India has been the victim of this growing climatic imbalance. The country has been impacted by rising global temperatures and has experienced severe heat waves as well as flash floods, tropical storms, and an increase in sea level. Although few of these changes can be reversed, there are immediate and effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. India cannot reverse its development goals as a developing nation. It can however devise sustainable methods to reduce emissions. India must build a green economy that places sustainability at the heart of its development plan.
PM Gati Shakti Yojna: Powering Infrastructural Development
For any country, infrastructure development is the key to growth. To ignore this crucial step is like an ostrich burying his head in the sand. A strong infrastructure can connect regions and increase the quality of life. It can also provide access to education and healthcare facilities. It can also create employment opportunities that will generate spending power in the economy. Through the pivotal PM Gati Shakthi Yojna, government has been working hard to achieve similar goals and build a strong infrastructure. During her budget speech, Honble finance minister announced measures that would boost a multimodal plan under visionary PM Gati Shrikti Yojna. These infrastructure development programs, which are part of PM Gati Shakti Yojna’s visionary PM Gati Shakti Yojna’s, will help India reach remote regions with greater connectivity. Although the government has promised to add 25,000km to the highway network, the rapid construction of roads may cause environmental damage. It is up to the implementing agencies to ensure that the environment is not compromised by development.
Strong and sustainable infrastructure is key to Net-zero commitments
India is one of the few developing countries that has taken a number of steps to reduce its emissions. India has committed to becoming a zero-emissions country by 2070, in order to transition to a green economy. The Panchmitra, a five-point strategy announced by the Honble Prime Minister to help India achieve its emission reduction targets. India has pledged to increase its non-fossil fuel power capacity to 500 gigawatts by 2030. It also stated that it would aim to meet half of its energy requirements by 2030 using non-renewable energy. The policy also states that the nation will reduce its carbon emissions to one billion tonnes by 2030. The effort to achieve this milestone would start now. The fourth step in the five-fold strategy would be to reduce the nation’s carbon intensity by 45% until 2030. India will also take all necessary actions to achieve the Net Zero targets. This declaration positions India as an unstoppable champion of the environment cause. Although the most developed countries have been slow to act, this is a worthy effort by a country in developing countries. To achieve the target would take a tremendous effort from all parties.
The construction sector’s role
Construction is a prerequisite to development. Construction is a prerequisite for development. India is still considering a composite law to govern green construction. However, several environmental laws provide the rules and regulations to minimize pollution. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, 37% of global emissions came from the construction and building sector. This is despite a decrease of 1%. Another 10% of energy-related emissions were attributed to other construction-related activities. 1 Around 22% of all country’s total emissions are emitted by the Indian constructions sector. If it continues, the country’s major contributors to its emissions would be the pollution from the construction and buildings sector.
There are many activities that can pollute the environment when you use traditional methods of construction. The environmental problems posed by traditional construction methods include the release of particulate matter into the atmosphere, excessive heat discharge, wastage, and pollution of water. There are many ways to reduce construction-related emissions, but the best solution is to use prefabricated materials for construction. Geosynthetic wire mesh solutions geosynthetics, and other riprap structures can be of great benefit in providing longevity and reducing the effort and onsite pollution during construction of infrastructure.
Locally sourced materials can improve sustainability and contribute to green infrastructure. Geosynthetics (also known as geogrids or geo-composites) are prefabricated solutions that enable the use of local materials. These solutions make roads and walls last longer and are more sustainable than concrete. These walls have a 52-80% less environmental impact than walls made of concrete or steel.
India can transition to a green economy by incorporating sustainable solutions and green practices into every sector and sphere of the economy. This can be accelerated by a resilient infrastructure that is built with environmentally-friendly construction solutions.
Disclaimer
These views are solely the author’s.
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