Economics vs ecology: Progress within limits
A recent meeting in Tuscany, Italy, explored the stormy relationship between economics and ecology and questioned the concept of growth without limits
Selling out to development
While attempting to simplify the environmental clearance process, the ministry of environment is watering down the few norms that question the long-term environmental, social and economic viability of development projects
Understanding and experiencing ecology
In the coming decades the survival of humanity will depend on our ability to understand the basic principles of ecology and to live accordingly, writes Fritjof Capra. Teaching this ecological knowledge, which is also ancient wisdom, will be the most important role of education in the 21st century
Pitting communities against conservation
The inclusion of two new categories of protected areas in the Wildlife Protection Act, in 2002, raised hopes that more areas would be drawn into the protected areas network, with the full participation of local communities. But concerns are being raised that the new categories could actually undermine community initiatives, creating serious conflicts on the ground
Resettlement and rehabilitation: Moving from an inadequate policy to a bad one'
The new National Policy on Resettlement and Rehabilitation for Projected Affected Families is a regression from the earlier draft. While the earlier one believed in 'total rehabilitation', the new policy does not even give a timeframe for rehabilitation! Conservative estimates put the number of families displaced by development projects at over 20 million up to 1991
Why Mumbai is choking
Every progressive city has shown that improving public transport is the best way to clean up the air. Mumbai, on the other hand, is geared towards providing 55 flyovers, sea links and coastal highways to the 9% of the population that uses private vehicles. Surely these are examples of topsy-turvy priorities, says Darryl D'Monte
Environment: will the new government be any more responsible?
What does the new government need to do to tackle environmental degradation head-on? Ashish Kothari an environmental manifesto
Business interests supercede environmental interests
The government pays only lip service to the concept of sustainable economic development. But serious doubts are being raised about the independence and freedom of the new National Board for Wildlife