QUE: Explain the difference between development and sustainable development

What is the difference between development and sustainable development?

Development and sustainable development are two concepts that are often used interchangeably.
They do, however, have distinct meanings and consequences.
Development refers to the economic, social, and cultural progress of a country. It is often
measured by factors such as GDP, employment rate, and infrastructure development.
Development focuses on improving the quality of life for people and increasing the standard of
living.
Sustainable development, on the other hand, is a type of development that takes into
consideration the environmental, social, and economic aspects of development. It aims to meet
the requirements of the current generation without jeopardizing future generations' capacity to
meet their own needs. Finding a balance between economic growth, societal advancement, and
environmental preservation is central to sustainable development

Sustainable growth is comprised of three major components:

1. Environmental sustainability: This refers to the preservation and protection of the natural
environment. It involves reducing greenhouse gas emissions, conserving natural resources, and
protecting biodiversity.
2. Social sustainability: This refers to the promotion of social well-being, equality, and justice.
It involves ensuring access to basic human needs such as healthcare, education, and clean water.
3. Economic sustainability: This refers to the promotion of economic growth and development.
It involves ensuring a stable and thriving economy that can support the needs of the present and
future generations.
The main difference between development and sustainable development is that development
focuses solely on economic growth, while sustainable development takes into consideration the
social and environmental aspects of development. Development often leads to environmental
degradation and social inequality, whereas sustainable development aims to mitigate these
negative impacts.
Sustainable development also emphasizes the importance of long-term planning and decision-
making. It recognizes that the actions taken today will have an impact on future generations, and
therefore seeks to find solutions that are sustainable in the long run.
In addition, sustainable development recognizes the interconnectedness of the three components
of sustainability. Environmental degradation can have a negative impact on social and economic
well-being, while social inequality can lead to environmental degradation and economic
instability.
To achieve sustainable development, it is important to adopt sustainable practices in all areas of
life, from business and industry to agriculture and transportation. This involves investing in
renewable energy, promoting sustainable agriculture and forestry practices, reducing waste and
pollution, and promoting social equity and justice.
In conclusion, while development and sustainable development are related concepts, they have
different meanings and implications. Development focuses solely on economic growth, while
sustainable development takes into consideration the environmental, social, and economic
aspects of development. Finding a balance between economic growth, societal advancement, and
environmental preservation is central to sustainable development. It recognizes the
interconnectedness of the three components of sustainability and emphasizes the importance of
long-term planning and decision-making to ensure a sustainable future for all.
QUE: Explain challenges of Sustainable development and climate change

There are numerous challenges to sustainable development in India. While many of these
problems are caused due to insensitive use of natural resources, governmental responsibility is
also trifling in solving the critical issues. This deterioration of environment has a direct impact
on the life of individuals, affecting the longevity of life, which in turn, affects the development
process on the whole. The degraded soil, depleted aquifers, diminishing forest cover,
deteriorating urban environment and destroyed eco-systems can scarcely support better living
standards and quality of life in future. The challenges are both natural and man-made and are
enumerated as below:

1 Deforestation: the forest resources in India as well as around the world are on the verge of a
higher depletion rate and are reaching alarming proportions. The individuals, corporations,
government agencies etc., are responsible for this menace. In the name of developmental
projects, the felling of trees is being carried out leaving behind the goals of sustainable
development and human progress. The most serious problem of deforestation is the loss of
biodiversity. The destruction of forests leads to not only the extinction of endangered animal
species but also many plant varieties that have immense medicinal value. It is also responsible
for global warming in a massive way.

2 Threat to Biodiversity: The biodiversity of the earth is a crucial asset that needs to be
conserved and utilized in a judicious manner. The fair and equitable sharing of these resources is
a prerequisite for a good life. The massive habitat destruction, pollution of the land, water and
soil has a drastic effect on the survival of biodiversity. The biological resources, due to
injudicious use, are on the verge of extinction. Though the problem can be solved by applying
serious restrictions on the excessive use, lack of collective will has greatly hampered the process
of sustainable development at large.

3 Effects of Climate Change: The drastic changes in the climatic variations resulted in poor
health conditions of the human beings and earth resources. These have also spilled dire
consequences on the social and environmental aspects of the society. The increasing temperature
levels and the carbon emissions had severe effects like crop failures, increasing droughts,
scarcity of food supply, contagious diseases, degradation of environment, increasing floods and
so on. Lack of disaster management methods and systematic marginalization of local
communities in policy formulations have increased the vulnerabilities to the natural and man-
made disasters.

4 Increasing Pollution Levels: The degrading levels of air quality are widely recognized as a
major factor of pollution, especially in urban areas. The sources of air pollution include industrial
pollution, indoor and vehicular pollution. The pollution in urban areas is caused by the presence
of a number of industries that emanate smoke and other chemical substances into the air. Added
to this is the vehicular pollution that has been on an increase every year. The sale in the number
of vehicles has been zooming at an unprecedented scale and leading to massive traffic
congestions. This invariably has resulted in serious health hazards like asthma, respiratory
problems, hearing impairment and so on. The indoor air pollution is caused due to the use of
wood, dung cakes and crop residues. Children, especially girls, are said to be at greater health
risk as they stay indoors to help women in the household chores.

5 Ground Water Depletion and Pollution: While shortage of water continues to loom large,
the inefficient use of water is an avoidable crisis, which otherwise can lead to imbalances in the
water management methods. Apart from this, access to safe drinking water has also become a
pertinent issue with major organic and bacterial pollutants being untreated. In many of the cities,
untreated municipal waste/sewage is being discharged into the rivers. The urban regions are
especially prone to such pollution as they are not equipped with adequate sewage treatment
facilities. The shrinking ground water levels have resulted in acute shortage of water across the
nation, especially during the summer season. It is only recently that the water harvesting
measures are being undertaken with some of the cities making it mandatory.

6 Poor Health: The developments in the health sector are confined basically to urban areas;
moreover, the status of income too largely determines the access to it. Life expectancy levels, no
doubt, have gone up but it is altogether important to note the high rates of infant mortality. The
recent UNDP Report too expressed its unhappiness over India’s inability to provide health
facilities to its population. The provision of health care facilities is closely related to economic
growth and social wellbeing; better health of an individual enables him/her to bring down the
production losses thereby contributing to higher levels of productivity. This has a direct
influence on the resources and avoids unnecessary expenditure, which can be diverted towards
ensuring better living standards. The Community Health Centres, responsible for ensuring the
rural health care facilities, are often under-staffed or comprise the staff that is unwilling to work
in the rural areas. Often, they lack necessary medical equipment and infrastructure to extend
health care.

7 Literacy Rate: One of the basic and most important components of development is education.
It is a critical invasive instrument for bringing about social, economic and political inclusion and
a durable integration of people, particularly those ‘excluded’ from the mainstream of any society.
It is the best social investment, given the synergies and the positive externalities that it generates
for people in their well being. The female literacy rates continue to lag behind and the progress is
often overshadowed by the disparities in terms of gender, caste groups, and income groups and at
urban and rural levels. Where there is a higher female literacy rate, it has substantially lowered
the fertility, infant and child mortality rates. It has also instilled confidence among rural women
to earn their incomes by joining the self help groups and women’s development groups.

8 Environmental Sustainability: The environmental quality is also threatened by the urban

solid wastes in the form of garbage, household solid waste, waste from hospitals and scientific
laboratories. In urban areas, one recurrently comes across heaps of solid waste including the
plastic bags lying on the roadside, which serve as open dumping sites. The fungi, bacteria and
virus pose enormous risk to health especially to the residents living close to these open disposal
sites. Time and again this waste is disposed off through sewage system, ensuing in drain
blockages and interruption in free flow of water. This further leads to the contamination of water
and pollution of safe drinking water. Inadequate collection and lack of proper disposal facilities
are the prime reasons for this widespread peril.
Que: Explain sustainable development indicators
Que : What are the Goals of Sustainable Development

1. No poverty

 If current trends continue, 575 million people will still be living in extreme poverty and only
one-third of countries will have halved their national poverty levels by 2030.
 Despite the expansion of social protection during the COVID-19 crisis, over 4 billion people
remain entirely unprotected. Many of the world’s vulnerable population groups, including the
young and the elderly, remain uncovered by statutory social protection programmes.
 The share of government spending on essential services, such as education, health and social
protection, is significantly higher in advanced economies than in emerging and developing
economies.
 A surge in action and investment to enhance economic opportunities, improve education and
extend social protection to all, particularly the most excluded, is crucial to delivering on the
central commitment to end poverty and leave no one behind.

2. Zero hunger

 about 9.2 per cent of the world population was facing chronic hunger, equivalent to about
735 million people – 122 million more than in 2019. An estimated 29.6 per cent of the global
population – 2.4 billion people – were moderately or severely food insecure, meaning they did
not have access to adequate food. This figure reflects an alarming 391 million more people than
in 2019.
 Despite global efforts, in 2022, an estimated 45 million children under the age of 5 suffered
from wasting, 148 million had stunted growth and 37 million were overweight. A fundamental
shift in trajectory is needed to achieve the 2030 nutrition targets.
 To achieve zero hunger by 2030, urgent coordinated action and policy solutions are
imperative to address entrenched inequalities, transform food systems, invest in sustainable
agricultural practices, and reduce and mitigate the impact of conflict and the pandemic on global
nutrition and food security.

3. Good health and well-being

 There has been some progress on improving global health in recent years. For example, 146
out of 200 countries or areas have already met or are on track to meet the SDG target on under-5
mortality. Effective HIV treatment has cut global AIDS-related deaths by 52 per cent since 2010
and at least one neglected tropical disease has been eliminated in 47 countries.
 However, insufficient progress has been made in other areas, such as on reducing maternal
mortality and expanding universal health coverage. Globally, approximately 800 women died
every day from pregnancy or childbirth in 2020. And 381 million people were pushed or further
pushed into extreme poverty in 2019 due to out-of-pocket payments for health.
 The COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing crises have impeded progress towards Goal 3.
Childhood vaccinations have experienced the largest decline in three decades, and tuberculosis
and malaria deaths have increased compared with pre-pandemic levels.
To overcome these setbacks and address long-standing health care shortcomings, increased
investment in health systems is needed to support countries in their recovery and build
resilience against future health threats.

4. Quality Education
 Progress towards quality education was already slower than required before the pandemic, but
COVID-19 has had devastating impacts on education, causing learning losses in four out of five
of the 104 countries studied.
 Without additional measures, only one in six countries will achieve the universal secondary
school completion target by 2030, an estimated 84 million children and young people will still be
out of school, and approximately 300 million students will lack the basic numeracy and literacy
skills necessary for success in life.
 To achieve national Goal 4 benchmarks, which are reduced in ambition compared with the
original Goal 4 targets, 79 low- and lower-middle-income countries still face an average annual
financing gap of $97 billion.
 To deliver on Goal 4, education financing must become a national investment priority.
Furthermore, measures such as making education free and compulsory, increasing the number of
teachers, improving basic school infrastructure and embracing digital transformation are
essential.
5. Gender equality
 With only seven years remaining, a mere 15.4 per cent of Goal 5 indicators with data are “on
track”, 61.5 per cent are at a moderate distance and 23.1 per cent are far or very far off track
from 2030 targets.
 In many areas, progress has been too slow. At the current rate, it will take an estimated 300
years to end child marriage, 286 years to close gaps in legal protection and remove
discriminatory laws, 140 years for women to be represented equally in positions of power and
leadership in the workplace, and 47 years to achieve equal representation in national parliaments.
 Political leadership, investments and comprehensive policy reforms are needed to dismantle
systemic barriers to achieving Goal 5. Gender equality is a cross-cutting objective and must be a
key focus of national policies, budgets and institutions.

6. Clean water and sanitation

 Despite great progress, billions of people still lack access to safe drinking water, sanitation
and hygiene. Achieving universal coverage by 2030 will require a substantial increase in current
global rates of progress: sixfold for drinking water, fivefold for sanitation and threefold for
hygiene.
 Water use efficiency has risen by 9 per cent, but water stress and water scarcity remain a
concern in many parts of the world. In 2020, 2.4 billion people lived in water-stressed countries.
The challenges are compounded by conflicts and climate change.
 Key strategies to get Goal 6 back on track include increasing sector-wide investment and
capacity-building, promoting innovation and evidence-based action, enhancing cross-sectoral
coordination and cooperation among all stakeholders, and adopting a more integrated and
holistic approach to water management.

7. Affordable and clean energy

 The world continues to advance towards sustainable energy targets – but not fast enough. At
the current pace, about 660 million people will still lack access to electricity and close to 2
billion people will still rely on polluting fuels and technologies for cooking by 2030.
 Renewable sources power nearly 30 per cent of energy consumption in the electricity sector,
but challenges remain in heating and transport sectors. Developing countries experience 9.6 per
cent annual growth in renewable energy installation, but despite enormous needs, international
financial flows for clean energy continue to decline.
 To ensure access to energy for all by 2030, we must accelerate electrification, increase
investments in renewable energy, improve energy efficiency and develop enabling policies and
regulatory frameworks.

8. Decent work and economic growth

 Multiple crises are placing the global economy under serious threat. Global real GDP per
capita growth is forecast to slow down in 2023. Challenging economic conditions are pushing
more workers into informal employment.
 As economies start to recover, the global unemployment rate has experienced a significant
decline. However, the youth unemployment rate continues to be much higher than the rate for
adults, indicating ongoing challenges in securing employment opportunities for young people.
 The pandemic has accelerated digital adoption and transformed access to finance. Globally,
76 per cent of adults had bank accounts or accounts with regulated institutions in 2021, up from
62 per cent in 2014.
 Achieving Goal 8 will require a wholesale reform of the financial system to tackle rising
debts, economic uncertainty and trade tensions, while promoting equitable pay and decent work
for young people.

9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure

 The manufacturing industry’s recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic
remains incomplete and uneven. Global manufacturing growth slowed down to 3.3 per cent in
2022, from 7.4 per cent in 2021. Progress in least developed countries (LDCs) is far from
sufficient to reach the target of doubling the manufacturing share in gross domestic product
(GDP) by 2030. However, medium-high- and high-technology industries demonstrated robust
growth rates.
 As of 2022, 95 per cent of the world’s population was within reach of a mobile broadband
network, but some areas remain underserved.
 Global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from energy combustion and industrial processes
grew by 0.9 per cent to a new all-time high of 36.8 billion metric tons, well below global
GDP growth, reverting to a decade-long trend of decoupling emissions and economic
growth.
  To achieve Goal 9 by 2030, it is essential to support LDCs, invest in advanced
technologies, lower carbon emissions and increase mobile broadband access.

10. Reduced inequalities

 The incomes of the poorest 40 per cent of the population had been growing faster than the
national average in most countries. But emerging yet inconclusive evidence suggests that
COVID-19 may have put a dent in this positive trend of falling within-country inequality. The
pandemic has also caused the largest rise in between-country inequality in three decades.
 One in six people worldwide has experienced discrimination in some form, with women and
people with disabilities disproportionately affected.
 The year 2022 witnessed the highest number of refugees (34.6 million people) ever
documented. This year is also a deadly one for migrants, with nearly 7,000 deaths recorded
globally.
 Reducing both within- and between-country inequality requires equitable resource
distribution, investing in education and skills development, implementing social protection
measures, combating discrimination, supporting marginalized groups and fostering international
cooperation for fair trade and financial systems.

11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

 Over half of the global population currently resides in urban areas, a rate projected to reach
70 per cent by 2050. Approximately 1.1 billion people currently live in slums or slum-like
conditions in cities, with 2 billion more expected in the next 30 years.
 In 2022, only half of the world’s urban population had convenient access to public
transportation. Urban sprawl, air pollution and limited open public spaces persist in cities.
 Since 2015, the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies
has doubled.
 To achieve Goal 11, efforts must focus on implementing inclusive resilient and
sustainable urban development policies and practices that prioritize access to basic
services, affordable housing, efficient transportation and green spaces for all.

12. Responsible consumption and production

 The material footprint per capita in high-income countries is 10 times the level of low-income
countries. The world is also seriously off track in its efforts to halve per capita food waste and
losses by 2030.
 Global crises triggered a resurgence in fossil fuel subsidies, nearly doubling from 2020 to
2021.
 Reporting has increased on corporate sustainability and on public procurement policies, but
has fallen when it comes to sustainable consumption and monitoring sustainable tourism.
 Responsible consumption and production must be integral to recovery from the pandemic
and to acceleration plans of the Sustainable Development Goals. It is crucial to implement
policies that support a shift towards sustainable practices and decouple economic growth from
resource use.

13. Climate action

 With a climate cataclysm looming, the pace and scale of current climate action plans are
wholly insufficient to effectively tackle climate change. Increasingly frequent and intense
extreme weather events are already impacting every region on Earth. Rising temperatures will
escalate these hazards further, posing grave risks.
 The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emphasizes that deep, rapid and
sustained reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are essential in all sectors, beginning
now and continuing throughout this decade. To limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-
industrial levels, emissions must already be decreasing and need to be cut by almost half by
2030, just seven years away.
 Urgent and transformative action is crucial, going beyond mere plans and promises. It
requires raising ambition, covering entire economies and moving towards climate-resilient
development, while outlining a clear path to achieve net-zero emissions. Time is running out,
and immediate measures are necessary to avoid catastrophic consequences and secure a
sustainable future for generations to come.

14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable
development
 The ocean is in a state of emergency as increasing eutrophication, acidification, ocean
warming and plastic pollution worsen its health. Additionally, the alarming trend of overfishing
persists, leading to the depletion of over one third of global fish stocks.
 While there has been some progress in expanding marine protected areas, combating illegal,
unreported and unregulated fishing, banning fishing subsidies and supporting small-scale fishers,
action is not advancing at the speed or scale required to meet Goal 14.
 To counter these trends, swift and coordinated global action is imperative. This entails
increasing funding for ocean science, intensifying conservation efforts, advancing nature- and
ecosystem-based solutions, addressing the interconnections and impacts of human-induced
pressures, and urgently turning the tide on climate change to safeguard the planet’s largest
ecosystem.

15. Life on land

 Terrestrial ecosystems are vital for sustaining human life, contributing to over half of global
GDP and encompassing diverse cultural, spiritual, and economic values.
 However, the world faces a triple crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.
Escalating trends of forest loss, land degradation and the extinction of species pose a severe
threat to both the planet and people.
 Despite some progress in sustainable forest management, protected areas, and the uptake of
national biodiversity values and natural capital accounting, most improvements have been
modest. The recently adopted Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework provides
renewed impetus for Goal 15, outlining four outcome-oriented goals to be achieved by 2050 and
23 targets to be achieved by 2030. To fulfil Goal 15, a fundamental shift in humanity’s
relationship with nature is essential, along with accelerated action to address the root causes of
these interconnected crises and better recognition of the tremendous value of nature.

16. Peace, justice and strong institutions

 Ongoing and new violent conflicts around the world are derailing the global path to peace
and achievement of Goal 16. Alarmingly, the year 2022 witnessed a more than 50 per cent
increase in conflict-related civilian deaths, largely due to the war in Ukraine.
 As of the end of 2022, 108.4 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide – an increase
of 19 million compared with the end of 2021 and two and a half times the number of a decade
ago.
 In 2021, the world experienced the highest number of intentional homicides in the past two
decades.
 Structural injustices, inequalities and emerging human rights challenges are putting peaceful
and inclusive societies further out of reach. To meet Goal 16 by 2030, action is needed to restore
trust and to strengthen the capacity of institutions to secure justice for all and facilitate peaceful
transitions to sustainable development.

17. Partnerships for the Goals

 Developing countries are grappling with an unprecedented rise in external debt levels
following the COVID-19 pandemic, compounded by challenges such as record inflation,
escalating interest rates, competing priorities and constrained fiscal capacity, underscoring the
urgent need for debt relief and financial assistance.
 While official development assistance (ODA) flows continue to reach record peaks, the
increase in 2022 is primarily attributed to spending on refugees in donor countries and aid to
Ukraine.
 Despite a 65 per cent improvement in Internet access since 2015, progress in bridging the
digital divide has slowed down post-pandemic. Sustained efforts are required to ensure equitable
access to the Internet for all.
 Geopolitical tensions and the resurgence of nationalism hinder international cooperation and
coordination, highlighting the importance of a collective surge in action to provide developing
countries with the necessary financing and technologies to accelerate the implementation of the
SDGs.

Above 17 indicators may be summarize under following four categories.

Economic area indicators

 Revenue
 Value added (gross value added, GVA)
 Net value added (NVA)
 Taxes and other payments to the Government
 Green investment
 Community investment
 Expenditures on research and development
 Share of local procurement

Environmental area indicators

 Water recycling and reuse

 Water use efficiency
 Water stress
 Waste generation
 Waste reused, re-manufactured and recycled
 Hazardous waste generation
 Greenhouse gas emissions
 Ozone-depleting substances and chemicals
 Share of renewable energy
 Energy efficiency
 Land used adjacent to biodiversity sensitive areas

Social area indicators

 Share of women in managerial positions

 Hours of employee training
 Expenditures on employee training
 Employee wages and benefits
 Expenditures on employee health and safety
 Incidence rate of occupational injuries
 Share of employees covered by collective agreements

Institutional area indicators

 Board meetings and attendance

 Share of female board members
 Board members by age range
 Audit committee meetings and attendance
 Compensation per board member
 Corruption incidence
 Management training on anti-corruption
Que: Analyze sustainable energy options

Renewable Energy in India

With a population of 1.3 billion, India has a massive demand for energy to fuel its rapidly
growing economy. From a power deficit nation at the time of Independence, the efforts to make
India energy-independent have continued for over seven decades. Today, we are a power surplus
nation with a total installed electricity capacity of over Four lakh MW.

Keeping in mind the sustainable development goals, India's power generation mix is rapidly
shifting towards a more significant share of renewable energy. Today, India is the world's third
largest producer of renewable energy, with 40% of its installed electricity capacity coming from
non-fossil fuel sources.

Installed capacity of renewable sources of energy in India

Solar 48.55 GW

Wind 40.03 GW

Small hydro 4.83 GW

Large hydro 46.51 GW

Biopower 10.62 GW

Nuclear 6.78 GW

The Journey towards Renewable Energy in India

As a developing nation at the time of Independence, India relied heavily on coal to meet its
energy demands. However, India has always been committed to looking for more alternative
energy sources for sustainable development. The beginning was made with hydropower, with
major hydroelectric power projects appearing on the scene of India’s energy arena. Over the
years, many policy and regulatory initiatives have promoted hydropower development and
facilitated investments. Today, we are 5th in the world regarding usable hydropower potential.
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) was founded in the 1950s to secure the country's long-
term energy independence. Today, we are the only developing nation with indigenously
developed, demonstrated and deployed nuclear reactors for electricity generation. This was made
possible through several decades of extensive scientific research and technology development.

Work on wind energy started in India during the 1960s when the National Aeronautical
Laboratory (NAL) developed windmills, primarily for supplying irrigation water. Today, we
have the 4th largest wind power capacity in the world, blessed with a constant movement of
wind, especially in the Southern, Western and North Western regions.

Solar energy-based applications have benefited millions of Indians by meeting their cooking,
lighting and other energy needs in an environment-friendly manner. Having achieved large-scale
success in solar energy solutions, India has spearheaded the International Solar Alliance (ISA)
which is an action-oriented, member-driven, collaborative platform for increased deployment of
solar energy technologies. The membership of the ISA is open to all member-states of the United
Nations, and 107 countries are signatories to the ISA Framework Agreement at present. The
Alliance aims to efficiently utilise solar energy to reduce fossil fuel dependence, thereby creating
a greener planet.

Biomass has also been an essential source of energy for India. It is renewable, widely available,
carbon-neutral and has the potential to provide significant employment in rural areas. Rapidly
evolving technology has enabled thermal power plants to have more economical and energy-
efficient operations. India has co-fired biomass in thermal plants across the country to reduce its
CO2 footprint in thermal power generation. biomass power/co-generation programme since mid-
nineties. Over 800 biomass power and bagasse/non-bagasse cogeneration projects have been
installed in the country for feeding power to the grid.
Promoting Clean Energy and Climate Change

India has progressively decoupled economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions. For
example, the Net Zero Emissions target by 2030 by Indian Railways alone will reduce emissions
by 60 million tonnes annually. Similarly, India's massive UJALA LED bulb campaign is
reducing emissions by 40 million tonnes annually. To further complement these ongoing efforts,
India launched the National Hydrogen Mission in 2013 to make India the world's largest
hydrogen hub.

Even though it supports the second largest population in the world, India’s sustained efforts have
ensured that its per capita CO2 emissions are much lower than the global average. The US emits
14.7 tonnes per capita, China emits 7.6 tonnes per capita, while India’s CO2 emissions amount to
1.8 tonnes per capita.

The global power sector is undergoing an accelerated transformation due to technological

innovations and response to climate change protocols. At COP-21 in Paris in 2015, India
committed to a 40% share of power generation from non-fossil fuel sources. We have achieved
this target a decade ahead of the 2030 timeline.

India has always shown its willingness in leadership to fight climate change. The country’s
vision is to achieve Net Zero Emissions by 2070, in addition to attaining the short-term targets
which include:

Increasing renewables capacity to 500 GW by 2030,

Meeting 50% of energy requirements from renewables,
Reducing cumulative emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030, and
Reducing emissions intensity of India’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 45% by 2030.
India's experience will be valuable to other developing nations as they translate their climate
pledges into actions and undertake energy transitions towards a more sustainable energy future.

*****
Que: Understand social and economic aspects of social sustainable development

Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted at the United Nations Summit in
New York from 25 to 27 September 2015. The Agenda is a broad and universal policy agenda,
with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with 169 associated targets which are
integrated and indivisible. Building on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the 2030
Agenda seeks to guide Member States to transform their approach to achieve inclusive, people-
centred and sustainable development with no one left behind.

We recognize that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme
poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable
development. All countries and all stakeholders, acting in collaborative partnership, will
implement this plan. We are resolved to free the human race from the tyranny of poverty and
want and to heal and secure our planet. We are determined to take the bold and transformative
steps which are urgently needed to shift the world onto a sustainable and resilient path. As we
embark on this collective journey, we pledge that no one will be left behind. The 17 Sustainable
Development Goals and 169 targets which we are announcing today demonstrate the scale and
ambition of this new universal Agenda. They seek to build on the Millennium Development
Goals and complete what these did not achieve. They seek to realize the human rights of all and
to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. They are integrated and
indivisible and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, social
and environmental.

The inter-linkages and integrated nature of the SDGs are of crucial importance in ensuring that
the purpose of the new Agenda is realized. If we realize our ambitions across the full extent of
the Agenda, the lives of all will be profoundly improved and our world will be transformed for
the better.

Introduction status of environment environmental society social and economic issues need for
sustainability 9 ways to achieve sustainability population resources development and
environment

Global warming and climate change global warming and climate change since industrial
revolution greenhouse gas emission greenhouse effect renewable energy

Challenges of sustainable development and global environmental issues concept of sustainability

factors governing sustainable development linkages among sustainable development
environment and poverty determinants of sustainable development case studies on sustainable
development population income and urbanisation healthcare food fisheries and agriculture
materials and energy flows
Sustainable development indicators and environmental assessment need for indicators statistical
procedure aggregating indicators use of principal component analysis three environmental
quality in dices

Environmental assessment National environmental policy act of 1969 environmental impact

assessment project categories based on environmental impacts impact identification methods
environmental impact assessment process

Environmental management and social dimensions revising complex issues sector policies
concerning the environment institutional framework for environmental management
achievements in environmental management peoples perception of the environment participatory
development NGOs gender and development, indigenous people social exclusion and analysis