Biographies of warriors such as Alexander, Babur, Napoleon make for fascinating reading. StaÂÂring with modest resources, they expanded their jurÂÂisdictÂiÂons across diverse lands and people, leaving permanent legacies. A common trait among them was lack of fear, and a passion and love for conflict. The memoirs of environmental activist SunÂita Narain, aptly titled Conflicts of Interest: My Journey through India바카라™s Green Movement, reads like the accoÂunt of one such warrior. She ventured to wage battles against the mighty on diverse issues, including air pollution, use of pesticides and their impact on ground water, climate change and carbon emissions, tiger conservation and managing water and waste.
Initiated into environmental activism at 21 by her employer and mentor Anil Aggrawal, Sunita took on his mantle after his premature demise. She brought to their agenda and work fearlessness and agression that eventually brought her orgÂÂaÂÂnisation, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), to the public policy mainstream. Sunita (and CSE) picked her battles well바카라”issues that impacted comÂÂmon people. She took on the mighty: auto leaders like Bajaj and Tatas on air quality; Coke and Pepsi on pesticide resiÂdues in ground water; developed countries on climate change; conservationists and luxury resorts on tiger conservation and government agencies on water and waste management. She is unsparing of celebrities too, including superstars who advertised on behalf of cola giants. She uses Al Gore바카라™s terminology, 바카라˜inconvenient truth바카라™, repeatedly in the chapter on climÂate change to mock the US바카라™ double stanÂdards in climate change negotiations.
In each case, she also took on what she calls 바카라˜established science바카라™, opposing leading opinions within the scientific community. This led to her research metÂhodologies, competence, even her motiÂves being questioned. However, envÂÂÂÂiÂÂronmental activism has in recent years found a great ally in the judiciary and that is how Sunita won many a battle.
Though not focussed like others on mobilising public movements, each battle was waged for the weak and the voiÂceless, like unsuspecting urban resideÂnts breaÂthing toxic air, aerated drinks with low quality standards, devÂÂeloping countries unfairly treated on climate chaÂÂnge talks, communities alienated from their ecosystems by ProÂject Tiger and traditional water harvesting practices.
The book is a lucid, detailed account of these battles from inside the ring. Sunita explains how she got drawn to each issue, how established beliefs and vested interests were challenged and the ensuing triÂbÂÂulations of the long-drawn struggle for change. Not all the battles were won and even where points were scored and debaÂtes won, desired outcomes have not fully fructified. But, undoubtedly, Sunita and CSE have been and are significant stakeholders in the environment space. They are taken seriously in India and abroad.
The book is a must read for both the lay reader interested in our environmental concerns and those actively involved in public policy and research on environmÂent. Many of us from the latter space have not always agreed with Sunita바카라™s views and her overt agression, but have always been in awe of her courage and exemplary leaÂdership in building up a non-goverment institution without significant governmÂent/corporate support. From this ariÂses her independent streak and ability to call a spade a spade. ObsÂessive warrior that she is, Sunita바카라™s memoirs do not adequately capture the conÂÂcÂÂurrent contributions of other individuals and institutions in taking forward the environment agenda. I guess in the ring, with the lights and media glare, you can barely see others.
Aware that a book on environmental issÂÂues could easily be a drab reference book, Sunita includes interesting, dramaÂtic anecdotes. The most interesting chaÂpter is the one on cola wars, perhaps the most contentious of her battles. The detÂails relating to her experience with the parliamentary committee are almost hilÂÂaÂrious and surprisingly, she gets a major vindication there. It also became one of the factors leading to the present food safety and standards framework. The chapter on climate change exposes how the US is leading the developed world in imposing unfair restÂrictions on energy consumption in developing countries.
The last chapter attempts at outlining a blueprint for the future. Inadequate advÂancement in technology and poor INSÂtituÂtional framework for implementing ageÂÂÂÂncies and regulatory bodies are seen as factors responsible for our failure to resÂolve our environmental problems. Informed people will agree. An interesting perspective is that the likes of Uber and Airbnb could be a highly positive disruption for the environment through optimum use of existing resources.
