1. The Resource Dimension in Urban Sustainability: Indian Context
Dr. Abhijit Banerjee
United Nations (New Delhi)
Urban Journalism Academy (WUF9)
18 January 2018, New Delhi

2. Natural Resource Sustainability Challenges
Pollution
(air, water, etc.)
Depletion
Shortages, price shocks
Natural Resource Extraction, Use and Disposal
Climate change
(from fossil energy use)
Import dependence
Economic insecurity
Ecosystem destruction Biodiversity loss
Conflict over access
Environmental Challenges
Socio-economic Challenges

3. NATURAL RESOURCE SUSTAINABILITY
Reduce
Use fewer goods and services
(wherever possible)
Non-renewables with renewables;
Scarce with abundant;
More destructive (extraction)
with less destructive
Substitute
NATURAL RESOURCE SUSTAINABILITY
Resource Efficiency
Create more with less
Circular Economy
Reuse and recycle
“Decoupling”

4. Circular Economy
Moving from “extract-make-use-throw” model to utilizing waste as secondary raw material helps to reduce extraction of primary (virgin) raw material and associated environmental impacts (including GHG emissions)
“A circular economy path has the potential to add Euro 1.8 trillion net benefit to the EU by 2030.”
- EMF, SUN and McKinsey. (2015). Growth Within: A Circular Economy Vision for a Competitive Europe.

5. India’s material consumption growing sharply
Material consumption in India,
India’s future material demand projections under 3 scenarios
Even under current dynamic, material demand will grow 5x by 2050!
Since 1970, 5x (population only 2x)
Sources:
UNEP-IRP. (2016). Global Material Flows and Resource Productivity. United Nations Environment Programme – International Resource Panel.
IGEP. (2013). India’s Future Needs for Resources: Dimensions, Challenges and Possible Solutions. Indo-German Environment Partnership. New Delhi: GIZ-India.

6. Increased domestic extraction or increased imports?
In 2011, mineral imports cost USD 160 billion
Geo-political risk
Extraction intensity (tons/km2) already highest in the world
Population density highest among major countries
Mineral deposits associated with forest areas
Sources:
Environmental Atlas of India, Central Pollution Control Board, New Delhi.
Centre for Science and Environment, Rich Lands, Poor People: Is Sustainable Mining Possible? Sixth Citizen’s Report on the State of India’s Environment. Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi.
IGEP. (2013). India’s Future Needs for Resources: Dimensions, Challenges and Possible Solutions. Indo-German Environment Partnership. New Delhi: GIZ-India.

7. C&D MSW E-waste ELV Urban Mining Waste to Organic Waste to Energy
Landfill
Reuse
Waste to Organic
Waste to Energy
Waste to Material

8. Urban Waste Stream Trends in India
Current Generation
Projection
% diverted/recycled
Municipal Solid Waste1
68 million tons/year
> 200 million tons by 2040
Less than 10% (of collected waste)
C&D waste2
10-15 million tons/year
5x by 2030?
10-30% (often for illegal/harmful uses)
E-waste3
1.8 million tons/year
5.2 million tons/year by 2020 2%
End-of-Life Vehicles4
8.7 million
21.8 million by 2025
Less than 10%
Sources:
1 Columbia University, Sustainable Solid Waste Management in India. Available at:
2 CSE, Construction and Demolition Waste Policy Brief. Available at:
3 Assocham, E-waste Management in India. Available at:
4 CPCB and GIZ, Analysis of ELVs Sector in India. Available at:

9. Challenges in Waste Management in India
Lack of data
Dominance of informal sector
Lack of proper land use planning
Lack of capacity and resources at municipal level

10. Recent Successes and Encouraging Trends Success/Positive Trend
Waste Stream
Success/Positive Trend
MSW
Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016
Manual on SWM by MoUD (2016):
Swachh Bharat Mission funding and targets
Swachh Bharat Survey:
C&D waste
C&D Waste Management Rules, 2016 (3 year targets)
Delhi and Ahmedabad operating successful plants:
Buyback of C&D derived products by Delhi/Ahmedabad
MoEFCC and GIZ Manual for C&D Waste Management:
E- waste
E-waste Management Rules, 2016
Extended Producer Responsibility mandate
Producer Responsibility Organization:
ELVs
Guidelines for Environmentally Sound Management of ELVs (CPCB, 2015)
NATRIP pilot facility, Chennai:
First commercial facility (JV with Mahindra) in 2018

11. SDGs and Urban Resources
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
11.3 Land use efficiency
11.6 Waste management/recycling
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
12.2 Material Footprint/Domestic Material Consumption
12.5 National Recycling Rate
12.7 Public Procurement Policies

12. Contact: abhijit.banerjee@one.un.org
Acknowledgements
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