DITCHING THE “TAKE-MAKE-DISPOSE” PARADIGM

 

  • Preliminary topics: G20, the Global South, the reduce-reuse-recycle (R2R) paradigm, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), etc.

Bilateral, regional, and international groupings and agreements addressing or impacting India’s interests are covered in Mains GS Papers II and III.

  • Realising that the ‘take-make-dispose’ paradigm must give way to the’reduce-reuse-recycle’ paradigm,

o “Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy” is one of the three main topics that India has prioritised for discussion at the G-20 summit.

 

GSPREP ON THE ISSUE

 

G20:

  • The G20 is an informal organisation made up of 19 nations, the European Union, and representatives of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
  • The G20 Presidency rotates every year in accordance with a structure that over time ensures a regional balance.
  • Five groups of no more than four countries each comprise the 19 nations that will vote for the presidency.

o The president alternates among the groups.

  • The G20 elects a nation from another group to serve as president each year.

o Along with Russia, South Africa, and Turkey, India is in Group 2.

  • There is no permanent secretariat or headquarters for the G20.

 

Economic Circularity:

  • It is frequently referred to as “circularity”.
  • It is an economic structure that deals with problems like waste, pollution, extinction of species, and climate change.
  • A circular economy emphasises material refurbishment, recovery, and repair in addition to the 3 R’s (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle).
  • The circular economy is centred on increasing output through resource consumption that is more efficient and, as a result, has a lower environmental impact.

All facets of manufacturing, consumption, and design are built on sustainability.

  • Resource efficiency and the circular economy are excellent methods for reducing reliance on natural resources.
  • It can reduce waste and promote environmentally friendly design strategies.

 

G20 nations:

  • The majority of G-20 members have committed to net zero goals and are reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
  • The existing recycling rates, which range from 15% to 25%, need to be increased in order to ensure that resource consumption is increasing in an environmentally appropriate way.

 

India will focus on the following issues when it holds the G-20 presidency:

  • Relativity in the steel industry;
  • EPR, or Extended Producer Responsibility
  • The circular economy
  • Forming an industry-led alliance for resource efficiency and the circular economy.

 

Sector of circular steel

  • The need for steel is expected to increase, particularly in developing economies like India.
  • In the entire world, the manufacturing of iron and steel is responsible for around 7% of energy sector emissions.

 

How might emissions in the steel sector be reduced?

  • Ensuring cooperation among the G-20 members for technology transfer, co-development, and information sharing.
  • The presidency document for knowledge exchange on the “Circular Economy in the Steel Sector” may serve as a road map for the steel industry’s transition to net zero, lowering resource use and waste.

 

EPR structure

  • The importance of the EPR framework in integrating circularity throughout the value chain is being emphasised during India’s G-20 leadership.
  • Because different nations have used various EPR models, it is essential that G-20 member nations share best practises to hasten the shift to a circular economy.
  • A successful deployment of EPR is essential for fostering the expansion of the recycling infrastructure and creating an efficient waste collection system.

 

  • Portal for centralised EPR:

o The centralised EPR site has more than 20,000 registered Producers, Importers, and Brand Owners (PIBOs) and more than 1,900 plastic waste processors.

o India has one of the most extensive EPR frameworks.

  • India has also published detailed regulations for managing battery and e-waste.

 

Biodegradable wastes

  • The consumption of biological resources has increased by 5 (two and five) times in G-20 member nations since 1970.
  • Biowaste, which includes industrial and municipal waste as well as agricultural residue, has become a global problem.

o It contributes to global warming, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

  • Biowaste can act as valuable primary raw materials and workable alternatives for mineral resources when combined with crops appropriate for damaged sites.
  • Using a circular bioeconomy strategy will lessen the need to mine virgin materials and offer a practical waste disposal answer.

 

Governmental actions:

  • The administration has been promoting the use of biofuels.
  • To establish second generation (2G) ethanol projects, the Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana offers financial support to integrated bio-ethanol projects.

The 2G bioethanol technique converts otherwise worthless waste material, such as municipal solid trash and crop residues, into bioethanol.

  • India has also mandated the use of a 5% blend of biomass pellets along with coal in thermal power facilities that burn coal.
  • To encourage sustainable agriculture and lessen pollution, the Galvanising Organic Bio-Agro Resources (GOBAR) Dhan project was introduced. Its goal is to turn organic waste, including cow dung, into compost, biogas, and biofuels.

o The programme has improved sanitation and contributed to the development of rural livelihoods.

  • The Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) Scheme, which was launched in 2018 and encourages the use of compressed biogas (CBG) as a substitute for fossil fuels in transportation.

o It has helped the bioenergy industry by hastening the construction of the CBG production, storage, and distribution infrastructure.

 

Way ahead

  • Decoupling resource use from economic growth will be crucial in the collaborative global effort to ensure sustainable development and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
  • Businesses play a key role in improving circular economy and resource efficiency practises; India has proposed an industrial coalition in these areas.

o The coalition’s objectives include

o Improved technological cooperation

o develop cutting-edge capabilities across industries

o use de-risked financing

o encourage active participation from the private sector.

o By taking a collaborative approach, international platforms like the G-20 play a crucial role in resolving major issues and proposing answers.

o Resource efficiency and the circular economy have come to light as major answers in efforts to address the three planetary crises at once.

The G-20 presidency of India has given considerable attention to these strategies, which present promising avenues towards a more resilient and sustainable future.

 

PRACTISE

Do you believe that by 2030, India will be able to meet 50% of its energy demands using renewable sources? Explain your response. How can switching subsidies from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources aid in achieving the above goal? (UPSC 2022) Describe. (200 WORDS, 10 MARKS)