The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) has set an agenda for the new government, pointing out how it can reinvent sustainable development for all.  To achieve tangible results in the first 100 days, the new Government will have to perform beyond expectations in the field of sustainable development, which broadly covers fundamental issues such as water, energy and food security.
 
Here, it is important that the New Government should focus on specific policies and institutional frameworks which will help achieve quick results and reverse the current trend.
 
TERI has come up with an advisory that addresses not only the way forward, but deals with the critical aspect of the cost of inaction.  
 
“Environmental issues are often presented within the framework of conflict between environment and development. What is attempted here is a refreshing departure which provides a price tag on the damage that poor environmental quality and degradation is imposing on human society and how substantially lower-cost action can avoid this burden. What is included here are sectors largely within urban areas, but a similar analysis and presentation is essential for rural environmental degradation as well. Undoubtedly, that would be a far more complex challenge analytically, but given the large population in our villages, ignoring such analysis would be at the cost of ignoring the welfare of two-thirds of our population, ” said Director-General, TERI, R K Pachauri.
 
“Along with chasing targets, we need leapfrog measures, which will cover the “un-served” populations,” he added.
 
TERI has proposed few quick solutions which are basic and easily implementable. The measures will not only bring down the costs of inaction, but improve the lives of millions in a sustainable manner.  It has highlighted some key issues that need to be addressed by the new government.
 
Read full report:  http://www.teriin.org/files/POLL-2014.pdf