Dr. Maya. K Neeraj Kumar
The Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed,” a profound quote by Mahatma Gandhi, resonates deeply with Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG 12), emphasising sustainable consumption and production patterns. The Indian region has been experiencing rapid urbanisation, which has led to an unsustainable pattern of consumption and production that ultimately results in resource-intensive growth approaches. The post-pandemic period has prompted the ruling governments in India to adopt a more sensible approach. They are now focusing on a strategy that emphasises setting targets to revive the slowing economy and align it with sustainable development goals. This strategy particularly aims to promote resource efficiency and responsible production and consumption practices, steering the economy back onto a path of rapid growth.
Although the world has been actively discussing and debating ways to achieve sustainable development and implementing various action plans at different levels, the importance of integrating mindful consumption and production is rarely highlighted despite its inclusion in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Recognising the importance of responsible production and consumption in sustainable development is essential. This approach aims to minimise the environmental impact of our consumption and production patterns by using resources efficiently and consciously, reducing waste, and promoting best practices throughout the production cycle. It ensures that current needs are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs—essentially “doing more with less” while mitigating climate change and preserving ecosystems. This process won’t be an easily achievable one for a developing country like India for the following reasons.
According to an update from the World Economic Forum, India is expected to become one of the largest consumer markets in the world by 2030. The urban population in India is projected to double, reaching 800 million by 2050 (UN DESA, 2018a), accompanied by a more than 300% increase in per capita GDP (PwC, 2017). This rising urban population and increasing income levels will intensify the challenges related to the unsustainable consumption of resources, including energy and materials. For instance, India’s share of the world’s total primary energy demand is forecasted to increase from 6.1% in 2017 to 9.1% by 2030. Moreover, India’s energy demand may double by 2040, driven by the growing ownership of appliances and a rising need for cooling (IEA, 2020). Energy is not the only resource being depleted at an unsustainable rate; the construction sector also accounts for a significant portion of India’s material consumption. Each year, India consumes between 1,200 and 1,300 million tons of construction minerals (BMTPC, 2018; Ministry of Mines, 2018). Due to significant shortages, India has begun importing certain construction minerals, especially sand, from other countries (Kukreti, 2018).
Energy and waste management are two prominent streams facilitating resource efficiency and the country’s transition to Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP).India generates between 100 and 300 Mt of construction and demolition waste (C&DW) annually (Jain et al., 2018), but a major fraction of the waste is either openly dumped or landfilled, which increases human health risks, land-use conflicts, and resource scarcity concerns (CPCB, 2017; Joshi & Ahmed, 2016).Greater electrification and changing living standards have led to higher electricity demand in India, and trends are expected to continue with the electrification of the economy and grid connections for all households (MoSPI, 2017). The building sector in India contributes to the consumption of about 33% of the total energy produced, of which the residential sector consumes 24% and 9% by the commercial sector. Additionally, increasing prosperity levels and shifting cultural trends (consumption-based society) in India have led to the purchase and use of a large number of electrical and electronic appliances across households, offices, and industries. Both factors contributed to India’s rise in total and per capita electricity consumption (CEA, 2018).
Indian governments launched different policies intending to manage energy efficiency in the electricity and construction sectors. The Energy Conservation Act 2001 deserve special mention in this matter. This Act was first made applicable only for large commercial buildings but was updated in 2010 to include smaller ones. Under this law, the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) 2007 was created to improve energy efficiency, though following it was initially optional. Because few people followed it, ECBC 2017 made it mandatory for commercial buildings to save at least 25% energy. More savings can earn ECBC Plus or Super ECBC labels. HVAC systems (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) use 55% of the total energy in commercial buildings. The Standards & Labelling (S&L) Scheme (2006) sets minimum energy efficiency rules for appliances.
In homes, energy efficiency rules are not strongly followed. The Eco-Niwas initiative (2018) was launched to improve this, along with older programs like BEE’s Star Labelling and UJALA (2015), which promote LED bulbs. The UJALA Scheme, by EESL, is the most extensive LED bulb program in the world, helping people save electricity and cut costs. Government plans like the National Energy Policy and National Sustainable Habitat Mission also support energy-saving buildings. The ECBC program could help save 300 billion energy units and cut 250 MtCO₂ emissions, saving INR 350 billion in costs.
The Smart Cities Mission (SCM) implemented in 2014 aims to improve housing and infrastructure in 100 cities, leading to redevelopment projects that require 600–700 million tons of sand and aggregates yearly. As these materials are non-renewable, increasing demand may lead to resource shortages and environmental damage. Some minerals are already scarce, and India has even started importing sand due to sand shortages. A possible solution is recycling construction and demolition waste (C&DW), one of India’s fastest-growing waste types. Estimates suggest that urban areas generate up to 700 million tons of C&DW annually. However, India lacks a proper waste management system. Most C&DW is mixed with regular waste and dumped in cities. Only a small portion, such as whole bricks and valuable materials, is resold, while the rest is sent to landfills or dumped openly. Recycling C&DW can help reduce raw material demand, free up land, and reduce environmental harm. It also creates jobs and attracts investment. Promoting resource efficiency and a circular economy in construction is crucial for sustainable growth and tackling resource shortages in India.
In recent years, India has introduced policies to address resource shortages and waste management in the construction industry. Earlier, waste management rules (2000) focused only on municipal waste and did not cover construction and demolition waste (C&DW). As a result, informal workers handled most C&DW recycling, collecting valuable materials like metals and bricks.To fix this, the C&DW Management Rules (2016) provided clear waste segregation, treatment, and recycling guidelines. These rules required large cities to set up recycling plants and encouraged the use of recycled materials in government projects (10–20%). Previously, Indian construction rules only allowed natural materials like sand and aggregates. However, in 2016, the Bureau of Indian Standards (IS-383) changed this rule to permit recycled materials in construction.India’s National Resource Efficiency Policy (2019) set even higher goals—to recycle 50% of C&DW by 2025 and 75% by 2030. These efforts aim to reduce waste, save resources, and promote a circular economy in construction.
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