World Sustainable Development Summit reflects developing nations' perspectives
By Prasad Dharmasena, Upali News

The concept of sustainable development has been in the forefront of discussion at the global level since the 1987 when the Brundtland Commission report published on our common future. The Energy Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi, has filled a vacuum by organizing a summit on "World Sustainable Development Summit" from the perspective of developing nations by bringing together subject experts in diverse disciplines, policy makers, politicians, leading global leaders, entrepreneurs, and journalists to highlight the sustainable development issues and threats of flora and fauna.

The development efforts of the world during the last several decades have led to overall growth in per capita incomes, increase in standard of living standards and decrease in overall poverty levels. However, as a region South Asian countries face a host of environmental problems such as land degradation, pollution and poor management of water resources, loss of biological diversity, coastal erosion, increasing scarcity of water for agriculture, waste disposal in urban areas, and air pollutio presentation ofn in the main cities.

TERI's initiative of organizing such a summit has aimed at achieving the vision promoting eco and green businesses, making people aware of global environmental issues, eradication of poverty, ensuring competitiveness of the economy, improving social development, ensuring good governance, and a clean and healthy environment. The specific thematic tracks on the themes of climate change, poverty reduction, best agricultural practices, new technologies, forestry, environmental and ecological conservation and the like enlightened the policy makers, politician and other participants.

TERI for the sustainable development leadership to the Chief Minister of Sikkim, Shri Pawan Chamling who has been focusing on conservation, management and protection of nature, while requesting to extend the leadership awards for the outside Indian environmentalists as well.

In conclusion, the summit organized by the TERI would be a sustainable initiative to address the global environmental issues and potential solution for the same.