alternatives and mitigation measures.

Historic background:
As the world progressed in science and technology, the various projects which were intended to
provide benefits to the people started to show negative effects in terms of their effects on the
environment, thus compelling us to consider alternatives. As such laws were introduced to
counter the adverse effects, thus highlighting the need for Environment Impact Assessment (EIA)

The first country to give importance to EIA through its National Environmental Protection Act
(NEPA) of 1969 was the United States. A large number of countries followed, which were having
industries. Canada, Australia, the Netherlands and Japan adopted EIA legislation in 1973, 1974,
1981 and 1984, respectively. In July 1985, the European Community (EC) made EIA mandatory.

The World Conservation Strategy pinpointed the need to integrate environmental considerations
with development in 1980.
EIA became an integral part of World Bank policy in 1987 which states that; Environmental
issues must be addressed as part of overall economic policy.
In 1989, the World Bank issued the Operational Directive on Environmental Assessment which
was revised and updated in October 1991.
Asian Development Bank in 1990 published guidelines for EIA (ADB, 1990). The importance of
EIA was highlighted in the Brundtland Report in 1987 and at United Nations Earth Summit on
environment and development held at Rio de Janeiro in 1992 (UNCED, 1992). As foreseen
development of EIA, as a tool for decision-making world-over, has emerged through the
following stages
(a) No formal accounting; decisions made on interest group lobbying and engineering feasibility;
primary emphasis on economic development.
(b) Conventional cost-benefit analysis; emphasis on efficiency criterion and engineering
feasibility; major concern still on economic development.
(c) Innovative cost-benefit analysis; use of multiple objectives and discount rates, imaginative
proxy pricing mechanisms; economic development as one of the objectives
(d) EIA is mainly concerned with describing the repercussions of the proposals on biophysical
processes; economic development is still the primary objective.
(e) EIA with more attention paid to socio-cultural as well as bio-physical systems, economic
development is not the sole objective.

Evolution of EIA in India:

EIA in India was started in 1976-77, when the Planning Commission asked the then Department
of Science and Technology to examine the river-valley projects from the environmental angle.
This was subsequently extended to cover those projects, which required approval from the Public
Investment Board. These were administrative decisions.
The Government of India enacted the Environment (Protection) Act on 23rd May 1986. To
achieve the objectives of the Act, one of the decisions taken was to make EIA statutory. After
following the legal procedure, a notification was issued on 27th January 1994 and subsequently
amended on 4th May 1994, 10th April 1997 and 27th January 2000 making environmental impact
assessment statutory for 30 activities. This is the principal piece of legislation governing EIA in
India.
On 27 January 1994, the then Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, under the
Environmental (Protection) Act 1986, promulgated an EIA notification making Environmental
Clearance (EC) mandatory for expansion or modernisation of any activity or for setting up new
projects listed in Schedule 1 of the notification.
The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) notified new EIA
legislation in September 2006.
The notification makes it mandatory for various projects such as mining, thermal power plants,
river valley, infrastructure (roads, highways, ports, harbours and airports) and industries
including very small electroplating or foundry units to get environment clearance .However,
unlike the EIA Notification of 1994, the new legislation has put the onus of clearing projects on
the state government depending on the size/capacity of the project.
 The EIA Process
EIA involves the steps mentioned below. However, the EIA process is cyclical with the
interaction between the various steps.
Screening: The project plan is screened for the scale of investment, location and type of
development and if the project needs statutory clearance.
Scoping: The project’s potential impacts, zone of impacts, mitigation possibilities and need for
monitoring.
Collection of baseline data: Baseline data is the environmental status of study area.
Impact prediction: Positive and negative, reversible and irreversible and temporary and
permanent impacts need to be predicted which presupposes a good understanding of the
project by the assessment agency. The following impacts of the project should be assured;
i)Air- Change in ambient levels and ground level concentrations due to total
emissions from point line and area sources. Effects on soils, materials,
vegetation and human health.
ii)Noise- Changes in ambient levels due to noise generated from equipment and
movement of vehicles. Effect on fauna and human health.
iii) Water- Availability to competing users, changes in quality of water,
sediment transport, ingress of saline water.
iv) Land – Changes in land use and drainage pattern, changes in land quality,
changes in shoreline/riverbank and their stability
v)Biological – Deforestation/tree cutting and shrinkage of animal habitat.
Impact on fauna and flora including aquatic species. Impact on endangered
species and migratory animals route and breeding and nesting grounds.
vi)Socio-economic – Impact on the local community including demographic
changes, impact on human health, increased traffic etc.

Mitigation measures and EIA report: The EIA report should include the actions and steps for
preventing, minimizing, or bypassing the impacts or else the level of compensation for
probable environmental damage or loss.
Public hearing: On completion of the EIA report, public and environmental groups living close
to the project site may be informed and consulted.
Decision making: Impact Assessment Authority along with the experts consult the project-in-
charge along with consultant to take the final decision, keeping in mind EIA and EMP
(Environment Management Plan).
Monitoring and implementation of environmental management plan: The various phases of
implementation of the project are monitored.
Assessment of Alternatives, Delineation of Mitigation Measures and Environmental Impact
Assessment Report: For every project, possible alternatives should be identified, and
environmental attributes compared. Alternatives should cover both project location and
process technologies.
Once alternatives have been reviewed, a mitigation plan should be drawn up for the selected
option and is supplemented with an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) to guide the
proponent towards environmental improvements.
Risk assessment: Inventory analysis and hazard probability and index also form part of EIA
procedures

Elements of EIA

Participants in EIA:
The following persons/groups/.agencies usually are involved inEIA process

Proponent: Government or private agency which initiates the project

Decision maker: Designated individual/group/body

Assessor: Individual /agency responsible for preparation of environment impact statement

(EIS)

Reviewer: Individual/agency/board entrusted with the responsibility for reviewing the EIS and
assuring compliance with relevant guidelines

Other government agencies: Having special agency in the project

Expert advice
Media and Public
Eco labelling is a voluntary method of environmental performance certification and labelling
that is practised around the world. An eco label identifies products or services proven to be
environmentally preferable within a specific category.
Eco-labels are affixed to products that pass eco-friendly criteria laid down by government,
association or standards certification bodies. ... Examples of eco-labels include the Japanese
Eco Mark, International Energy Star, USA Green Seal and UK BREEAM
What is environmental labelling?
Type II environmental labels are defined as 'self-declared' environmental claims made by
manufacturers and businesses. Guided by ISO 14021 (ISO (2016)), the claimant can declare
the environmental quality of their product, without set criteria, nor benchmarks, nor quality
checks.

Eco-labels may focus on certain environmental aspects of the product, eg energy consumption,
water use, source of timber, etc, or they may encompass the multiple environmental aspects, eg
BREEAM, Blue Angel, etc.
Eco-labels are usually funded and backed by the national government, but administered by an
independent bodyEco-labels are usually funded and backed by the national government, but
administered by an independent body Blue Angel

The first eco-labelling program was introduced by Germany in 1977. Known as the Blue
Angel, industry participation is voluntary. Product groups are regularly assessed to reflect
technological and design developments and only those products that exceed the average are
awarded the Blue Angel. Approved products are re-assessed every few years. More than 4,000
products in 71 categories are covered by the German eco-label. Since 1991, manufacturers of
Blue Angel products must reclaim the product at the end of its useful life. Blue Angel criteria
include: efficient use of fossil fuels, alternative products with less of an impact on the climate,
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and conservation of resources.
Stakeholders in the EIA Process
 Those who propose the project
 The environmental consultant who prepare EIA on behalf of the project proponent

 Pollution Control Board (State or National)

 Public has the right to express their opinion
 The Impact Assessment Agency
 Regional centre of the MoEFCC

Salient Features of 2006 Amendments to EIA Notification

 Environment Impact Assessment Notification of 2006 has decentralized the environmental
clearance projects by categorizing the developmental projects in two categories,
i.e., Category A (national level appraisal) and Category B (state level appraisal).

 Category A projects are appraised at the national level by Impact Assessment Agency (IAA)
and the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) and Category B projects are appraised at the state
level.
 State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and State Level Expert
Appraisal Committee (SEAC) is constituted to provide clearance to Category B process.

 After the 2006 Amendment the EIA cycle comprises of four stages :

Screening
Scoping
Public hearing
Appraisal
 Category A projects require mandatory environmental clearance and thus they do not
undergo the screening process.
 Category B projects undergoes screening process and they are classified into two types.

Category B1 projects (Mandatorily requires EIA).

Category B2 projects (Do not require EIA).
Importance of EIA
 EIA links environment with development for environmentally safe and sustainable
development.
 EIA provides a cost-effective method to eliminate or minimize the adverse impact of
developmental projects.
 EIA enables the decision makers to analyse the effect of developmental activities on the
environment well before the developmental project is implemented.
 EIA encourages the adaptation of mitigation strategies in the developmental plan.
 EIA makes sure that the developmental plan is environmentally sound and within the limits of
the capacity of assimilation and regeneration of the ecosystem.

Shortcomings of EIA Process

 Applicability: There are several projects with significant environmental impacts that are
exempted from the notification either because they are not listed in schedule I, or their
investments are less than what is provided for in the notification.
 Composition of expert committees and standards: It has been found that the team formed
for conducting EIA studies is lacking expertise in various fields such as environmentalists,
wildlife experts, Anthropologists and Social Scientists.
 Public hearing:

o Public comments are not considered at an early stage, which often leads to conflict at
a later stage of project clearance.
o A number of projects with significant environmental and social impacts have been
excluded from the mandatory public hearing process.
o The data collectors do not pay respect to the indigenous knowledge of local people.
 Quality of EIA: One of the biggest concerns with the environmental clearance process is related
to the quality of EIA reports that are being carried out.
 Lack of Credibility: There are so many cases of fraudulent EIA studies where erroneous data
has been used, the same facts used for two totally different places etc.
 Often, and more so for strategic industries such as nuclear energy projects, the EMPs are kept
confidential for political and administrative reasons.

 Details regarding the effectiveness and implementation of mitigation measures are

often not provided.
 Emergency preparedness plans are not discussed insufficient details and the
information is not disseminated to the communities.
Way Forward
 Independent EIA Authority.

o Sector-wide EIAs needed.

o Creation of a centralized baseline data bank.
 Dissemination of all information related to projects from notification to clearance to
local communities and the general public.
 Applicability: All those projects where there is likely to be a significant alteration of
ecosystems need to go through the process of environmental clearance, without
exception.
 No industrial developmental activity should be permitted in ecologically sensitive areas.
 Public hearing: Public hearings should be applicable to all hitherto exempt categories of
projects which have environmental impacts.
 The focus of EIA needs to shift from utilization and exploitation of natural resources to
conservation of natural resources.
 It is critical that the preparation of an EIA is completely independent of the project
proponent.
 Grant of clearance: The notification needs to make it clear that the provision for site
clearance does not imply any commitment on the part of the impact Assessment
agency to grant full environmental clearance.
 Composition of expert committees: The present executive committees should be
replaced by expert people from various stakeholder groups, who are reputed in
environmental and other relevant fields.
 Monitoring, compliance and institutional arrangements:

o The EIA notification needs to build within it an automatic withdrawal of

clearance if the conditions of clearance are being violated and
introduce more stringent punishment for noncompliance. At present, the EIA
notification limits itself to the stage when environmental clearance is granted.
o The composition of the NGT needs to be changed to include more judicial
persons from the field of environment.
o Citizens should be able to access the authority for readdressed of all
violations of the EIA notification as well as issues relating to non-compliance.
 Capacity building: NGOs, civil society groups and local communities need to build their
capacities to use the EIA notification towards better decision making on projects.