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BPSC Mains GS-2 Masterclass · Indian & Bihar Economy

Forests, Environment & Sustainable DevelopmentGrowth That Lasts

Pollution and environmental damage cost India about 6 per cent of its GDP a year, and land degradation another 2.5 per cent. Development that ignores the environment destroys the base it stands on. This page explains how protection and sustainable development go together, what growth has cost, and what forests give the economy.

Cost~6%Of GDP

lost to pollution and degradation each year (World Bank).

Land~30%Land degraded

through deforestation, over-cultivation and erosion.

Forests24.56%Forest & tree cover

of India's area (ISFR 2019).

Bihar7.76%Bihar forest cover

7,306 sq km in 2018-19.

Paris33–35%Emission-intensity cut

INDC target below 2005 levels by 2030.

Air22 of 30Most polluted cities

in the world are in India (Swiss report).

Part 1 · Definitions

Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development

What each term means, and what forests are.

A green forested hillside above a river valley with a small town using solar panels and a wind turbine

Two closely linked ideas

Environmental protection is aimed at maintaining (and recovering when necessary) a healthy natural environment.

Sustainable development is development that meets the need of the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their own needs. It embraces environmental, social and economic objectives, to deliver long-term equitable growth which benefits current and future generations. This definition was offered by the famous World Commission on Environment and Development in its report Our Common Future.

India's and Bihar's forests

A forest is a large area of land with a lot of vegetation but dominated by various types of trees. These trees are usually of different species and are of different age.

According to India State of Forest Report (ISFR), 2019, the Total Forest and Tree cover is 24.56% of the geographical area of the country. In Bihar, as of 2018-19, the recorded forest cover in the state is around 7306 sq. kms., accounting for about 7.76 percent of the state's geographical area. The forest cover has increased significantly from 5720 sq. kms in 2000-01 to 7306 sq. kms. in 2018-19.

The importance of forest in almost every dimension of life can hardly be exaggerated. Forests contribute significantly in the economic development of the country in various ways like supplying raw materials, protecting natural resources, preventing disasters, bringing precipitation etc.

Example: A fisherman who catches only grown fish and leaves the young to breed can fish the same lake for life; one who catches every fish this season has nothing next year. Sustainable development is the first fisherman's rule applied to the whole economy.

Part 2 · The relationship

Why Protection and Sustainable Development Need Each Other

Both concepts are closely related and complementary. The environment underpins development; sustainable development protects the environment.

Complementary concepts

Both these concepts are closely related and complementary to each other. The social and economic welfare of human beings is closely linked to their environment. Any change in the socio-economic fields will have an impact on the earth's environment and vice versa, whether positively or negatively, immediately or eventually.

Importance of environment for sustainable development

Environment provides perennial source of resources which facilitates development process. e.g. The trees in the forests, the fishes in the ocean, fossil fuel etc. So, judicious use of environmental resources is an imperative need for sustainable development.
- All industrial and agricultural activities depend on common environmental resources such as land, soil, forests, ocean, rivers, mineral deposits, etc.
It assimilates waste generated by the development process.
It sustains life by providing genetic and bio diversity.
It also provides aesthetic services like scenery etc. → boost to tourism → economic benefits.
Good environment is important for physical and mental health, sense of belongingness and good quality of life.
Environment protection also minimises the risk of climate change and occurrence of disaster safeguarding the fruits of development for a longer period.
The development that ignores its repercussions on the environment will destroy the environment that sustains life forms.
Over exploitation of resources may compel human societies to compromise their ability to meet the essential needs of their people in future.
The degraded environment also leads to higher health costs on the society.
- e.g. recent Covid-19 like pandemic is said to be a direct result of the degradation of natural areas, species loss, and exploitation. Zoonotic pathogens are more frequently jumping from wildlife to humans, creating public health emergencies.
- The decline in air and water quality (seventy per cent of water in India is polluted) has resulted in increased incidence of respiratory and water-borne diseases.
- Health-care costs and productivity losses from pollution are as much as 8.5% of GDP, according to the World Bank.
- It leads to the rise in the expenditure on health pushing many below poverty line.
To make matters worse, global environmental issues such as global warming and ozone depletion also contribute to increased financial commitments for the government.
- Thus, it is clear that the opportunity costs of negative environmental impacts are high.
According to the International Labour Organization, the loss in productivity by 2030 because of heat stress could be the equivalent of India losing 34 million full-time jobs.
According to Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, Desertification, land degradation and drought cost India about 2.5% of gross domestic product in 2014-15.
Climate change and global warming is resulting in the sea level rise. It is resulting in coastal flooding, land submergence, storm surge, and saline water intrusion etc, affecting the prospect of development in coastal areas.

Importance of sustainable development for environment

Sustainable development encompasses the Environment protection as well apart from other dimensions like social and economic development. It is only possible by "harmonising" of three elements: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.
It ensures the use of resources in such a way that the rate of extraction is less than the rate of regeneration of resources. So, the consumption demand is met while keeping environmental degradation at a minimum. The environment is able to perform its functions without any interruption as the demand on these functions is within the assimilating capacity of the environment.
- When this is not so, the environment fails to perform its third and vital function of life sustenance and this results in an environmental crisis.
- e.g. Responsible consumption and production (SDG-12), Affordable and clean energy (SDG-7) are some which promote sustainable use of resources.
Example: If a forest regrows 100 trees a year, cutting 80 a year can go on forever; cutting 150 a year will finish it.
Development if not sustainable may become one of the means that contribute to the depletion, damage and even pollution of the resources of the environment.
Poverty compels the people to indulge in destructive activities like cutting trees to use wood as fuel, use agriculture land excessively, over-exploit water resources and avoid availing health-improving services.
- Similarly, environmental issues originate from social factors. For example, population increase leads to the excessive use of natural resources in order to provide basic needs such as housing, healthcare, sanitation, safe water, education, food and electricity.
- Social dimensions of sustainable development like eradication of poverty (SDG-1), Gender equality (SDG-5), Reduced inequality (SDG-10) etc try to fix such issues which negatively affect environment.
The sustainable development also includes the goals for safeguarding the biodiversity e.g. SDG-14: Life below water; SDG-15: Life on Land.
Sustainable development (e.g. SDG-11) process ensures planned and inclusive urbanisation; prevention and mitigation of natural disasters in the cities; reduction of the environmental impacts of cities and protection of green areas and biodiversity in the cities.
Sustainable development is also associated with the human development (e.g. SDG-4: Quality education, SDG-3: Good health etc) and better coordination among various stakeholders (SDG-17). These aspects of sustainable development are related to more awareness as well as effective implementation of schemes related to environment protection.

Part 3 · Economic growth and environmental degradation in India

The Environmental Cost of India's Growth

The economic development achieved so far has come at a very heavy price, at the cost of environmental quality.

A heavy price

The economic development that we have achieved so far has come at a very heavy price—at the cost of environmental quality.
The developmental activities in India have resulted in pressure on its finite natural resources, besides creating impacts on human health and well-being.
A previous World Bank report: Pollution and other environmental degradation costs India $80 billion a year, nearly 6% of gross domestic product.
- Lost farm produce due to land degradation, productive lives cut short because of bad water supply, poor sanitation and hygiene, and pollution are some of the reasons.
- The impacts of outdoor air pollution account for the highest share at 1.7 per cent, followed by cost of indoor air pollution at 1.3 per cent of GDP.

Land degradation:
- India supports approximately 17 per cent of the world's human and 20 per cent of livestock population on a mere 2.5 per cent of the world's geographical area.
- India faces a growing crisis of land degradation: Nearly 30% of its land area has been degraded through deforestation, over-cultivation, soil erosion and depletion of wetlands.
- This land loss is not only whittling away India's gross domestic product by 2.5% every year and affecting its crop yield, but also exacerbating climate change events in the country which, in turn, are causing even greater degradation.
- Estimates of soil erosion show that soil is being eroded at a rate of 5.3 billion tonnes a year for the entire country as a result of which the country loses 0.8 million tonnes of nitrogen, 1.8 million tonnes of phosphorus and 26.3 million tonnes of potassium every year.
- According to the Government of India, the quantity of nutrients lost due to erosion each year ranges from 5.8 to 8.4 million tonnes.
According to the Centre for Science and Environment's (CSE) report 'State of India's Environment in Figures 2021', over 90% of the area under the biodiversity hotspots in India has been lost, major causes being Habitat destruction, Over-exploitation, deforestation, Natural and man-made disasters etc.

Cost of degradation (% of GDP, World Bank)

Total6%
Outdoor air1.7%
Indoor air1.3%

Nutrients lost to erosion (MT/yr)

Potassium26.3
Phosphorus1.8
Nitrogen0.8

Green growth is affordable

According to a World Bank report, India can make green growth a reality, by putting in place strategies to reduce environmental degradation at the minimal cost of 0.02 per cent to 0.04 per cent of average annual GDP growth rate.

Part 4 · Steps for environmental protection and sustainable development

What India Is Doing

India has taken numerous steps in the direction of environmental protection and sustainable development (mention a few important ones in the answer).

INDC under Paris Deal: India has pledged to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35 per cent below 2005 levels, to increase the share of non-fossil fuels-based electricity to 40 per cent and to enhance its forest cover which will absorb 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2030.
National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), launched in 2008, formulated in the backdrop of India's voluntary commitment to reduce emission intensity of its GDP by 20 to 25 per cent by 2020 over 2005 levels. It was also meant to focus on key adaptation requirements and creation of scientific knowledge and preparedness for dealing with climate change.
- State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCC) in line with the NAPCC taking into account State's specific issues relating to climate change. So far, 33 States/ UTs have prepared their SAPCCs.
National Adaptation Fund on Climate Change was established in 2015 to meet the cost of adaptation to climate change for the State and Union Territories that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.
Legislation related to environment like Biological Diversity Act, 2002, Environment Protection Act 1986, Disaster Management Act 2005, The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 etc.

Conclusion

Thus, numerous initiatives have been taken by the government. Going forward we need to adopt a path of sustainable development to ensure both environment protection and economic prosperity. The concern for future generations alone can make development last forever.

Part 5 · Contribution of forests to economic development

What Forests Give the Economy

Raw materials, exports, livelihoods, soil and water protection, wildlife, climate stability, urban benefits and tourism.

Supplies raw materials for many industries:
- They provide us many raw materials e.g. sawnwood, panel products, bamboo, food, wood, resin, biomass, pulp and paper, rayon, fibers, lac, medicinal plants etc.
- These basic products are used in various industries like paper industry, food processing industries, construction, making furniture, tyres, paints, varnishes, fuel etc.
- Most of the world's paper is made from wood and one rather reliable index to the degree of economic development of a country is its per capita consumption of paper.
- They also provide packaging material for communication of goods.
- Forest also provide the raw materials for handicraft products like sofa, beds, decorative items, kitchen accessories and utensils.
- Preparation of new items of fast foods and jelly, jams and pickles and dry foods in cottage industries from forest products.
Forests support Sericulture and Lac Culture.
- Sericulture is the breeding and management of insects for the production of silk.
- And Lac is used in several ways. Its commercial use is in the polishing of wooden furniture. The other common use is in sealing parcels, packets and envelopes.
In Andhra Pradesh, support for small and medium forest based enterprises increased real cash income amongst forest users groups by 53 percent over the project period. Seasonal out migration declined by 23 percent, and the quality of dense forest cover in these areas increased as well.
Forestry and logging contributed about 1.83 trillion Indian rupees for India in 2018. It has been continuously increasing since 2013.
- Forestry and Logging contributes nearly 1.2% of GSDP of Bihar growing at a rate of 6.9% per annum during 2015-16 to 2019-20. However, its share in Agriculture GSDP averaged around 7.9% in the last five years.
- In Bihar there has been a continuous increase in the revenue of Department of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change from Rs. 17.51 crore in 2015-16 to Rs. 24.13 crore in 2018-19.
Provides export items:
- Guar gum, vegetable saps and sesame seeds are some of the major export items. The main export destinations for guar gum are US, China and Germany.
- Forest provides spices like Black Cumin, White Cumin, Turmeric, Black Pepper, Coriander Seed etc. which have heavy demand in international markets.

Over-exploitation and threats

Thus, the forest plays immensely important role in the economic development. However, its economic benefits have led to over-exploitation of forest and its resources in last few decades. World's forest area decreased from 31.6% of global land area in 1990 to 30.6% in 2015 and around 70 million hectares of forests has been lost since 2000. This has led to reduction in carbon sink and loss of habitat for a wide variety of species. Major threats to the forest include Shifting cultivation, large development projects, overgrazing of animals, indiscriminate felling of trees, forest fire etc.

The government has taken various steps in this direction

Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act 2016 to provide a proper institutional mechanism for compensatory afforestation matters.
National Mission for a Green India (GIM): Improved ecosystem services by increasing forest/tree cover by 5 m ha and improving quality of forest cover on another 5 m ha (a total of 10 m ha).
Under INDC under Paris Deal, India has pledged to enhance its forest cover which will absorb 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2030.
The National Forest Policy of 1988 aimed at environmental stability through preservation and restoration of ecological balance.
Van Dhan Scheme: seeks to improve tribal incomes through value addition to Minor Forest Produce available in the area.
Bihar government has also launched schemes like Har Parisar Hara Parisar Yojana (Every Campus as a Green Campus), Greening of Urban Spaces, Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Campaign (focusing on managing water, forests, and other natural resources), Krishi Vaniki – Poplar Yojana (Agricultural Forestry Scheme), the Bihar State Agroforestry Policy of 2018 (to protect and stabilize ecosystems).

“The concern for future generations alone can make development last forever.”

— BPSC Mains answer, 2016

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