I believe in miracles. I witnessed economy miracle in 2011: China surpassed Japan and became second to the United States with prospectof being second to none. In the future I would like to witness an environmental miracle: China, the largest contaminator and generator of waste, showing the world the route to sustainable development. Thanks to Dr Zhu Dajian, my hope has emerged. The population of China has reached 1,3 billion, 22% of the world’s total.
Inclusive sustainable development has become the buzz word for conferences. The consensus among various stakeholders remains the same: there is a crucial need to change the infrastructure of developing countries if environment resources need to be preserved, protected and efficiently utilized. Also, developed countries have become more receptive to the idea of engaging with the environment not just on a policy level but also on a grass-roots level through civil society initiatives. But what is interesting to note are the conflicting positions of academics and political leaders. In the opening session of the World Resources Forum, Alicia Kaudia, Environment Secretary Kenya spoke on bridging the technological gap between the developed and the developing world.