Ramachandra Guha recently spoke at the National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bengaluru about the three waves of Indian environmentalism. He traced the origins of modern environmentalism to the Industrial Revolution in Europe, which led to unprecedented environmental degradation. The first wave of Indian environmentalism emerged in the early 20th century.
Intellectuals began recognizing the scale of environmental destruction in the subcontinent. Key figures in this wave included poet Rabindranath Tagore, agricultural pioneers Albert and Gabrielle Howard, economist J.C. Kumarappa, and Scottish town planner Patrick Geddes. The second wave began in 1973 with the Chipko Movement, a grassroots forest conservation effort in the Himalayas.
Peasants hugged trees to prevent logging. The movement was marked by its Indigenous, nonviolent, community-centered approach, which blended environmental sustainability with social justice.
Guha on waves of environmentalism
The Chipko Movement significantly impacted policy and administration, leading to the establishment of the Department of Environment in 1980. Environmental activism of the 1970s and 1980s waned with India’s economic liberalization in the 1990s.
Economic liberalization brought higher growth rates, reduced poverty, but also resulted in severe environmental degradation. Guha argues that while deregulating the economy was essential, continued regulation of environmental policies was necessary. The environmentalists who criticized the liberalization were often maligned, yet they asked critical questions about the sustainability of these economic policies.
After decades of environmental degradation, a new wave of environmentalism is beginning to form. Guha remains cautiously optimistic about this emerging movement. He suggests it will address the ongoing challenges posed by India’s rapid development and industrialization.
Guha’s insights provide a comprehensive understanding of the evolution of environmentalism in India. They underscore the importance of balancing development with ecological preservation.
Image Credits: Photo by Noah Buscher on Unsplash
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