The Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), 2002 provided the major watershed in achieving the internationally agreed development goals on sustainable development; including those contained in the United Nations Millennium Declaration and in the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and international agreements since 1992. The WSSD provided a rejuvenated fillip to Agenda 21 and the Rio Deceleration on environment and development of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), 1992; popularly known as the Earth/ Rio Summit, which offered a comprehensive programme of global action and a series of principles, defining rights and responsibilities of States in all areas of sustainable development. However, a wide gap still prevails in the implementation of the policies and programmes of actions to achieve the goals of sustainable development; so that human beings could lead a healthy and productive lives in harmony with nature as well as the needs of the present are met, without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs.
Efforts at global, national, regional and local levels have to be revived, renewed, and rejuvenated to promote the integration of the three components of sustainable development; economic development, social development and environmental protection as interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars. Poverty eradication, changing unsustainable patterns of production and consumption, and protecting and managing the natural resource base for economic and social development; are overarching objectives of and essential requirements for sustainable development.
SANKALP has been advocating and participating in policies efforts to promote a global, national and regional partnership to conserve, protect and restore the health and integrity of the earth’s ecosystem. The Organisation recognises the fact that environment and development is a global responsibility in view of different contributions to global environment degradation. The developed countries, in fact, have a greater responsibility in view of the pressure their societies place on the global environment and their production and consumption pattern in view of the technological and financial resources they command.
The Organisation has also been advocating greater coordinated role of women, trade unions, farmers, children and young people, indigenous peoples, the scientific community, local authorities, business, industry and non-governmental Organisations in achieving sustainable development.
India is bestowed with rich bio-diversity as well as diversity in forest, wildlife and natural resources. Although, the civil society and the environmental protection organisations; have been adequately participating in the restoration, conservation, protection and management of the natural resources as well as addressing the environmental issues and problems; the governmental agencies still have a larger say in deciding both macro and micro level policies and programmes. The growing unchecked population itself is a pressure on India’s sustainable development.
SANKALP has been addressing the issues of ozone depletion and global warming as well as the vital issues related to conservation and management of the natural resources that are the basis for life. These include;
- bio-diversity conservation;
- wildlife conservation, preservation and practices;
- afforestation and Eco-development;
- prevention and control of water pollution;
- prevention and control of air pollution; and
- environment and health.
These environmental issues and problems are dealt by the Organisation through environmental education (more particularly education for sustainable development), environment capacity buildings/ trainings/ orientations/ refresher courses and environmental awareness programmes. The target groups covered under these activities; include students, teachers, education officials, environment protection organisations and representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and civic bodies. The Organisation has brought out a set of integrated training modules for the master trainers. The modules have focused on three important aspects of environmental education, with its varied dimensions:
- state of Forests and Wildlife;
- state of Environment; and
- sate of Pollution.
The modules authored by three leading scholars and environmentalists; have a foreword by Mr. Vishwanathan Anand, Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.
The essential emphasis of SANKALP’S activities is on transformation of our attitudes and behavious to attain the goal of sustainable development. The importance of ethics for sustainable development underscores SANKALP’S activities. The programmes also emphasise on the relationships between human rights, population, social development, women empowerments, human settlements, as well as environmentally sustainable development.