Lok Sabha Question No. 2739 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-06
Subject: Depletion of Natural Capital Assets
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Gangasandra Siddappa Basavaraj

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION  No. 2739

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.03.2020

## Depletion of Natural Capital Assets

## 2739:SHRI G.S. BASAVARAJ

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  examined  the  2008  Interim  Report  of  the  global initiative  'The  Economics  of  Ecosystems  and  Bio  diversity'  (TEEB)  which highlights the enormous cost of depletion of natural capital assets such as soil, air, water and other living things;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether environmental protection activists and NGOs have been providing inputs for Indian policymakers  on  the economic  benefits of growth  aligned with environmental protection; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO )

- (a) and (b) The interim report of 'The Economics of Ecosystem and Biodiversity'that  was  released  in  2008  pertains  to  the  global  'The Economics  of  Ecosystem  and  Biodiversity'  (TEEB)  initiative  that  was released  during  the  ninth  meeting  Conference  of  Parties  of  Convention on  Biological  Diversity  in  2008  at  Bonn.  The  said  report  was  the outcome  based  on  the  decision  of  the  meeting  of  G8+5  environment ministers  held  in  Potsdam,  Germany  in  2007.  The  study  drew  on expertise from around the world to evaluate the costs of biodiversity loss and associated decline in ecosystem services,  and compared these with the costs of effective conservation and sustainable use.

The  details of interim report 'The  Economics  of Ecosystem  and Biodiversity' that was released in 2008 is available at http://www.teebweb.org/media/2008/05/TEEB-Interim-

Report\_English.pdf.Subsequently the global TEEB initiative has released a  series  of  report  for  specific  stakeholders  that  could  be  accessed  on http://www.teebweb.org/.

Subsequently, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change initiated a Technical Cooperation project, namely, 'Incentives for Sustainable Management of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services', also known as TEEB India Initiative (TII)  2011-2017.

Fourteen    studies    were  completed  under  TII  in  the  areas  of  forests, wetlands and coastal and marine ecosystems.These  studies  in  forests deal with issues such as hidden ecosystem services of forests, conflicts between  humans  and  wildlife,  and  the    economic    consequences    of species    decline.    In    wetlands,    the    studies    draw    lessons    on    water resources  management,  community  stewardship  and  equity,  and  the economics   of   hydrological   regime   changes. In coastal and marine ecosystems,  the    studies    explored    the    opportunities    and    economic efficiency    of    interventions    such  as    eco-labelling,  seasonal    fishing bans, mangrove  regeneration,  and  the  challenge  of bycatch in marine fisheries.

- (c) and (d) Based on the dynamics of the environment sector and globaland domestic regulatory and jurisprudence issues, the policies made by the Government for theenvironment sector are judiciously formulated, periodically  reviewed,  suitably  revised  and  updated,  from  time  to  time following  a  process  of  wide  consultations  with  all  the  stakeholders including NGOs and take into accountthe global best practices.