ASSAM, NATURENOMICS TM , CONSERVATION AND ROLE OF LEGISLATORS Ranjit Barthakur Founder Trustee, Balipara Foundation Assam Legislative Assembly, Guwahati 10 January, 2017
IN THIS PRESENTATION HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF ASSAM & NORTH EAST INDIA 3-5 GEOGRAPHIC & CULTURAL LANDSCAPE OF ASSAM 6 ASSAM’S REPORT CARD 7 8 OPPORTUNITIES CURRENT ECONOMIC MODELS LEAD TO ECOLOGICAL DEPLETION 9 NATURENOMICS TM 10-11 BUILDING ASSAM & NORTH EAST INDIA’S NATURE CAPITAL 12-14 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY UNLOCKING NATURE CAPITAL 15 TOURISM TRENDS 16 17-18 TYPES OF ECOTOURISM OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVING TOURISM EXPERIENCE 19 20-21 CONNECTIVITY TO PROMOTE TOURISM 22-23 EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON ASSAM’S NATURAL ASSETS ROADMAP TO SUCCESS 24 2
HISTORICAL CONTEXT • Inhabitation dates backs to about 2,000 BC • The first fleet of Country Boats for carrying goods between Assam and Bengal was started in 1839, by Assam Company Limited • The first steamboat “THE ASSAM” was introduced in 1841 • The River Steam Navigation Company started regular steamer services between Kolkata and Assam in 1863 • Partition in 1947 resulted in a major set back for IWT connectivity • The Earthquake of 1950 resulted in change of course of the river and made the river shallower – A major set back for Navigation • The out Break of war with Pakistan in 1965 Brought River Navigation through East Pakistan to a complete halt • In 1972 the first protocol on inland water transit and trade was signed between India and Bangladesh. 3
THE TRAUMA OF PARTITION Before 1947 After 1947 • River navigation came to a complete halt • Rail Link with East Bengal & Chitagong Port was lost • Rail link with Kolkata was lost for 3 years • Stillwell road connecting Kunming in China fell into disuse British Indian Empire • Large scale migration from across the border • Increase in price of Goods and Services • Profitability of Tea Industry declined due to increased cost of transportation and other inputs • Increasing income disparity with Mainland India • Traditional Markets in East Bengal were lost • Worsening economic conditions and demographic changes led to unrest 4
HISTORICAL SHAPING OF ASSAM & NORTH EAST INDIA PRE PARTITION In 2016 Economically Self Sufficient Economically Dependent • • Surplus Trade Most items imported • • Self Sufficient Village Economy Little industrial development • • Per capita Income higher than national avg. Per capita income 30% below ntnl avg Geopolitically Important Geopolitical Backwaters • • Borders China & Bhutan 22km corridor connecting mainland. TRAUMA OF PARTITION • Bengal, Burma & NE India contiguous Virtually landlocked • territories of British India Unexploited market of 2.8 billion ppl • River navigation came to a complete halt Well Connected Poor Connectivity • • First fleet of country boats carrying goods River navigation virtually stopped • Large scale cross border • between Assam & Bengal in 1839 Only 29% surfaced roads compared to migration • Rail connectivity to Ports 62% nationally • • Road connectivity to Bengal, Burma & China Operational airports down from 17 to • Profitability of Tea industry • Large number of airports and airstrips 12 declined Demographic Advantage Demographic Issues • Worsening economic • • 10million population. Low population Population over 40 million conditions led to unrest • ensured absence of poverty Very high population density in valleys 5
GEOGRAPHICAL & CULTURAL LANDSCAPE OF ASSAM GEOGRAPHY: • 98 % of the region’s borders form India’s international boundaries • Known for Rice Tea, Silk and rich Biodiversity Natural Gas • Home to the endangered great Indian One horned Rhinos • Confluence of India and the Orient CULTURE: • Population comprises of migrants from Nepal, Tibet, Bangladesh, Myanmar & China • Conglomeration of various ethnic tribes with distinct language, culture, festivals, songs & dances 6
ASSAM’S REPORT CARD Avg Annual Growth Rate Per Capita SGDP Population Growth Rates Unemployment ECONOMIC % Households with Elect Road L per 100 sq km Area Rail L per 100 sq km Area Teledensity INFRASTRUCTURE Public Exp on Health Public Exp on Education Sanitation Access to Drinking Water SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE IMR LEB Literacy rate BPL SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Forest Area Ground Water Table Mineral Wealth Pollution NATURAL RESOURCES Growth Rate – PriSector Growth Rate – SecSector Growth Rate – TerSector GSDP Break Up SECTOR Excellent Above Average Satisfactory Below Average Poor Assam already has a Natural Wealth. Legislation should encourage protecting it and enriching it 7
OPPORTUNITIES Political Stability & Outlook ICT Energy Infrastructure Geographic Security Location Literacy Media Economic Population Outlook Orange – Investment Infrastructure Education promoting factors Yellow – Investment limiting factors, but opens up Healthcare Natural opportunities for investors Resources for Development of these Regulatory Economic sectors Inflation Environment Development 8
CURRENT ECONOMIC MODELS LEAD TO ECOLOGICAL DEPLETION Valuations based on economic Economic growth at the cost of ecology value-add Economic Economy vs. Valuation Ecology ECOLOGICAL DEPLETION Consumption Exclusive Driven Growth Large divide between rich and poor, Natural resource urban and rural exploitation 9
NATURENOMICS TM UNPRECEDENTED ECONOMIC GROWTH HAS PUSHED DEMAND ON LOCAL ECO-SYSTEMS BEYOND SUSTAINABLE YIELD Increasingly rapid • land and soil Unprecedented degradation global economic Increasing growth • Human-animal Global economy • conflict from US$ 7 trillion Intensified rate of in 1950, to US$ • Definition of Definition of species extinction Victory: 125 trillion by Victory: Satisfy our current 2017, in PPP Climate Changes • High economic growth needs in a sustainable valuation terms & rising sea levels driven by optimizing manner without utilisation of land, Enhanced Substantial • jeopardizing the ability labour, capital and standards of living Ecological Losses of future generations to natural resources to levels not even satisfy their needs imaginable UNBALANCED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS CREATED A NEGATIVE FEEDBACK LOOP Adapted from Naturenomics ™ – Globally Managed Services 10
EMERGING MODEL FOR ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY Natural resource Valuations based on conservation Economy + economic value-add, less Ecology ecological impact Low resource economic growth Eco-Valuation Ecological Neutrality Driven By Eco- Inclusive Parameters Growth Land, Energy, Waste, Water, Air, Carbon (LEWWAC) Integration of the poor and rural masses in the growth approach Legislative Action should encourage growth “Additive” industries instead of “Extractive” industries 11
BUILDING ASSAM & NORTH EAST INDIA’S NATURE CAPITAL 183 species of animals • • Over 7,500 species of plants 236 species of fish • • 700 species of orchids 541 types of birds • • Over 500 species of ferns 160 species of mammals • • Over 500 species of mosses 137 species of reptiles, etc. • At the heart of the bio- diversity are the region’s enormous land and water resources • • Extremely rich in rivers, led by the mighty Brahmaputra Only 8% of India’s land mass, but 70% of it is forested • Has several lakes and other natural water bodies • Contains about 25% of India’s forest area • One of the rainiest parts of the world fed by 2 monsoons • Supports 30% of India’s total growing forest stock This bio-diversity of North East India lends itself to the development of Nature Capital & Nature Industries 12
A NATURE CAPITAL APPROACH TO DEVELOPMENT Estimating the value/ ha of sustainable use of forests: • Any measure of a nation / region’s wealth should include not just a measure of Physical Capital, but also Natural Capital. Timber & Fuel-wood Rs 45,900 $1,020 • Fodder Rs 6,100 $136 Among others, ‘Natural Capital’ includes: • Freshwater resources Non-Timber Forest Rs 15,700 $349 • Produce Crop land • Eco-Tourism Rs 186,000 $4,133 Pastures • Fisheries Biodiversity TBD TBD • Minerals Carbon Storage Rs 28,900 $642 • Biodiversity & Forests Soil Loss Prevention Rs 20,400 $453 • Natural Gas, etc. Watershed Value TBD TBD • Pursuit of short term development agendas at the expense of natural Flood & Drought TBD TBD Prevention heritage ends up ruining under valued public assets Total > Rs 500,000 > $11,111 • This effectively worsens the well being of the average citizen, in particular of Adapted from GAISP (www.gistindia.org), Pawan Sukhdev non-urban populations – in whose name many of the development projects are built Smart Legislative Action should be taken to promote Long Term sustainability over Short Term gains 13
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