We want our message to be powerful, positive and proactive

Dr R K Pachauri is respected the world over for his wide-ranging expertise in the critical facets of sustainable development. As Director-General of TERI, he has turned it into a premier research institute. Today, TERI provides support in energy, environment, forestry, biotechnology, and resource conservation to governments, institutions and corporates worldwide. In an interview with Financial Express, he talks about the forthcoming Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 2002 and its relevance. What is the significance of the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 2002 (DSDS 2002)? We believe that DSDS 2002 has unique significance for three distinct reasons. Firstly, this is the 10-year-milestone after the Rio Summit. The output from DSDS 2002 is expected to provide some valuable inputs for the Johannesburg Summit. Secondly, in this century, when the challenge of sustainability would be the guiding principle for all global action, it is necessary for India to take a prominent place in articulating what human society should do in this context. Thirdly, there is a need for a forum where leaders and thinkers of distinction meet regularly to fashion a global agenda for action which might help to stave off disaster that is otherwise likely to overtake this planet and all species that survive on it today. Are you doing the government?s job? We are proud citizens of the world?s largest democracy. The challenges that the Government faces are challenges that this society faces. The task of creating a just and sustainable pattern of development is one that governments round the world must embrace as much as should civil society. We are not usurping action from the Government. We are merely extending our partnership in action that Indian society as a whole must take in a concerted manner. Partnerships will be the key in this arena in the coming years, and a responsible institution like TERI, which has a national focus but a global spread cannot shirk its responsibility in this hour of impending global crisis. To the extent that we can act on behalf of Indian society, we are also acting on behalf of the Indian government. The work of the government is everybody?s work, and we are happy and proud to be part of it. The DSDS 2002 is expected to conclude with the finalization of Delhi Declaration. What will be its thrust areas? The thrust in the DSDS 2002 would be to highlight the requisites for creating sustainable livelihoods in the world, and to point out where and how the global community has failed in this regard, and what needs to be done at Johannesburg to move ahead towards this neglected goal of everyone achieving livelihoods that are sustainable. We want the message to be powerful, positive and proactive. We must look ahead and move ahead. Why do you think that the government will include your recommendations in its official documentations? We are not looking forward to having the Government including anything from DSDS in its own documentation for Johannesburg. But, after all we are not working at cross-purposes with the Government. If there is merit in what comes out of DSDS, why would the government not pick it up. The ministry of environment and forests is after all supporting this Summit. They are fully involved in this event at the highest level in the Ministry. You are also making a presentation at the Johannesburg Summit. Since TERI is just one NGO in India, why do you think your recommendations will carry weight? We believe TERI is seen as a voice of reason and a source of objective analysis and balanced positions. We also have very close links with a number of NGOs and academic institutions around the world. Any event that we organize at Johannesburg would represent a collective and collaborative effort. Hence, we believe that if we put in the right effort, what we say will be heard by most. What is it that has given you the clout to rope in a who?s who from all over the world as speakers at the DSDS 2002? Over the years TERI and I, personally, have upheld the importance of knowledge as a driver of whatever we do and whatever we produce. We are active in policy analysis, but not aggressively involved in pushing any dogma or unenlightened policy advocacy. We believe in creating objective analysis of policies, based on which we promote policy dialogue with the various stakeholders not only in India but internationally. That is why people of some eminence from round the world respond to our call when we need their knowledge, experience and their attention in our professional events. There is a mutual respect which brings us together. Since you are getting prominent speakers from all over the world, how would the Delhi Declaration retain the Indian subcontinental perspective? By involving the outside world we would be enhancing the credibility of whatever we say. We are focusing on global issues, but naturally they would take on an Indian flavour. The problems of India are not too different from those of Bangladesh or from those of Peru at a certain level. We are dealing with global problems and addressing a global audience. The subcontinent is a microcosm of a larger universe that the global community, particularly in the developed world, has never cared to understand or bother about. We hope we can take a small step to correct this historical aberration. There is a common perception that Rio was a failure. Please comment? I believe Rio was not a failure. It was a resounding success in that for the first time in human history agreement was reached on such a wide range of important actions so critical for the future survival of the species. What has been a failure is the lack of purposeful follow up due to a variety of reasons. But, I think the most important of these was the lack of awareness creation and education for the public. We lost momentum after Rio, not before or during the Summit. How will the issues at Johannesburg be different from those at Rio so that the summit doesn?t meet the same fate as Rio did? I think Johannesburg has an opportunity to succeed, which does not mean that it will. Firstly, I think all the participants to the Johannesburg Summit will come with some pragmatism, because of the post- Rio disappointments. Secondly, I think after the sad events of September 11 there is a healthy respect for multilateralism on the part of most developed countries. The stronger entity of a more unified Europe is also a good force in favour of success. But it is too early to make any predictions at this stage.