ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT IN INDIA USING PRESSURE-STATE RESPONSE FRAMEWORK OVER 2014 - 2024

Abstract

In a world that continues to create larger economies, unsinkable infrastructures and consuming huge amounts of resources, an increasing and mounting pressure is exerted on the urban centers, making them environmentally stressed. Each urban center reacts differently under stressors and is controlled by an interdependent environment, policy and governance systems, and assessment of environmental performance is essential. In the study, 'Pressure State Response (PSR)' model is used in conjunction with a holistic approach, the 'Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI)' which was constructed over a decadal scale (2014 and 2024) for capital cities across India. It critically examines the interrelated environmental performance, sustainability pathways and governance response across the cities and inter-city variations in environmental performance. The results show variations within the environmental profiles of the cities through the decade relating to governance and policy interventions. Actual evidence lies in the PSR lens where despite showing a considerable improvement in ESI, cities like Patna (ΔESI 0.09), Panjim (ΔESI 0.88), Gandhinagar (ΔESI 0.06), Imphal (ΔESI 0.78), Bangalore (ΔESI 0.15), Trivandrum (ΔESI 0.38), and Kolkata (ΔESI 0.09) need to focus on their specific pressure, state and response indicators to accomplish sustainable urban planning. The insights into PSR analysis identify the concerned set of indicators for the mentioned cities. Key areas include air quality management (PM2.5 and PM10) in Patna, Panjim, Trivandrum and Bangalore; water availability, drinking water access, and water quality compliance in Gandhinagar, Bangalore and Imphal; and improvement in urban green cover, renewable energy adoption and waste collection efficiency in all the cities. The insights strengthen information on environmental performance, reinforce policies to help the policymakers to act upon loopholes in governance and place adequate checks.