Growth Vs Environment

Economic growth is our overriding priority, there is no doubt that we have to grow at 8 to 9 % a year, but not at the cost of the environment, not at the cost of the nature,not at the cost of our forests, mountains, rivers and land. So, we have to find that balance between environment and development. So far we have focused on the fiscal aspect of economic growth. Now, we have to think about the environmental aspects of our growth,' said environment minister and chief climate change negotiator Jairam Ramesh in an interview to Time.

In an report published by Goldman Sachs in 2006 called as Why the BRICs dream wont be green, it is mentioned that balancing economic development with environment protection is already- and will remain- a major challenge to the BRIC dream.

Urbanization, industrialization and intensive agriculture means that pressures on the environment are unlikely to abate for decades.

This report also says that there will be a trade off between bio- diversity and wealth. Bio-diversity is a critical aspect of environmental sustainability. Well managed ecosystem contribute to poverty alleviation and a sustainable environment. Although industrialization tends to achieved at the expense of the environment, the trade off between growth and the environment becomes more balanced as countries grow richer.The issue of economic growth versus environmental conservation can also be seen as developed countries vs developing ones. Industrial countries such as the USA and Germany have depended upon polluting industries for their wealth. Now they fear that uncontrolled economic development in the Third World will lead to environmental disaster. They point out that massive clearing of tropical rainforest for farming threatens biodiversity and may affect the global climate.

Jairam ramesh says that, We cannot have blind economic growth. We must have economic growth that is sensitive to the concerns of people. There are lots of issues on land acquisition and environment. Environment today in India is becoming a serious public health issue and is not anymore a middle class, elitist pastime. So, we have to listen to the people. There has been no bigger champion of the Indian private sector than me. Long before economic reforms and liberalization became fashionable in India, from the early 80s, I have been advocating that we must privatize, bring in the private sector, redefine the role of the government, and so on and so forth.

He said that charting a green path for India was challenging. 'Challenging, yes, even thankless, but not frustrating. I make one decision and the environmentalists are very happy, but the growth guys are unhappy; then I take another decision and the growth guys are very happy, the environmentalists are very unhappy. I cannot please everybody,' said Ramesh.

So as Mr. Ramesh pointed out that keeping both the grwoth guys as well as environmentalists is not possible, it would be a difficult task for India to maintain a balance between the two as both these are important for a developing country like India.