Jun 2005

There are real problems which must be
addressed. India will lose, much as the
world will, over 100 species of mammal over the next two decades. The endeavour to put a value on its environmental assets cannot be undermined.
We need to rely on such estimates as the Government and institutions in the NGO sector can put out.

Here’s a fresh look at keeping tab of wealth. Financial statements that a company produces are the major indicators of their health. If a company has to work in the core areas of environment protection, they need to be enabled to look at their assets with a methodology that will take cognizance of social and environmental accounting.
For nearly a hundred years, we have been led to believe that two simple equations can tell us all we need to know.
[increased profit and/or asset values = successful].
[decreased profit (or a loss) and/or assets values = unsuccessful].

This discussion is concerned largely with survival of people who have traditionally had rights and control over natural resources.
What I’m concerned about is the traditional rights over millennia that flora and fauna have had, and the rights and control over these natural resources that they, and the local, indigenous communities have lost, and are losing.
So this discussion is about what responsible humans can do, at aware levels to bring about such initiatives that will restore these rights with the corporate resource base being utilized creatively.

Many of the essential elements of local living economies are already in place. More are being created every day by people who believe a better world is possible and are doing their part to live it into being. These elements include local organic farms and farmer’s markets, enterprises producing and marketing innovative environmental services and products, community supported agriculture initiatives, local restaurants specializing in locally grown organic produce, community banks, recyling business, green business directories, and many more.

It started way back when in the 1940s Congress stalwarts like J C Kumarappan quietly triggered a deep change in business by catalysing the genius of the Indian villager. Enterprise lies, they believed and said, in the sinews and hearts of simple folk who can bring a change in their lives, as a group, and not with wealth and richness lying in the hands of just the minority business class.
There is tyranny inherent, said Gandhiji, in any form of ruling, be it in government or in business. Therefore, he said, business or governance has to come bottom-up, and not top-down.