Reimagining Change: The De-growth Approach - World Environment Day, June 5th!

Reimagining Change: The Degrowth Approach

Today, when the entire world is in lockdown and the humans are in captivity of their homes, what we see around is the nature reclaiming its place which was captivated by humans for a long time.

The conception of human beings as economic agents driven by self- interest and utility maximisation is one representation of the world or one historic social construct which has been carefully nested in the minds of many generations of economics students. This has not only led to a change in the outlook of young minds but has directly impacted the resources at large. This period has stirred mankind into looking beyond self-interests and widen the idea of growth.

This throws light on the concept of 'DEGROWTH'. Degrowth is the literal transition of the French word 'decroissance' meaning reduction. It was launched in 2001 by activists as a challenge to growth and has now become the 'missile word' that strikes down the imagery of both development and utilitarianism. It became an interpretive framework for social movements for people from different streams and political backgrounds. Degrowth is an attempt to re-politicise debates about desired socio-environmental features and an example of activist-led science. The approach more fundamentally raises questions concerning the relationship between material prosperity and individual and social well-being. Capitalist regimes have always viewed the ecosystems as providers of useful resources which can be used and exploited rather than something which is valuable in itself.

Even though today many countries are trying to move to a sustainable economy but the model which is so-called sustainable is led by economic motives with very weak socio-ecological policies, and looking at the climate change today, researchers like Rajni Bakshi (Indian Council on Global Relations, Mumbai) believe that before degrowth is forced on nations, there are broadly two choices before nations and the global private sectors:

-Make a gradual but radical transition to a sustainable economy—that is, an economy that is not dependant on indefinite growth, or

- Slip into a period of unplanned non-growth that would be chaotic and will destroy much of the comforts and lifestyles that the rich and the middle classes across the world take for granted

Thus the latter would create chaos in the functioning of not just the economy but will have a devastating impact.

INDIA AND DEGROWTH

The Indian scenario can be best suited with the idea of "regrowth" whose essence can be similar to what Mahatma Gandhi called "Sarvodaya" or an equitable or ecologically and socially sustainable spread of prosperity, instead of GDP related growth that only measures monetary/materialistic transactions. Sarvodaya envisages a new humanistic socialist society.

The principle of sustainability finds its presence in a number of ancient Indian policies and literature and the rule of Indian emperors like Ashoka where, for e.g., protection of environment was considered as one's dharma. Principles of sustainable development in the form of social welfare and economic well-being of subjects became the prime concern of the state. Special care and concern were shown to the forests, wildlife and other natural habitats in the state instructions passed for the general public through various rock edicts.

On the principles of sustainable development, British rule in India was a disaster and exploitative in nature. All the legislations were only in the form of another tool in the hands of the colonial masters to exploit the natural resources. The exploitation of forests and timber was one of the worst forms of exploitation at the hands of the British during the colonial period.

Sustainable Development Jurisprudence in Independent India

1. Constitution of India is the “Grund Norm of Sustainable Development”. One of the most prominent features of the Indian constitution is that it talks about the composite development of the people. Protection and improving the natural environment saw the express provision in the constitution of India for the first time as the fundamental duty of citizens in Article 51.

2. In one of the landmark judgements, the Supreme Court recognized Indian sustainable development jurisprudence. In the case of Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra and Others v. State of Uttar Pradesh and Others, 1988 the Court held that 'Consciousness for environmental protection is of recent origin.'

3. Right to clean environment has been read and interpreted as a part and parcel of the Right to life enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. Development, whether social economic or environmental, flows from various articles of the constitution of India.

Various facets of Sustainable Development are enshrined in the Indian Constitution:

The Preamble - Social: Justice, Declared India to be a Socialist State mandating the welfare of the people as a prime concern of the state. Economic: Equality of Opportunity

The Fundamental Rights overall tend to cover various socio-ecological measures. The Directive Principles of State Policy also provide directions to the state to move in a sustainably viable direction and the policymaking should be in a manner which is in harmony with these principles.

Also, after Independence India adopted the method of drafting plans on a five-year basis known as the Five Year Plans (FYP).

# The fourth FYP brought in the need to introduce the environmental aspect into planning and development.

# Tiwari Committee, 1980

In the year 1980 Tiwari Committee was appointed by the Government of India for the review of various environmental legislations in the country and recommendations for the better implementation of them. This committee recommended the introduction of ‘Environment Protection’ in the concurrent List of the seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. It recommended the creation of the new Department for Environment.

# All the following plans included aspects of environmental protection, health policies, infrastructure for the needy (poor, differently-abled, etc.), labour plans, education reforms, etc.

# The most relevant for us today for the sustainability paradigm is the ideas and projections of the Twelfth Five Year Plan of the Government of India. Twelfth Five Year Plan has for the first time in India given the idea of estimating green national accounts, which would measure national production while allowing for the negative effects on national resources and that, will be the indicator of the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country. Corporate Sustainability has been given emphasis in this plan by the union government. It comes out of two ingredients. One is Ecoefficiency and another is Socio-efficiency.

The idea of Environmental Taxes in conformity of the Polluter pays Principle was also highlighted in the plan. For e.g. Coal Cess.

SOME IMPORTANT INDIAN LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Social

1.Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.

2.National Trust Act, 1999.

3.Commissions for the Protection of Child

4.Rights Act, 2005.

5.Right to Information Act, 2005.

6.Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2009.

7.Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.

Economic

1.Foreign Trade (Development and

2. Regulation) Act, 1992

3.Competition Act, 2002

4.Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003

5.Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

6.Development Act, 2006

Environment

1. The Forest Act, 1927.

2. The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

3. Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.

4. The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.

5. Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

6. Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986.

7. Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

Socio-Ecological (environment and social)

1. The National Environment Appellate Authority Act, 1997 (Repealed).

2. National Green Tribunal Act, 2010.

3. Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991.

Social Equity (economic and social)

1.The person with Disabilities Act, 1995(right to employment of the disabled)

2. The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999

3. Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmer’s Right Act, 2001

4. The Patents (Amendment) Act, 2005

5. Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007

Green Economy (economic and environment)

1. Energy Conservation Act, 2001

2. The Electricity Act, 2003 Sustainable Development (social, environmental and economic)

3. The (Wildlife Protection Act), 1972 and its amendments in 1991, 2002

4. Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas Act, 1996

5. Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and the Biological Diversity Rules, 2004

6. National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005

7. Forests Rights Act, 2006

Inspite of these measures it is important to emphasise that most “degrowthers” are not in favour of an all-powerful state providing welfare to its people. Instead, they seek to foster social and economic structures that enable people to help themselves and be free from a dependence on welfare as well as from a marketing culture that generates infinite wants.

Conclusion

With perfect policies and laws, the states have never accomplished sustainability. Even though India has a vast set of measures for sustainability and degrowth/regrowth yet the economic models so far seem to  have a very narrow approach towards growth. Thus, there is a need of

(a) long term policy making which not only involves academicians but also activists with their knowledge and experience originating from community based groups like civil society, trade unions, labour unions, etc.

(b) An investment on research on state business models and public policy processes, which requires rigorous research on the state issues regarding environment and promote institutional mechanism for conservation.