The 6th India International Science Festival-IISF 2020 had a vertical focusing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030 covering eight aspects – Biodiversity, Clean air, Energy, Habitat (Rural and Urban), Health Research Conclave, Waste & Sanitation, Water and Wellness Conclave. The objective was to sensitise participants about the SDGs.
Biodiversity Conclave
The focal theme of the conclave was “Biodiversity for Bio-economy-based Self-reliant India”. Inaugurating the conclave, Chief Guest, Justice Shri Adarsh Kumar Goel, Chairperson, National Green Tribunal, highlighted the potential of India’s rich and unique biodiversity and the associated traditional knowledge for self-reliant and global welfare. To achieve the goals of biodiversity-based bio-economy, he appealed for a paradigm shift from the conventional exploitative regime to a sustainable pro-nature approach for conservation and sustainable utilisation of bio-resources.
Speaking on the theme “Biodiversity-Culture Interface: Key to Sustainable Development in Rural India”, Prof. Kamaljit S. Bawa, Founder President, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology & Environment (ATREE), Bengaluru, and Professor of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Boston, USA, stressed on finding key solutions to many environmental challenges such as land degradation, decline of ecosystem services, climate change mitigation and infectious diseases as well as the anticipated societal benefits of the Mission and its linkages to the SDG.
In the Webinar session on Biodiversity-based Bioeconomy Models, Dr V.B. Mathur, Chairperson, National Biodiversity Authority of India, delivered the Keynote Lecture on the topic Biodiversity for Bio-based Economy: Challenges and Way Ahead. He highlighted the importance and the huge influence biodiversity and bio-economy have on our ability to eradicate poverty, support sustainable development opportunities, and to respond to the crisis of climate change. “The goals of bio-economy development include the need to address some of the major societal challenges, such as achieving food security and sustainable resource use for a growing world population, mitigating and adapting to climate change, and sustainably managing the planet’s vital living resources including all components of biodiversity,” he said.
Health Research Conclave
The theme of this year’s Health Research Conclave was ‘Health Research for Happy, Healthy and Self-reliant India’.
The recommendations of the Conclave in the area of emerging and re-emerging infections included improving country’s preparedness to increase access to standardised kits and diagnostic; conducting sentinel surveillance to detect unusual illnesses; amalgamating laboratory-based virological diagnostic skills with field epidemiology; holistic surveillance for Acute febrile illness; establishing viral detection facilities in border areas and enhancing biosafety and biosecurity preparedness.
The Conclave also focused on holistic health and wellbeing of individuals through improvements in lifestyle, cognitive ability and taking care of our mental and physical well-being. It emphasised that all the branches of medicine including Allopathy, Ayurveda, Siddha, Yoga and Unani should be evidence-based and the best of all systems should be intertwined for a rejuvenated health care system.
In the session on Eat Right-Eat Healthy India, the discussions revolved around ensuring adequate intake of all micronutrients, bioactive compounds, functional foods, antioxidants, etc. apart from increase intake of more locally sourced and seasonal fruits and vegetables in the diet.
The conclave also stressed that overcoming age-old health problems like TB and Malaria needs attention on a priority. Efforts are to be made to make India TB free by 2025. To achieve the goal of malaria elimination, reinforcing global strategy, R&D for new tools including vaccine, access to high quality & affordable health care, adequate and sustained financing, galvanizing political will and engaging communities will be key areas.
Energy Conclave
The conclave stressed that biomass-based fuel is the key for self-reliant India and to reduce emissions; the urgent need for policy and regulatory changes to integrate the renewables in the electricity grid; engage Start-ups and SMEs for self-reliant clean energy community and IT and digitization of the electricity sector to help in the integration of renewables.
Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy Shri R.K. Singh, highlighted the significant efforts taken by Government of India for “Energy Access”, “Energy Sufficiency” and “Energy Transition”, paving the way towards a vibrant “Energy Economy” for a Sustainable Future. Dr Renu Swarup, Secretary DBT emphasised on Innovation Partnership for a sustainable future.
Dr Fatih Birol, Executive Director, International Energy Agency appreciated the partnership with India for innovation analysis and efforts in placing India at the centre-stage of the energy landscape on a global level.
Waste and Sanitation
The Indian diaspora offered to contribute towards developing the waste management industrial sector in India. The industry associations of Germany's solid waste management group suggested a time-bound action plan on specific implementation activities to be undertaken in India. They agreed to collate data of entrepreneurs in the field of waste management, and undertake membership drive for the SWaSTI portal. The members of US Diaspora drew up a specific behavioural change programme for sustainable sanitation. Special exchange programmes are envisaged with Australian diaspora in mining waste and Latin American and Caribbean Federation with women entrepreneurship development.
Habitat (Urban & Rural)
It was emphasised that the Rurban Mission of Government of India must focus on Physical Connectivity (PC), Electronic Connectivity (EC) and Knowledge Connectivity in line with the concept PURA in achieving Economic Connectivity (EC) for rural development. The ‘Cillage’ concept must be adopted as a Model of City Villages for a new paradigm in habitat. This requires the development of 5000 Cillages in the country that must connect different hierarchy of settlements with a road covering a distance of 10-30 minutes from rural to urban & vice versa to minimise migration. Research on traditional planning systems and craftsmanship should be further taken up to improvise on the traditional wisdom.
Institutions like CSIR-CBRI must develop science-based codes and policies supported by experimental testbeds for quantitative validation of energy and water savings for urban development. The new codes for Net Zero Energy Buildings, Zero Carbon Buildings as well as Performance-based Codes must be developed. An integrated approach for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) at the city level must be taken up for regularising urban form, density, and energy use.
Clean Air
Air pollution is recognised as a pressing sustainability concern and is directly mentioned in two SDG targets: SDG 3.9 (substantial reduction of health impacts from hazardous substances) and SDG 11.6 (reduction of adverse impacts of cities on people). Strategies aiming at improved air quality interact directly with climate mitigation targets, access to clean energy services, waste management, and other aspects of socio-economic development.
Shri Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change pointed out citizens' responsibility to save energy and save water and also reduce air pollution. He shared a roadmap to curb air pollution by monitoring its concentration, waste management rules, emission standards for industrial processes, increasing green cover, and adaptation of clean cooking and industrial fuel awareness and capacity building.
Dr M. Rajeevan, Secretary, MoES suggested four significant pillars to combat air pollution: Monitoring, Data availability and Accessibility, Monitor Emission and Sources, and Organised actions.
Water
Experts expressed their concern over the water scarcity and water excess situations in the country. While some parts of the country like Bundelkhand are starving for water other parts like Andhra and Kerala are facing problems of floods.
Some of the recommendations that emerged from the conclave included exploring opportunities for collaborative work with communities in rural and urban landscapes on water conservation including marine ecosystems; engaging STEM for water resilience; connecting with national and global knowledge web for ongoing initiatives to achieve the SDGs, and enhancing technical knowledge in areas of freshwater generation and augmentation.
AyurFestiwell: Wellness Conclave
Inaugurating the ‘AyurFestiwell’ under the ‘Wellness Conclave’, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik, Union Minister for AYUSH, said, “Wellness is the act of practising healthy habits on a daily basis to attain better physical and mental health outcomes so that instead of just surviving, you’re celebrating life.”
Shri Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary AYUSH talked about the Ayush wisdom and the verticals of wellness, the correctness of nutrition, water, sanitation, etc. He highlighted that we need to look at total wellness and address it.
Mr Manoj Varghese, PhD Scholar, CSIR-NISCAIR and Dr Manish M. Gore
