Environmental Challenges

Global and Local

Chandra Bhushan
 The Anthropocene
A geological epoch when human activity has been the dominant
influence on climate and the environment
The state of our land
Wealth vs. Material Consumption
Climate Crisis
Spiraling temperatures in India
Number of Extreme Weather Events/Decade in India
1951 - 2010

89 96 163
27 37 61
1951-60 1961-70 1971-80 1981-90 1991-2000 2001-2010
Local Challenges
 Air pollution
• India has the highest
premature deaths among
under-5 children due to
toxic air (WHO, 2018).

• In 2017, 12.5% of total

deaths in India can be
attributed to air pollution
(outdoor + indoor).

• Death rate per 1 lakh

people attributable to air
pollution is 89.9

(Global Burden of Disease Study) Death rate per 1 lakh people

 Water pollution
• Groundwater accounts for more than 80% of drinking water supply
and is polluted with toxic elements in most of India's districts.
• Major ground water pollutants include - fluoride, nitrate, iron,
arsenic, heavy metals (particularly lead, cadmium and chromium)
and uranium.

Contaminant No. of affected states No. of affected

districts

Fluoride 20 276
Nitrate 20 387
Arsenic 10 86
Iron 24 297
Heavy metals 15 113
Uranium* 14 61
Source: Central Groundwater Board ;*Study by Duke University, US, 2018
 Waste Management
• Most big Indian cities are running out of land to for landfills.
• By 2047, India will potentially need the land area combining its 3 metro
cities- Hyderabad, Chennai and Mumbai to accommodate waste going to
landfills.
 Other Challenges
• Other wastes
• Chemicals
• Products
• Resource
• Demographics
• Technology
• Governance
 Resource Challenges
1. Population: Likely to stabilise at 1.6-1.7 billion by 2050
2. Aspiration: A middle income country with per capita income of $10,000 by 2050
(GDP: $15-20 trillion)
3. Per capita land availability: 0.2 ha/person
4. Productive agricultural land: 0.1 ha/person
5. Per capita water availability: 1200 m3/year (if we exclude Brahmaputra & Barak basin,
the per capita availability reduces to 850 m 3/year. In Ganga Basin, the per capita
availability reduces to 500 m3/year)
6. Food demand: 375 MT grains; 300 MT milk (250 million cattle); tripling of meat & egg
consumption; doubling of vegetable & fruits consumption
7. An aging farming community
8. Climate change, extreme weather events & monsoon variabilities
How do we produce this food with shrinking water, land & labour? What new models
would be required for promoting sustainable agricultural practices, building water security
and creating jobs?
 Governance Challenges
1. Transparent and inclusive decision-making: Top-down (Centre –
State – Local governments). How do we bring balance &
transparency in decision-making?

2. Capacity constraints: Most capacity required at the local

governments to implement policies. How do we build this
capacity? What governance reform would enable this?

3. Internationalism & geo-politics: As global environment quality

declines further: (1). pressure of international treaties would
increase, and (2). Conflicts over key resources would enhance. How
should India balance national interest with the need for a
collaborative global order?
 Class Exercise
• What are the new environmental challenges that CPCB
will have to address in the next decade?
• Write two new challenges and paste on the board.