About The Agenda:
The Interdependence Of Ecology & Economy
Agenda
The drive for growth, defined as income growth, globally has been the key driver in the destruction of ecosystems globally. While various Green New Deals have recognized the need to transition away from carbon, the limited focus on achieving this through infrastructure growth has unintended consequences for ecosystems–dangerous, as the world faces a biodiversity crisis widely accepted to be the sixth extinction event. A growing body of evidence suggests that even current growth will still, by necessity, drive an increase in emissions and that to meet the basic criteria of limiting emissions to the 2 degree rise will require global GDP growth to slow from 1.93% to 0.45% (Schroeder & Storm, 2020)-or similar to GDP growth during the COVID crisis and lockdowns.
The GDP is a highly debatable measuring growth, excluding as it does, natural capital from measures of economic growth. For instance: if a forest patch is cleared for agricultural expansion, the GDP increases, though overall ecosystems services decline. It doesn’t account for the depreciated natural capital, and neither does it account for all the natural capital which underpins the existence of other forms of capital thus leaving them out of market valuation.
Various alternative indices like the Sustainable Development Goals Index have been proposed as alternatives, but still lack complete integration. The ecological indicators within the Sustainable Development Goals index are often contradictory in their aims and measurement of the actual phenomena. Out of the 322 indicators, only 29 are in some or the other way associated with the use of natural resources, biodiversity protection and climate action.
As a result, a major chunk of pertinent issues get side-lined while designing and tracking the growth trajectory.
A transformative measure to drive this would have to include measures on:
– Ecological destruction
– Ecological health
– Positive biodiversity changes
– Net zero – carbon
– Cultural ecological aspirations, geo consciousness & human wellbeing
– Access to Universal Basic Assets & Services – food security, water, energy, education, healthcare, waste management, transformative living spaces, democratic services
– Sustainable livelihoods and opportunities – sustainable incomes, green jobs & sustainable business opportunities
‘REWILDING THE EASTERN HIMALAYAS’ GRANT
Rewilding is about restoring the natural ecosystems and landscapes that make life on this planet possible today. The development of nature through rewilding is an opportunity for a new economy. It enhances the lives and livelihoods of our local communities.
Earth Heroes around the Eastern Himalayas are weaving wondrous blue and green ribbons of wilderness that wrap the Earth in beauty, offering the promise of a better future, and habitats for all.
Balipara Foundation with a vision towards Rewilding our collective Future across the Indian Eastern Himalayas, is hereby delighted to announce a social grant of INR 5,00,000, this year to honour and support an individual or community organization working towards implementing a conservation model that is helping to rebuild healthy ecosystems, restoring habitat for plants and wildlife and enhancing community engagement in the process. The grant will facilitate field activities and provide an opportunity to leverage this support to make their work more sustainable.
