“Where the quality of life goes down for the environment, the quality of life goes down for humans”. - George Holland

Abstract

 Environment plays an important part in the survival of all species on Earth, from supplying livelihood to mesmerising us with its beauty and mystery. However, uncontrolled environmental exploitation in recent decades has not only upset the balance, but has also resulted in catastrophic events such as super cyclones, tsunamis, and landslides, all of which have resulted in loss of life and property. Natural coexistence has always been a component of all ancient cultures, including India. This can be seen in the diverse religious, cultural, as well as traditional traditions, ceremonies, art & sculptures, in addition to folklores that continue to exist in various forms in Indians' daily lives. With the Stockholm convention of Environment (1992) in addition to the UN Earth Summit (1992) on record, the concerns for environmental conservation and support for sustainable development are more recent in origin as compared to India's age-old cultural customs and traditions of environmental protection. In the ancient Indian literature, we can find numerous examples of management, preservation, and protection of the environment. This research paper primarily focuses on the sustainability rooted in ancient Indian and sustainable development in Indian context. The attainment of the SDGs is a massive endeavour that will require participation from every sector and level of society.

Introduction

India has a long and illustrious history of civilization. Harappa Civilization was one of India's first civilizations. Many ancient civilizations have amazing examples of sustainability that can be observed. History demonstrates how inventive and influential our forefathers were in their efforts to maintain the world green and clean. When you look closely, you can see sustainability in everything our forebears did. Their choices, from clothing to utensils, food to lifestyle, demonstrate that they led a sustainable and waste-free existence. Now that the effects of our lifestyle choices are plainly seen in front of our eyes, it is imperative that we reconsider our decisions. India is a developing country that faces numerous issues in areas such as housing, healthcare, sanitation, employment, poverty, and equity. As a result, India has become a fertile field for new ideas and experiments in social and environmental development, as well as economic development.

 The severe ecological issues we face nowadays have led to an increased realisation that our existing way of life as humans on this planet is unsustainable. For answers, we turn to science and technology. Biologists, earth scientists, and meteorologists are increasingly offering us technical solutions to our issues. Is there, nevertheless, a role for philosophy in dealing with our current problems?

Sustainable Development Goals

The world is experiencing environmental upheaval on a global scale. There appears to be a complete disconnect with nature, as evidenced by climate change, global warming, and natural disasters. Although man is to blame for this because he is recklessly attempting to conquer nature, his own existence is in grave danger.

Sustainable development is a contentious topic all around the world. The Stockholm Declaration can be regarded the United Nations' first worldwide initiative to protect future generations' rights by jeopardizing current generations' use of natural resources.

A sustainable future depends on integrating the social, environmental, and economic pillars of development to transform societies and economies. The Sustainable Development Goals are designed to be universal and incorporate all three pillars of development.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to eradicate poverty, protect the environment, and ensure that everyone lives in peace and prosperity by 2030. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are interrelated, recognising that actions in one area have an impact on outcomes in others and that development must find a balance between social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the successors to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were implemented from 2000 to 2015.

 “Just as our vision behind Agenda 2030 is lofty, our goals are comprehensive. It gives priority to the problems that have endured through the past decades. And, it reflects our evolving understanding of the social, economic and environmental linkages that define our lives… The sustainable development of one-sixth of humanity will be of great consequence to the world and our beautiful planet.”

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India

India's national development goals and policy measures for inclusive development, such as "sab ka saath, sab ka vikas" or "development with all, and for all," align well with the Sustainable Development Goals, in addition to our country will play a key function in deciding the SDGs' worldwide achievement. "These goals represent our developing awareness of the social, economic, and environmental linkages that shape our existence," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.

The formation of NITI Aayog is one of the most important milestones toward accomplishing multiple SDGs. It was established in 2015 with the primary goal of developing strategic and long-term policies and programmes for the Indian government.

State and local governments are critical to India's SDG success because they are greatest positioned to 'put pupil first' and ensure that 'no one is left last.' The SDGs are at the heart of several of the government's main programmes, including Swachh Bharat, Make in India, Skill India, as well as Digital India. Many of these programmes rely heavily on state and municipal governments. Local governments play an equal essential role; fifteen of the seventeen SDGs are directly related to actions carried out by local governments around the country. Visioning, planning, budgeting, and building implementation and monitoring systems for the SDGs are all priorities for state and local governments.

Objectives of the Study

1.    To explore the Ancient India role in Sustainable Development.

2.    To explore the sustainable development policies in Indian Context. 

Though environmental ethics emerged mostly in the West, environmental concepts can be found in the great ancient traditions of the East, such as the Vedic period, Jainism, and Buddhism.

While our forefathers did not confront a scarcity of mineral deposit in their time, it is inspiring to see the hard work they made to preserve them for posterity successors. In the midst of the arrival of age of Industrialization, however, overutilization of natural deposit began, resulting in a total collapse of conventional traditions for building a sustainable environment in which human could live in peace with environment. What better way to do this than through studying our history? Let us delve into history to learn about ancient Indian culture's sustainability lessons.

Sustainability Rooted In Ancient India

Indian culture, one of the world's oldest civilizations, has traditionally assumed in dwelling in harmony with the environment. Our historical context is full of examples of human sensibility to nature being celebrated at its best. Earth is revered as a mother in ancient Indian texts. According to the Atharvaveda, the earth should be revered and cherished in the same way that a mother should be "bhoomi mata putroham prithivyah" means “ Do not harm the environment, do not harm the water and the flora, earth is my mother, I am her son, may the waters remain fresh, do not harm the waters…. Tranquility be to the atmosphere, to the waters, to the crops and vegetation”-         Atharva Veda, Prithvi Sukta, slok no. 12).

Our ancient Indian literature contains numerous references to managing, preserving, and protecting the environment. During the ancient period, many texts, such as the Arthashastra, Brahamanas, Upanishads, Vedas, Ramayana, Mahabharata, etc., discussed conservation of the forest's resources, which shed light on the ancient beliefs associated with forest ecology and the maintenance of environmental balance.

The value of nature is recognised in ancient Indian civilisation, and various rules were formed and implemented in this regard that is quite similar to Rio ideals. Many ancient Indian texts replicate modern holistic methods of environmental sustainability. The concepts of sustainability were established centuries ago by the Vedic, Jain, Buddhist, and Kautilya's Arthshashtra. Human beings should be at the centre of sustainable development, according to the first principle of the Rio Earth Summit, but it must always be in balance with nature. Our rishis and saints also appreciate nature, as seen by their petition to "keep us in good health throughout summer, winter, dew time, spring, autumn, and rainy season." Please give us happiness in the form of livestock and children. We hope to benefit from your protection!"

The Hindu perspective on the cosmos and creation shapes their attitude toward nature. Every mountain, rock, and tree was to be cherished, revered, and apparently preserved in Hinduism's concept of nature. Panch Mahabhutas (Five Great Elements) “Earth/Prithvi, air/Vayu, space/Akash, water/Apah, fire/ Agni” play an imperative function in preserving along with nourishing the atmosphere.  Jainism, which emerged in north eastern India before 500 BCE, promotes essential principles and practises that are in line with environmental ethics. The Acaranga Sutra (ca. 300 BCE), the oldest existing Jain scripture, declares that "a wise person should not act sinfully towards the world, nor induce others to act sinfully, nor allow others to act sinfully." This commandment applies not just to human behaviour but also, as previously said, to behaviour toward the earth, the elements (water, fire, and air), and plants and animals.

Self-control, abstinence, patience, contentment, purity, sincerity, and proper attitudes are all stressed in Buddhist ethics, which are similar to Jaina ethics. In Buddhist writings, there are numerous allusions to the care of animals and plants in accordance with these precepts. The significance of Buddhist thought's notion of dependent co-arising (pratityasamutpada) seems to provide strong support for modern ecological thinking.

Besides from ancient literature, the existence of extremely intricate city planning, drainage systems, including water management skills in the Indus-Valley civilization demonstrates our forebears' archaeological concern on living in harmony with the natural environment. The Ajanta caves, a network of twenty-nine rock-cut tunnels from prehistoric India, demonstrate how architects would make the most of the natural materials available at the period. The ancient and mediaeval step-wells or baolis seen throughout India are another example of environmentally responsible building.

Education For Sustainable Development (Esd): The Indian Context

It is critical to study sustainable development in the Indian context in light of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Many scientists and philosophers from ancient India made significant contributions to science. The ancient Indians were successful in developing without harming the environment. A harmonious interaction between man and nature, according to our scriptures, is essential for mankind's existence and preservation.

India can make a number of distinctive contributions to the global endeavour to attain sustainable development goals. Khadi, also known as khaddar, is a hand-spun and hand-woven fabric that played a key role in India's independence war. It's a cloth that has almost no negative impact on the environment.

In today's scenario, after the landmark Conference on Human Environment, India's first important step toward integrating environment as well as development was the formation of the National Council of Environmental Planning and Coordination.

In the year 1972, a meeting was held in Stockholm. Following that, the Department of the Environment was established and transformed into a full-fledged Ministry. Several enforceable as well as efficient laws in addition to rules were enacted to give legal protection from 1972 onwards, to provide environmental protection framework. In 1988, the landmark National Forest Policy was created.

Beside this, Gandhi’s Wardha scheme of Education, recommendations by the Kothari Commission (1964-66), and the NPE-1986 (including the Programme of Action, POA–1992) all emphasised the importance of addressing and including environmental concerns at all levels of schooling. 'There is a critical need to raise environmental awareness,' according to the National Policy. Beginning with the kid, it must pervade all ages and parts of society. Environmental awareness should be incorporated into school and college curricula. This will be incorporated throughout the instructional process.' As a result, Environmental Education (EE) has been one of the top priorities in all of the NCERT's curriculum development programmes (1975, 1988, 2000 and 2005). From grades I through XII, environmental education should be an integral and mandatory part of the educational curriculum, according to the Supreme Court of India's landmark judgement of December 18, 2003.

The National Curriculum Framework–2005 promoted an infused as well as integrated approach to Environmental Education, with a strong focus on students' environment and its relationship to learning. "Today, formal education has mainly become estranged from the habitat of pupils," it says. However, environmental degradation is accelerating at an alarming rate. We're starting to realise how critical it is to protect our environment. As a result, humanity must make an effort to understand its origins, re-establish relationships with its environment, and understand and care for it. The concept 'Habitat and Learning' is equal to EE in terms of substance and spirit."

In the narrative below, we further explore India's progress to date in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

1. Sashakt Bharat- Sabal Bharat (Empowered and Resilient India): Through economic progress and empowerment, our country has profitably extricated more than 271 million persons out of multifaceted poverty. By improving access to food , infant wellbeing, edification, cleanliness and hygiene, water supply, power, as well as housing, inequalities were condensed, particularly amid disadvantaged groups.

2. Swachh Bharat-Swasth Bharat (Clean and Healthy India): An ambitious countrywide campaign sparked by the "Clean India Campaign" as well as the "National Nutrition Mission" helped our country to achieve hundred percent rural hygiene and significantly lower child and maternal mortality rates. Ayushmaan Bharat, the world's largest health insurance scheme, has institutionalised universal health coverage by providing a total of USD 7,000 covers nearly 500 million people per year, or 100 million families.

3. Samagra Bharat-Saksham Bharat (Inclusive and Entrepreneurial India): Achieving universal access to nutrition, health, education, and social protection, as well as building entrepreneurship skills and employment abilities, are all ways of addressing social exclusion. With the help of the Jan Dhan scheme; Aadhaar cards and mobile phones, the JAM trinity has facilitated novel avenue of credit, assurance, as well as Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) to the needy, involving more than two hundred million females as part of their monetary independence.

4. Satat Bharat-Sanatan Bharat (Sustainable India): In India's climate action plans, clean energy, disaster-resistant infrastructure, as well as the refurbishment of the environment are all key elements. In India, 100 percent of villages are electrified, 38 million tonnes of carbon emissions are reduced by energy-efficient appliances, 80 million poor households are provided with clean cooking fuel, and 450 GW of renewable energy installations are projected by 2030. All this is due to India's nationally determined contributions. India is ranked 3^rd in renewable energy, 4^th in wind energy, and 5^th in solar energy globally. To harness global alliances for climate change and catastrophe resilience, India founded the alliance for Disaster Resistant Infrastructure as well as the International Solar Alliance.

5. Sampanna Bharat-Samriddh Bharat (Prosperous and Vibrant India): As a thriving innovation and business ecosystem and with a young population, India's economy is one of the fastest growing in the world's emerging markets. The Indian economy grew from USD 2.72 trillion in 2018-19 to USD five trillion in 2025. The country wants to follow an equitable and sustainable economic path by increasing manufacturing, improving infrastructure, boosting investments, and fostering innovation.

Ecological education, tree-planting efforts, beach clean-ups, and trash re-use have all been used to promote sustainable development over the last two decades. A number of NGOs have worked hard to teach children about environmental protection. There are many environmental groups, green clubs and the like devoted to educating people about how to save and protect our planet from primary school to college levels. Vandana Shiva, Sunderlal Bahuguna, Rajendra Singh, and Radha Bhatt are among the activists who have merged social development narratives with environmental concerns.

Conclusion

Sustainable development, it may be concluded, is a huge notion that requires analytical understanding. As a result, some environmentalists feel that the Vedic, Jaina, and Bauddha views of nature can assist to generate an acceptable response to India's growing urban and industrial economy's many environmental challenges. The Indian government strives to uphold international treaties and achieve Sustainable Development Goals on a constant basis. People play an equally vital role in this evolution, and active engagement will be required in the next years to effectively complete this programme. Furthermore, in order to complete Mission 2030, the responsible mindset must be instilled in the relevant authorities

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