India Pitches for Climate Finance Internationally, But Prioritises ‘Development’ at Home
02/01/2023 https://science.thewire.in/politics/government/india-pitches-for-climate-finance-internationally-but-prioritises-development-at-home/
The Narendra Modi years have seen a political, legislative and policy push to weaken existing environmental and social safeguards and prioritise development projects. As reported in The Wire, the regime has seen through ‘easier awarding of wildlife clearances for industrial projects,’ ‘a draft (later withdrawn) National Forest Policy that came under heavy criticism for envisaging a push for forest-based industries, and diluting Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules ‘to allow commercial activities in sensitive zones to promote “economic growth”, putting the ecology and vulnerable communities in these areas at risk.’ A recent analysis by the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, of regulatory changes introduced during last two years of the pandemic by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change under the Environmental Protection Act, revealed that 48% of these amendments were in the form of ‘relaxations’ for ‘ease of doing business’ “negatively impacting the clarity, predictability, and stability” of environmental safeguards.
...while India seeks more international capital in green technologies, infrastructure, energy and more as climate finance, and consequently open fresh economic opportunities, it is unlikely to do so at the cost of disturbing existing economic activity to the detriment of big industries here. In fact, as shown above, by dilution of environmental safeguards it is in fact providing a push for maximising unsustainable modes of development and profit making...