Environment and growth

according to a World Bank ( wb) report, growth in India has come at the cost of the environment. "The fast-paced growth has not only been unevenly distributed, but has come at the expense of the environment." The report, which is the wb's annual review on 'Environment matters', says that the key to improving the environment is to improve environmental management.

The main environmental problems identified by the wb relate to water quality degradation, urban degradation, worsening industrial pollution hot-sports. dwindling forests, soil degradation, poorly managed water resources, energy-related pollution and the impact of global climate change. Political support is inconsistent for implementing long-term environmental strategies.

The only redeeming factor is that slowly south Asian countries have started understanding better than ever before the close linkages between economic growth, poverty alleviation and environmental degradation.