Grand bargain for sustainable growth

Capturing opportunities in resource efficiency requires a rethink about industries of the future, says the author

India has historically tried to balance growth with equity. As parties prepare for the forthcoming general elections, here is a revised question for our prospective representatives: Can we increase growth, create jobs, expand opportunities, but also make it socially, economically and environmentally sustainable and equitable for the present and for future generations? 

The question lies at the heart of our contradictions. The world’s fastest-growing major economy is also the fourth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases; the fastest rates of urbanisation are coupled with the worst air quality and growing water stress; aspirations for manufacturing in India are frustrated because we lag behind