Stories of Resistance, Networks of Action, and India’s Sustainable Futures

1. Grassroots Activism & Network Climate Action

• Sharon Lavin (Louisiana, USA): School teacher turned activist fighting toxic industries.
• Concept: Network Climate Action (Marianne Krasney) – small relational actions that scale through networks to create cultural and political change.
• Key Insight: Transformation starts with community relationships, not top-down mandates.

2. State of India’s Environment (2024)

• Extreme Weather: 270+ days in 2023.
• Challenges:
  • Longer heatwaves
  • Deeper droughts
  • Rising crop losses
  • Fragmented institutional responses

SDG Performance (State-wise)

• 15 states + 6 UTs (90% population) scored <65 on SDG 13.
• Disaster Preparedness Score: 19.2/100 (target: 50 by 2030).

3. Crisis and Opportunity

• Crisis: Environmental decline outpacing policy action.
• Opportunity: Local innovations in water, waste, food exist but need recognition and scaling.

4. Future Pathways: Rethinking the “Good Life”

• Beyond GDP/megawatts → focus on dignity, resilience, care, sufficiency.
• Mindful Consumption (Session 15): Transforming relationships with things, people, planet.

5. Just Transition & the Pluriverse

• Just Transition: Who gains/loses? Who is included/excluded?
  • Examples: rooftop solar, electric buses, carbon credits, green jobs.
• Pluriverse: Many valid ways of being, knowing, thriving.
  • Agroecology, community water systems, digital commons, solidarity economies.

6. Digital Public Infrastructure

• India Stack, Water Stack → reimagined as public goods.
• Potential: Enable inclusion, scale, transparency.
• Challenge: Avoid technocratic fiefdoms; ensure equity and consent.

7. Generational Responsibility & Agency

• Brundtland Commission: What kind of ancestors do we want to be?
• Clean Air/Water: Must be public goods, not privileges.
• Agency: Sustainability is co-created by citizens, entrepreneurs, artists, policymakers.

8. Role of Corporations

• Examples of Leadership:
  • Infosys: Carbon neutrality
  • Wipro: Sustainability reporting
  • ITC: Water-positive initiatives
  • Tata Power: Decentralized renewables
• Current State: Most ESG efforts are compliance-oriented, not transformative.
• Future Questions:
  • Can business models align with planetary limits?
  • Can purpose go beyond profit?

9. Key Takeaways

• Sustainability transitions must be state-specific, inclusive, adaptive.
• Local innovations + digital infrastructure = potential for leapfrogging.
• Just transitions and pluralistic approaches are essential.
• Corporate role must evolve from compliance to transformation.

📘 Exam Tip:

Focus on understanding the dual narrative of crisis and opportunity in India’s sustainability landscape. Be prepared to discuss state-wise SDG performance, the role of grassroots networks, and the concept of a just transition. Use examples like Sharon Lavin or Indian corporate initiatives to illustrate how individual and collective agency can drive change. Emphasize the need for inclusive, pluriversal approaches in policy and business.