The discovery of vast lithium deposits in the Indian territory of Jammu and Kashmir, hailed as a win for the country’s clean energy transition, comes at a price for communities in the Himalayan region, say villagers and environmental scientists.
More than one billion people in India welcomed the first ever discovery of lithium deposits in the country last month. The news arrived from Salal, a remote village in the Reasi district on the Indian side of Jammu and Kashmir. Around 5.9 million tonnes of this soft white metal were found on 9 February, following deep drilling by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) in the area. It is a core component in batteries, which the electrification of the world depends heavily on.
The Geological Survey of India recently identified a potential deposit of 5.9 million tonnes of lithium in Reasi district's Salal-Haimana area, the first such anywhere in India, which imports lithium. GSI said the site is an "inferred resource" of the metal, which means it is at a preliminary exploration stage, the second of a four-step process.
The discovery of lithium in Jammu and Kashmir is significant for India's push towards electric vehicles but any environmental gains could be negated if it is not mined carefully, say experts, citing risks such as air pollution and soil degradation in the fragile Himalayan region.
The discovery of lithium in Jammu and Kashmir is significant for India's push towards electric vehicles but any environmental gains could be negated if it is not mined carefully, say experts.
This public webinar discussed research findings from IISD's State of Sustainability Initiatives.
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) hosted a public webinar to discuss the findings from the IISD's forthcoming report: Voluntary Sustainability Standards in South Asia: A focus on the cotton sector in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The research maps voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) criteria and market potential and explores how VSSs can help address three major sustainability issues: pest management, water conservation, and farmers’ incomes and prices.
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The early success of e-mobility in India can largely be attributed to a supportive policy landscape at the national and state level. Of the 36 states and Union Territories in the country, 26 have released EV policies over the last 5 years, with 16 of them being released between 2020 and 2022. However, none of them are on track to meet their targets of EV penetration, charging infrastructure or investments, according to a recent study.
Union Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman reiterated ‘green’ 23 times and ‘sustainable’ nine times in her budget speech on February 1. She pegged ‘green growth’ as one among four opportunities that can be transformative during Amrit Kaal, the term first used by Prime Minister of India in 2021, referring to the next 25 years in India’s growth. The expenditure budget increased by 33% in capital to Rs. 10 lakh crores (Rs. 10 trillion).
The Kappahl Pilot Project
This brief summarizes the results of mapping different cotton actors' supply chains in Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka that supply organic cotton apparel for Sweden-based fashion retailer Kappahl.
The supply chains that underlie today’s sophisticated global economy remain largely unknown and opaque, even to the businesses directly involved. But a detailed understanding of the networks that bring products to market is critical to advancing sustainable production and consumption. And supply chain knowledge lays the foundation for disclosure that can promote accountability. Businesses are increasingly interested in using supply chain visibility and transparency to demonstrate their commitment to good environmental, social, and governance practices.
IISD partnered with Sweden-based fashion retailer Kappahl on a pilot project to map supply chain actors in Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka that produce some of the brand’s organic cotton apparel for babies.
IISD’s State of Sustainability Initiatives team and Kappahl surveyed actors at various points between the cotton farms and the company’s 360 retail stores. IISD ultimately succeeded in mapping actors and collecting sustainability information on previously opaque tiers that were ginning, spinning, and dyeing cotton before it ever reached the garment makers that dealt directly with Kappahl. The researchers used SupplyShift, a supply chain sustainability platform, to carry out this work.
This case study describes both opportunities and challenges for Kappahl and researchers. The project left the company better positioned to identify and address supply chain risks, and the inquiry process opened new communication channels between previously disconnected supply chain actors, building trust and a foundation for future collaboration. The company can also link the new information with existing farm and household data. Conversely, researchers had to use carefully crafted questions to ensure high-quality data collection and successfully engage respondents who were unaccustomed to information requests.
Maharashtra is among the top 5 states with most comprehensive policy designs, according to a study by 'Climate Trends', a research-based consulting and capacity building initiative that aims to bring greater focus on issues of environment, climate change, and sustainable development.