For green growth

The State needs to tackle twin challenges of climate change and pressure on natural resources for economic growth.

Power needs are vast

Karnataka is the eighth largest and fifth most industrialised State in the country. It contributed 5.46 per cent to the GDP of India (as in 2011-12). During the 11th Five-Year Plan period (2007-2012), the State’s Domestic Product grew by 7.2 per cent with services alone contributing 60 per cent to the State’s economy followed by industry and agriculture.

Will the State be able to sustain its growth on the trajectory it has charted for itself in the years ahead? Increased pressure on natural resources and climate changes are forcing a rethink. Though the State with 61 million populace is not exactly on the verge of a precipice to warrant a doomsday scenario, it also cannot ignore the threats and postpone measures to tackle challenges faced on the environment front. How then to reconcile economic growth with environmental sustainability?

For the first time, an emerging think-tank has come out with a report titled Green Growth Strategy for Karnataka. The report is a collaborative project between Bangalore Climate Change Initiative-Karnataka (BCCI-K) and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), Seoul, South Korea. The report was produced by a host of researchers who worked under the guidance of former Minister B. K. Chandrashekhar. It was released by Chief Minister K. Siddaramaiah earlier this week.

The report identifies several key areas of growth that are exerting pressure on the environment in the State, namely agriculture, transport, water and energy. The State has to keep up with the demand for growth as well as the stress on resources in the wake of climate change which threatens to push up temperature by as much as 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius by 2030. It sets out a strategy for green growth in the face of the challenges.

Dreams may turn sour

Karnataka recorded an impressive 5.6 per cent growth in agriculture against a national average of 3.3 per cent during the 11th Five-Year Plan period. The performance was quite impressive. Yet not everything is hunky-dory on the front. Thirty seven per cent of irrigated land is supplied with underground water and most pumps in use are energy inefficient. Agriculture consumes about one-third of the total grid-supplied electricity in the State which has to be totally subsidised, leading to a Rs. 48 billion subsidy expenditure in the 2012-13 budget. The dream of poverty alleviation threatens to turn sour due to increased vulnerability to climate change. Droughts, floods and stagnant farm incomes may not enable the State to realize 4.5% growth in the agricultural sector as envisaged by the agriculture policy. Between 2006 and 2011, a total of 4.2 million hectares of crop was damaged due to natural calamities.

In fact the most poverty-afflicted districts of the State are the ones that are most vulnerable to climate change.

Ninety of the 170 and odd taluks in the State are identified with depleting groundwater. Of these half are at critical level. The energy subsidy bill for agriculture is likely to increase with the projected decline in groundwater. The current budget has earmarked Rs. 6,100 crore toward subsidies on electricity for agricultural uses.

Karnataka is among the top producers of iron, steel and cement in the country. Industries consumed nine million tonnes of oil equivalent of energy (Toe) in 2010 or 57 per cent of the total. Energy costs can account for up to 40 per cent of manufacturing costs in large industries.

Power needs

The State’s 61 million people live in over 10 million houses consuming 19 per cent of total electricity supplied with the demand growing at 10 per cent annually. People have low access to modern cooking fuels i.e., one out of three urban households and nine out of ten rural households do not have access to LPG as a primary cooking fuel. Overall, the commercial sector has 11 per cent share in the State’s electricity demand, growing at 17 per cent annually. Bengaluru has about 100 million sq. ft of commercial floor space and electricity consumption is much above the approved threshold. At its peak the State suffers from 13 per cent deficiency of power.

Transport

People in urban areas of Karnataka log in 100 billion passenger-km of commuting annually, of which 50 per cent is met by buses and 30 per cent by two-wheelers. Bengaluru itself has over 40 per cent of the total number of vehicles in the State. The city is primarily designed for motorised travel, offering least walkability. Private vehicles in the city are increasing by 25,000 a month despite the city having the largest fleet of buses i.e., 6,000.

Forestry

Karnataka ranks fourth in India with regard to area under tree cover with 11 per cent area covered with forests and close to 70 per cent of forest cover classified as dense. It has the highest per capita forest cover (i.e., 0.059 hectare) among the six South Indian States. Decadal analysis shows a decline in the area under dense forests while the area under open forests is increasing, suggesting degradation of forests and fragmentation of animal habitat.

Environment

Almost 10,000 tonnes of solid waste is generated and 80 per cent of it is collected and sent to landfills on an average day in the State. Methane emission is of the order of 60 kilo ton. Besides, 1,300 million litres of domestic and commercial wastewater is generated per day. Out of this only 30-40 per cent gets treated. Untreated wastewater flows to the water bodies, polluting the lifelines of the State. Particulate matter concentration in Bengaluru is already above the National Ambient Air Quality standards. Sulphur-related gases and particulate matter from thermal power plants are likely to cause significant health problems for the people in the State in future. Per capita emission of Green House Gases (GHGs) is calculated at 1.3 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

Challenges

The report ‘Green Growth Strategy for Karnataka’ suggests a roadmap for the years ahead when global warming is expected to cause several changes. The suggestions include:

1. The State’s high wind resource potential urges setting up of wind parks and improved evacuation potential. The State can add 9000 MW of wind power by 2030.

2. The State should shift from fuel-based public transport to electric buses under the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP 2020). Going for electrification of 25,000 buses owned by the State road transport corporation will bring down particulate matter by 25 per cent.

3. In farming, adoption of solar-powered micro irrigation offers a significant green growth opportunity. The technology can result in fuel saving to the tune of 3.54 billion litres, provided that all the diesel pumps are replaced by solar pumps.

(The author can be reached at maqsiraj@gmail.com)