Question : Depletion of Natural Capital Assets

(a) whether the Government has examined the 2008 Interim Report of the global initiative ‘The Economics of Ecosystems and Bio diversity’ (TEEB) which highlights the enormous cost of depletion of natural capital assets such as soil, air, water and other living things;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether environmental protection activists and NGOs have been providing inputs for Indian policymakers on the economic benefits of growth aligned with environmental protection; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

(a) and (b) The interim report of ‘The Economics of Ecosystem and Biodiversity’that was released in 2008 pertains to the global ‘The Economics of Ecosystem and Biodiversity’ (TEEB) initiative that was released during the ninth meeting Conference of Parties of Convention on Biological Diversity in 2008 at Bonn. The said report was the outcome based on the decision of the meeting of G8+5 environment ministers held in Potsdam, Germany in 2007. The study drew on expertise from around the world to evaluate the costs of biodiversity loss and associated decline in ecosystem services, and compared these with the costs of effective conservation and sustainable use.

The details of interim report ‘The Economics of Ecosystem and Biodiversity’ that was released in 2008 is available at http://www.teebweb.org/media/2008/05/TEEB-Interim-Report_English.pdf.Subsequently the global TEEB initiative has released a series of report for specific stakeholders that could be accessed on http://www.teebweb.org/.


Subsequently, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change initiated a Technical Cooperation project, namely, “Incentives for Sustainable Management of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services”, also known as TEEB India Initiative (TII) 2011-2017.

Fourteen studies were completed under TII in the areas of forests, wetlands and coastal and marine ecosystems.These studies in forests deal with issues such as hidden ecosystem services of forests, conflicts between humans and wildlife, and the economic consequences of species decline. In wetlands, the studies draw lessons on water resources management, community stewardship and equity, and the economics of hydrological regime changes. In coastal and marine ecosystems, the studies explored the opportunities and economic efficiency of interventions such as eco-labelling, seasonal fishing bans, mangrove regeneration, and the challenge of bycatch in marine fisheries.

(c) and (d) Based on the dynamics of the environment sector and globaland domestic regulatory and jurisprudence issues, the policies made by the Government for theenvironment sector are judiciously formulated, periodically reviewed, suitably revised and updated, from time to time following a process of wide consultations with all the stakeholders including NGOs and take into accountthe global best practices.

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