XAT 2007 - Essay Topic

“Economic growth without environmental damage – a mirage or a reality.”

A possible approach

- What is economic growth and how is it measured

o Economic growth is the increase in value of the goods and services produced by an economy.

o is conventionally measured as the percent rate of increase in real gross domestic product, or GDP

- Repercussions of economic growth – different for different economies

o Leads to industrialization in some economies

o Leads to increase in services in others

o Leads to overall increase in consumerism

o Leads to reduction of poverty

- Some fallouts of economic growth lead to environmental damage, the others do not

- Apparently Economic growth without environmental damage is a mirage

o There is a tendency to overlook the effects of economic growth which do not induce environmental damage

o There are different green measures that can offset the harmful effects of industrialization which are not taken into consideration while making this generalization.

- Economic growth without environmental damage – sustainable development

- Ways to implement sustainable development – turning the mirage to reality

o policy and regulations – government intervention in industry

o awareness among and involvement of ordinary citizens – people power

o renewable and alternative energy resources – hydel, biogas etc

o technological advances – reduced automobile emissions

o advanced agricultural practices – crop cycling, bio-fertiliser etc

- Economic growth without environmental damage – no longer a distant mirage but gradually becoming real