The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) on 3 June 2014 released TERI Environmental Survey 2014 that said that maximum urban population claims that the climate change is a reality and has worsened. TERI in its survey also looked into issues of water and waste in addition of overall environmental concerns and also involved identification of attitude, perception, opinion and awareness of people about their local environment.
In its finding, TERI has claimed that the effect of environment degradation is worse in the cities of India. It also claimed that restriction on urbanization is not a solution but should be carried with minimum impacts on the environment.
TERI has highlighted that holistic approach is needed to improve to environmental conditions by government at national and local level. Formulating of new and improved policies is the need of the hour and it can be achieved by understanding the attitudes, perception, awareness and opinion of citizens towards their local environment.
Key Findings of the survey are
• Number of bird species had declined in cities and air quality has also worsened. People also highlighted that availability and quality of water has improved in their cities. Respondents of the cities also said that waste management has also improved a lot
• 90 percent of respondents felt that climate has changed as temperature has increased and over the time, rainfall has also gone down
• 40 percent felt environment and development should be carried hand to hand and 30 percent kept environment above then development
• Many respondents felt that government policies in relation to environment are either inadequate or are not implemented properly
• For 90 percent respondents, improper waste management is cause of health hazards. 60 percent opined that less generation is the best option to address the problem of waste management and 25 percent felt segregation into biodegradable and non-degradable is a need, while 50 percent didn’t agreed for it
• 80 percent are aware of the problem of e-waste
• 86 percent claimed a ban on polythene bags
Certain measures directed by TERI to urban citizens to reduce impact on the environment and make a holistic approach towards it by promoting sustainable pattern include
• Water conservation in homes and localities
• Recycling of waste
• Expansion of public transport
Process of Survey
On behalf of TERI the survey was carried out by Innovative Consumer Research & Business Consulting (ICRB). Between December 2013 and February 2014, it surveyed more than 11214 respondents of diverse socio-economic segments of the society in eight cities namely Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Kanpur, Coimbatore, Jamshedpur, Guwahati and Indore and came to a conclusion that rapid urbanization has weakened the relation of people with nature and is a reason for their failure in recognition of need to protect environment. This breakage has also resulted in environmental degradation like increased air and water pollution and problems of water disposal and management.
Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
TERI is a not-for-profit research institute that was established in 1974 to tackle and deal with the problem that will be faced by mankind in the coming years. The problems included gradual depletion of the earth's finite energy resources which are largely non-renewable and existing methods of their use which are polluting.
Director General of TERI - RK Pachauri
