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Nitin Desai

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Worked briefly in academia and then as a national and international civil servant dealing with development an environment issues

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Jawaharlal Nehru University

Jawaharlal Nehru University

MITS Gwalior

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Aligarh Muslim University

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Papers by Nitin Desai

Nationalism and Interdependence

31st Wikhelm von Pochhammer Memorial Lecture, 2019

The theme of the address is the relevance of nationalism in the globalising world of today.The fo... more The theme of the address is the relevance of nationalism in the globalising world of today.The focus is on the global economy and ecology, which is the area with which I am more familiar. But forgive me, if spend a few moments on the history of nationalism and globalisation and the spot they have brought us to as of now.

Sustainable Development note for Brundtland Commission

Brundtland Commission, 1986

The Brundtland Commission has had tremendous impact on governmental policy thinking. Documents of... more The Brundtland Commission has had tremendous impact on governmental policy thinking. Documents of my little country's government now always speak of "sustainable development". I think that the "father" of this thinking is Nitin Desai, who was economic adviser to the commission." Janos Stanovnik Janez Stanovnik was a member of the Brundtland Commission and later became the President of Slovenia,

Work and Welfare

The Indian journal of labour economics, Mar 1, 2018

Labour is one of the two primary factors determining the level and growth of output. Historically... more Labour is one of the two primary factors determining the level and growth of output. Historically, every episode of growth acceleration has been associated with labour force growth and, even more importantly, with improvements in the quality of the labour force in terms of skills and also in terms of health and living conditions. Employment is the principal means through which individuals acquire a right to an income and the fruits of growth. The extent to which the growth process delivers employment on the scale needed to absorb the increase in the labour force and the manner in which the operations of the labour market and the capital market distribute the fruits of growth between workers, employers and owners of capital is a crucial factor in the state of welfare of the population. Hence, what follows explores the links between employment and two key objectives of development—growth and equity.

Growth Theory and Development Planning

Journal of Quantitative Economics

Professor Sukhamoy Chakravarthy was an outstanding growth theorist who had also worked as a devel... more Professor Sukhamoy Chakravarthy was an outstanding growth theorist who had also worked as a development planner. This paper outlines his substantial contribution to connecting these two areas of discourse. It goes on to suggest areas where the changes that have taken place in reality require a reformulation of growth theory. The first of these is the change in the nature of globalisation with connected value chains, linked technology and capital flows requiring a reformulation of the link between trade and growth. The second is the growing concern about sustainability of development which requires a better integration of environment and economics through a more integrated view of the growth process and the measurement of the welfare value of growth through its impact on a comprehensive measure of wealth that includes natural capital along with manufactured capital and human capital. It also stresses the need to endogenise technology development and profit/wage distribution in growth theory if it is to be useful for development policy. It concludes with the argument that growth is a product of disequilibrium and that there should be greater reliance on the understanding of market based development provided by economists like Marx, Schumpeter, Keynes and Kalecki who connected theory better with the reality of economic dynamics.

Energy, climate and structural change

Contributions to Indian Sociology

The study of human history suggests that the sources of the energy used to sustain production and... more The study of human history suggests that the sources of the energy used to sustain production and consumption are the defining determinants of the productive structure, and by implication of the social structure. This article assesses the economic and sociopolitical changes that one can expect because of the major changes in energy sources required to tackle the threat of global warming. It spells out what we know at present about the risks of climate change arising from global warming, how they are being addressed at present and how the measures that are contemplated at present to cope with the threat of climate change will transform the global energy economy and why this makes possible a substantially more decentralised economy. But it also qualifies this vision and deals with the hurdles that will be faced in the structural transition.

The new Race: Energy and Climate Change

India Quarterly: A Journal of International Affairs, 2008

A s i a n countries differ greatly in the options available and the constraints that bind their e... more A s i a n countries differ greatly in the options available and the constraints that bind their energy prospects. West and North-West Asia are energy rich with huge reserves of oil and gas in the Gulf region and in the Central Asian “stans”. The part of Asia which lies to the East and South of these areas, call it Monsoon Asia for convenience, is energy poor, particularly in petroleum resources. Hence to speak about ’Asian’ imperatives when it comes to energy and climate change is misleading. In any case ’Asia’ is only a geographical expression and, as an idea, has played only a minor role, if any, in shaping geo-poIitica1 perceptions in the region. This contribution focuses mainly on Monsoon Asia.

The internet and governance in Asia: a critical reader

Copyright© 2007 Asian Media Information and Communication Centre Published by Asian Media Informa... more

Implementing Agenda 21: A United Nations Perspective

, he was the Minister for Lands and Forestry. Formerly he held a number of positions in the publi... more , he was the Minister for Lands and Forestry. Formerly he held a number of positions in the public service of the country. He is a lawyer by profession. Stephen Bass, Director of Programmes, IIED, is an environmental planner and forester with 18 years of experience working principally in Western Asia, the Caribbean and Southern Africa. He has specialized in the assessment, formulation and monitoring of participatory natural resource and forest policy, starting with work on national conservation strategies and similar processes. He also has considerable experience in institutional development in forestry and environment. At present he is working on sustainability assessment in forestry, and on developing and assessing market-based instruments, notably forest certification. As IIED's Director of Programmes he is responsible for strategic programme development, research planning and quality control. Stephen is also Associate Departmental Lecturer, Oxford Forestry Institute, Associate Researcher at the European Forestry Institute, and Affiliated Associate, Island Resources Foundation. Previously, he worked as Southern Africa Programme Manager for IUCN and as Warren Weaver Fellow. Barbara J Bramble is Vice-President for National Wildlife Federation's Strategic Programmes Initiative, which develops new projects to confront the conservation challenges of the 21st century. Formerly, she founded and directed for 16 years NWF's international division, which concentrates on ensuring that global economic forces are harnessed for the benefit of wildlife, natural resources and people. Barbara Bramble helped organize the International NGO Forum, the largest NGO conference at the Earth Summit at Rio in 1992; and she has worked with NGOs from many countries on joint campaigns, such as World Bank and WTO reform and pesticide safeguards. Before joining NWF, Barbara Bramble served as legal adviser to the Council on Environmental Quality, in the Executive Office of the US President, and as an environmental lawyer representing national and local conservation groups in cases involving energy, land use and pollution. She received her JD from George Washington University, and a BA in History from George Mason University. Jeb Brugman is the founding Secretary General of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI). He has a 16-year career in the local government sector, focusing primarily on municipal efforts to address major regional and global issues, including the environment, military conflict and human rights. He conceived and launched the Local Agenda 21 initiative in 1990.

Climate change , poverty eradication , and sustainable development

Climate change, Poverty Eradication, and Sustainable Development, in Schellnhuber H.J. et al. ed. Global Sustainability: A Nobel Cause, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2010, pgs, 163-171., 2010

Nitin Desai, a graduate of London School of Economics, taught economics at two British universiti... more Nitin Desai, a graduate of London School of Economics, taught economics at two British universities, worked briefly in the private sector, and had a long stint as a government official in India before joining the UN, where he rose to the position of Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs. He retired from this position in 2003. His major work at the UN involved organizing a series of global summits, including the Rio Earth Summit (1992) and the Johannesburg Sustainable Development Summit (2002). He is at present a member of the National Security Advisory Board and the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change in India, and remains an active participant in the national and global dialogue on climate policy.

Economic analysis of power projects

Neither “Davos Man” nor “Porto Alegre Protester”

New Perspectives Quarterly, 2002

NEW YoRK-The impact of globalization on the environment and development : has been debated heated... more NEW YoRK-The impact of globalization on the environment and development : has been debated heatedly for years in the streets and in salons from Davos to Porto. Alegre. My hope is that a new synthesis will emerge as a result of dialogue between * these different visions as a result of the World Summit on Sustainable Development that convenes in Johannesburg, South Africa in September.

President, Global Humanitarian Forum Advisory panel members

Without describing the full picture of the challenge, we cannot expect our response to match its ... more Without describing the full picture of the challenge, we cannot expect our response to match its scale. And we can no longer hold back from speaking out on the silent suffering of millions worldwide. Polls already show that people worldwide are concerned about climate change. Communities on the climate frontlines already see and feel the change. But awareness about the impacts of climate change is low, particularly among the poor. In industrialized countries, climate change is still considered a solely environmental problem. It is seen as a distant threat that might affect our future. A viewpoint reinforced by pictures of glaciers and polar bears-not human beings. And yet Australia is witnessing a full decade of drought. Large tracts of the United States are exposed to stronger storms and severe water shortages-leading to crop loss, job loss, fires, and death. We testify here to the human face of this dangerous problem. The first hit and worst affected by climate change are the world's poorest groups. Ninety-nine percent of all casualties occur in developing countries. A stark contrast to the one percent of global emissions attributable to some 50 of the least developed nations. If all countries were to pollute so little, there would be no climate change. The effects of pollution driven by economic growth in some parts of the world are now driving millions of people into poverty elsewhere. At the same time, decades-old aid pledges continue to go unmet. The Millennium Development Goals are endangered. And the poor lack capacity to make their voices heard in international arenas, or attract public and private investment. For those living on the brink of survival, climate change is a very real and dangerous hazard. For many, it is a final step of deprivation. Where does a fisherman go when warmer sea temperatures deplete coral reefs and fish stocks? How can a small farmer keep animals or sow crops when the water dries up? Or families be provided for when fertile soils and freshwater are contaminated with salt from rising seas? Climate change is an all encompassing threat, directly affecting the environment, the economy, health and safety. Many communities face multiple stresses with serious social, political and security implications, both domestically and abroad. Millions of people are uprooted or permanently on the move as a result. Many more millions will follow. New climate policy must empower vulnerable communities to cope with these challenges. It should support the wider drive for a dignified existence for all, in harmony with the environment as well as in safety from it. This report has been realized at the last possible moment. It is being issued just six months prior to the meeting of nations at Copenhagen, Denmark, in December 2009. Copenhagen will conclude negotiations begun nearly two years ago for a new international climate agreement to succeed the Kyoto Protocol after 2012. iii Forum 2009: Climate Change-The Anatomy of A Silent Crisis Even the most ambitious climate agreement will take years to slow or reverse global warming. A global carbon economy has been the basis of all productive efforts since centuries. Emissions are still steadily increasing, and the world population is set to grow by forty percent by 2050. If we do not reverse current trends by close to 2020, however, we may have failed. Global warming will pass the widely acknowledged danger level of two degrees, since there is an approximately 20 year delay between emission reductions and the halting of their warming effect. This report clearly demonstrates that climate change is already highly dangerous at well below one degree of warming. Two degrees would be catastrophic. Weak political leadership as evident today is all the more alarming then. It is not, however, surprising, since so few people are aware of just how much is at stake. That we are already this far into the most important negotiations ever for the future of this planet without a clear idea of the full impact of climate change on human society speaks volumes in itself. In this respect, I hope that the report will change political attitudes, spur public debate and more research. Copenhagen needs to be the most ambitious international agreement ever negotiated. The alternative is mass starvation, mass migration, and mass sickness. If political leaders cannot assume responsibility for Copenhagen, they choose instead responsibility for failing humanity. In 2009, national leadership goes beyond the next elections, and far beyond national borders.

On Climate Change: Reflection on international climate diplomacy

Ecology, Economy and Society–the INSEE Journal

The origins of climate diplomacy lie in the alarm bells rung by climate scientists at Villach in ... more The origins of climate diplomacy lie in the alarm bells rung by climate scientists at Villach in 1985. This led to the convening of two influential climate conferences and to the establishment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 1988 and the call for a climate convention (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or UNFCCC). Negotiations for the UNFCCC ran parallel to the preparatory process for the Rio Earth Summit and the Convention was opened for signature at Rio. It was merely a framework that did not impose any binding obligations on emission reductions on the parties, except for the indicative goal of holding emissions at 1990 levels by 2000.

Capitalism by Accident

Economic and Political Weekly, Aug 22, 2012

The geopolitics of climate change

Development, Politics and Governance, 2014

Landmarks for Sustainability: Events and Initiatives That Have Changed Our World, 2009

De-Industrializing Desire - Summer 2002

New Perspectives Quarterly, 2008

Critics of globalization argue that it marginalizes the majority while exacting too high a toll o... more Critics of globalization argue that it marginalizes the majority while exacting too high a toll on the environment. "Sustainable development" is said to be the antidote to this state of affairs. If only the poor were let into the global economy and the rainforest left out the world would be a better place. Yet, if more aid, debt relief and the opening of rich markets to the exports of the poor lead down the same path of industrial development that brought consumer democracies to their present prosperity, the Earth's resources will be exhausted, not sustained. True as it is unjust, the fact remains that the poor majority may admire, envy or resent the rich, but to replicate their lifestyle would be ecocide. "Sustainability" may be compatible with "development" in the shifty realm of politics, but not within the natural limits of the biosphere.

Project LINK Spring Meeting May 3-6, 1999 United Nations Headquarters, New York Conference Room 4

Review symposium : DHARMA KUMAR (ed.), The Cambridge Economic History of India, Vol. 2, c 1757-c 1970, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1983, 1091 pp., 60

Indian Economic & Social History Review, 1984

... DOI: 10.1177/001946468402100305 1984 21: 365 Indian Economic Social History Review Nitin Desa... more

Developing Rural India: Plan and Practice

Economica, 1970

Nationalism and Interdependence

31st Wikhelm von Pochhammer Memorial Lecture, 2019

The theme of the address is the relevance of nationalism in the globalising world of today.The fo... more The theme of the address is the relevance of nationalism in the globalising world of today.The focus is on the global economy and ecology, which is the area with which I am more familiar. But forgive me, if spend a few moments on the history of nationalism and globalisation and the spot they have brought us to as of now.

Sustainable Development note for Brundtland Commission

Brundtland Commission, 1986

The Brundtland Commission has had tremendous impact on governmental policy thinking. Documents of... more The Brundtland Commission has had tremendous impact on governmental policy thinking. Documents of my little country's government now always speak of "sustainable development". I think that the "father" of this thinking is Nitin Desai, who was economic adviser to the commission." Janos Stanovnik Janez Stanovnik was a member of the Brundtland Commission and later became the President of Slovenia,

Work and Welfare

The Indian journal of labour economics, Mar 1, 2018

Labour is one of the two primary factors determining the level and growth of output. Historically... more Labour is one of the two primary factors determining the level and growth of output. Historically, every episode of growth acceleration has been associated with labour force growth and, even more importantly, with improvements in the quality of the labour force in terms of skills and also in terms of health and living conditions. Employment is the principal means through which individuals acquire a right to an income and the fruits of growth. The extent to which the growth process delivers employment on the scale needed to absorb the increase in the labour force and the manner in which the operations of the labour market and the capital market distribute the fruits of growth between workers, employers and owners of capital is a crucial factor in the state of welfare of the population. Hence, what follows explores the links between employment and two key objectives of development—growth and equity.

Growth Theory and Development Planning

Journal of Quantitative Economics

Professor Sukhamoy Chakravarthy was an outstanding growth theorist who had also worked as a devel... more Professor Sukhamoy Chakravarthy was an outstanding growth theorist who had also worked as a development planner. This paper outlines his substantial contribution to connecting these two areas of discourse. It goes on to suggest areas where the changes that have taken place in reality require a reformulation of growth theory. The first of these is the change in the nature of globalisation with connected value chains, linked technology and capital flows requiring a reformulation of the link between trade and growth. The second is the growing concern about sustainability of development which requires a better integration of environment and economics through a more integrated view of the growth process and the measurement of the welfare value of growth through its impact on a comprehensive measure of wealth that includes natural capital along with manufactured capital and human capital. It also stresses the need to endogenise technology development and profit/wage distribution in growth theory if it is to be useful for development policy. It concludes with the argument that growth is a product of disequilibrium and that there should be greater reliance on the understanding of market based development provided by economists like Marx, Schumpeter, Keynes and Kalecki who connected theory better with the reality of economic dynamics.

Energy, climate and structural change

Contributions to Indian Sociology

The study of human history suggests that the sources of the energy used to sustain production and... more The study of human history suggests that the sources of the energy used to sustain production and consumption are the defining determinants of the productive structure, and by implication of the social structure. This article assesses the economic and sociopolitical changes that one can expect because of the major changes in energy sources required to tackle the threat of global warming. It spells out what we know at present about the risks of climate change arising from global warming, how they are being addressed at present and how the measures that are contemplated at present to cope with the threat of climate change will transform the global energy economy and why this makes possible a substantially more decentralised economy. But it also qualifies this vision and deals with the hurdles that will be faced in the structural transition.

The new Race: Energy and Climate Change

India Quarterly: A Journal of International Affairs, 2008

A s i a n countries differ greatly in the options available and the constraints that bind their e... more A s i a n countries differ greatly in the options available and the constraints that bind their energy prospects. West and North-West Asia are energy rich with huge reserves of oil and gas in the Gulf region and in the Central Asian “stans”. The part of Asia which lies to the East and South of these areas, call it Monsoon Asia for convenience, is energy poor, particularly in petroleum resources. Hence to speak about ’Asian’ imperatives when it comes to energy and climate change is misleading. In any case ’Asia’ is only a geographical expression and, as an idea, has played only a minor role, if any, in shaping geo-poIitica1 perceptions in the region. This contribution focuses mainly on Monsoon Asia.

The internet and governance in Asia: a critical reader

Copyright© 2007 Asian Media Information and Communication Centre Published by Asian Media Informa... more

Implementing Agenda 21: A United Nations Perspective

, he was the Minister for Lands and Forestry. Formerly he held a number of positions in the publi... more , he was the Minister for Lands and Forestry. Formerly he held a number of positions in the public service of the country. He is a lawyer by profession. Stephen Bass, Director of Programmes, IIED, is an environmental planner and forester with 18 years of experience working principally in Western Asia, the Caribbean and Southern Africa. He has specialized in the assessment, formulation and monitoring of participatory natural resource and forest policy, starting with work on national conservation strategies and similar processes. He also has considerable experience in institutional development in forestry and environment. At present he is working on sustainability assessment in forestry, and on developing and assessing market-based instruments, notably forest certification. As IIED's Director of Programmes he is responsible for strategic programme development, research planning and quality control. Stephen is also Associate Departmental Lecturer, Oxford Forestry Institute, Associate Researcher at the European Forestry Institute, and Affiliated Associate, Island Resources Foundation. Previously, he worked as Southern Africa Programme Manager for IUCN and as Warren Weaver Fellow. Barbara J Bramble is Vice-President for National Wildlife Federation's Strategic Programmes Initiative, which develops new projects to confront the conservation challenges of the 21st century. Formerly, she founded and directed for 16 years NWF's international division, which concentrates on ensuring that global economic forces are harnessed for the benefit of wildlife, natural resources and people. Barbara Bramble helped organize the International NGO Forum, the largest NGO conference at the Earth Summit at Rio in 1992; and she has worked with NGOs from many countries on joint campaigns, such as World Bank and WTO reform and pesticide safeguards. Before joining NWF, Barbara Bramble served as legal adviser to the Council on Environmental Quality, in the Executive Office of the US President, and as an environmental lawyer representing national and local conservation groups in cases involving energy, land use and pollution. She received her JD from George Washington University, and a BA in History from George Mason University. Jeb Brugman is the founding Secretary General of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI). He has a 16-year career in the local government sector, focusing primarily on municipal efforts to address major regional and global issues, including the environment, military conflict and human rights. He conceived and launched the Local Agenda 21 initiative in 1990.

Climate change , poverty eradication , and sustainable development

Climate change, Poverty Eradication, and Sustainable Development, in Schellnhuber H.J. et al. ed. Global Sustainability: A Nobel Cause, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2010, pgs, 163-171., 2010

Nitin Desai, a graduate of London School of Economics, taught economics at two British universiti... more Nitin Desai, a graduate of London School of Economics, taught economics at two British universities, worked briefly in the private sector, and had a long stint as a government official in India before joining the UN, where he rose to the position of Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs. He retired from this position in 2003. His major work at the UN involved organizing a series of global summits, including the Rio Earth Summit (1992) and the Johannesburg Sustainable Development Summit (2002). He is at present a member of the National Security Advisory Board and the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change in India, and remains an active participant in the national and global dialogue on climate policy.

Economic analysis of power projects

Neither “Davos Man” nor “Porto Alegre Protester”

New Perspectives Quarterly, 2002

NEW YoRK-The impact of globalization on the environment and development : has been debated heated... more NEW YoRK-The impact of globalization on the environment and development : has been debated heatedly for years in the streets and in salons from Davos to Porto. Alegre. My hope is that a new synthesis will emerge as a result of dialogue between * these different visions as a result of the World Summit on Sustainable Development that convenes in Johannesburg, South Africa in September.

President, Global Humanitarian Forum Advisory panel members

Without describing the full picture of the challenge, we cannot expect our response to match its ... more Without describing the full picture of the challenge, we cannot expect our response to match its scale. And we can no longer hold back from speaking out on the silent suffering of millions worldwide. Polls already show that people worldwide are concerned about climate change. Communities on the climate frontlines already see and feel the change. But awareness about the impacts of climate change is low, particularly among the poor. In industrialized countries, climate change is still considered a solely environmental problem. It is seen as a distant threat that might affect our future. A viewpoint reinforced by pictures of glaciers and polar bears-not human beings. And yet Australia is witnessing a full decade of drought. Large tracts of the United States are exposed to stronger storms and severe water shortages-leading to crop loss, job loss, fires, and death. We testify here to the human face of this dangerous problem. The first hit and worst affected by climate change are the world's poorest groups. Ninety-nine percent of all casualties occur in developing countries. A stark contrast to the one percent of global emissions attributable to some 50 of the least developed nations. If all countries were to pollute so little, there would be no climate change. The effects of pollution driven by economic growth in some parts of the world are now driving millions of people into poverty elsewhere. At the same time, decades-old aid pledges continue to go unmet. The Millennium Development Goals are endangered. And the poor lack capacity to make their voices heard in international arenas, or attract public and private investment. For those living on the brink of survival, climate change is a very real and dangerous hazard. For many, it is a final step of deprivation. Where does a fisherman go when warmer sea temperatures deplete coral reefs and fish stocks? How can a small farmer keep animals or sow crops when the water dries up? Or families be provided for when fertile soils and freshwater are contaminated with salt from rising seas? Climate change is an all encompassing threat, directly affecting the environment, the economy, health and safety. Many communities face multiple stresses with serious social, political and security implications, both domestically and abroad. Millions of people are uprooted or permanently on the move as a result. Many more millions will follow. New climate policy must empower vulnerable communities to cope with these challenges. It should support the wider drive for a dignified existence for all, in harmony with the environment as well as in safety from it. This report has been realized at the last possible moment. It is being issued just six months prior to the meeting of nations at Copenhagen, Denmark, in December 2009. Copenhagen will conclude negotiations begun nearly two years ago for a new international climate agreement to succeed the Kyoto Protocol after 2012. iii Forum 2009: Climate Change-The Anatomy of A Silent Crisis Even the most ambitious climate agreement will take years to slow or reverse global warming. A global carbon economy has been the basis of all productive efforts since centuries. Emissions are still steadily increasing, and the world population is set to grow by forty percent by 2050. If we do not reverse current trends by close to 2020, however, we may have failed. Global warming will pass the widely acknowledged danger level of two degrees, since there is an approximately 20 year delay between emission reductions and the halting of their warming effect. This report clearly demonstrates that climate change is already highly dangerous at well below one degree of warming. Two degrees would be catastrophic. Weak political leadership as evident today is all the more alarming then. It is not, however, surprising, since so few people are aware of just how much is at stake. That we are already this far into the most important negotiations ever for the future of this planet without a clear idea of the full impact of climate change on human society speaks volumes in itself. In this respect, I hope that the report will change political attitudes, spur public debate and more research. Copenhagen needs to be the most ambitious international agreement ever negotiated. The alternative is mass starvation, mass migration, and mass sickness. If political leaders cannot assume responsibility for Copenhagen, they choose instead responsibility for failing humanity. In 2009, national leadership goes beyond the next elections, and far beyond national borders.

On Climate Change: Reflection on international climate diplomacy

Ecology, Economy and Society–the INSEE Journal

The origins of climate diplomacy lie in the alarm bells rung by climate scientists at Villach in ... more The origins of climate diplomacy lie in the alarm bells rung by climate scientists at Villach in 1985. This led to the convening of two influential climate conferences and to the establishment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 1988 and the call for a climate convention (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or UNFCCC). Negotiations for the UNFCCC ran parallel to the preparatory process for the Rio Earth Summit and the Convention was opened for signature at Rio. It was merely a framework that did not impose any binding obligations on emission reductions on the parties, except for the indicative goal of holding emissions at 1990 levels by 2000.

Capitalism by Accident

Economic and Political Weekly, Aug 22, 2012

The geopolitics of climate change

Development, Politics and Governance, 2014

Landmarks for Sustainability: Events and Initiatives That Have Changed Our World, 2009

De-Industrializing Desire - Summer 2002

New Perspectives Quarterly, 2008

Critics of globalization argue that it marginalizes the majority while exacting too high a toll o... more Critics of globalization argue that it marginalizes the majority while exacting too high a toll on the environment. "Sustainable development" is said to be the antidote to this state of affairs. If only the poor were let into the global economy and the rainforest left out the world would be a better place. Yet, if more aid, debt relief and the opening of rich markets to the exports of the poor lead down the same path of industrial development that brought consumer democracies to their present prosperity, the Earth's resources will be exhausted, not sustained. True as it is unjust, the fact remains that the poor majority may admire, envy or resent the rich, but to replicate their lifestyle would be ecocide. "Sustainability" may be compatible with "development" in the shifty realm of politics, but not within the natural limits of the biosphere.

Project LINK Spring Meeting May 3-6, 1999 United Nations Headquarters, New York Conference Room 4

Review symposium : DHARMA KUMAR (ed.), The Cambridge Economic History of India, Vol. 2, c 1757-c 1970, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1983, 1091 pp., 60

Indian Economic & Social History Review, 1984

... DOI: 10.1177/001946468402100305 1984 21: 365 Indian Economic Social History Review Nitin Desa... more

Developing Rural India: Plan and Practice

Economica, 1970

NOTE ON THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR BRUNDTLAND COMMISSION

Archives of the Brundtland Commission, 1986

The first note on sustainable development placed before the members of the World Commission on En... more

Politics of Sustainable Development

Keynote address to International Society of Environmental Economics, Rio de Janeiro, 19 June 2012, 2012

This address was about how the clash of environment and development concerns played out in the Br... more This address was about how the clash of environment and development concerns played out in the Brundtland Commission and the 1992 Rio Conference.The author was personally involved with this quite intimately as the Senior Economic Adviser to the Brundtland Commission, as the Deputy Secretary General of the Rio Summit of 1992, as the UN Under Secretary General in charge of the Commission on Sustainable Development and as the Secretary General of the World Summit on Sustainable Development of 2002.I The address however limits itself to the Brundtland Commission and the 1992 Rio meeting leaving the later history for another occasion in the belief that the both the Brundtland report and the outcome of the Rio Conference have had a longer a deeper impact than almost any other exercise of a similar nature

GlobalInstitutions for Sustainability

Address presented to High Level Dialogue on the Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development held at Solo City, Indonesia 19-21 July 2011., 2011

The question this paper asks is whether the institutions and the mechanisms for coordinating nati... more The question this paper asks is whether the institutions and the mechanisms for coordinating national actions are adequate for the challenge of sustainable development. The immediate answer is obvious-they are not because the world is not any closer to the path of sustainability than when we started this journey forty years ago. Yes there is some advance in awareness amongst citizens, corporations and governments. There are some hopeful signs of change in the energy and material intensity of production and in green consumerism. But the world is still very far from accepting the fundamental changes in production and consumption that sustainable development requires. The core issues of finance and technology for sustainable development remain as contentious as they have always been. The paper lays out the changes required for addressing these shortcomings.

India in the 21st century:An Agenda for Development

Address to Pune International Centre, 2014

India is at the cusp of a major transition. Within a generation a society predominantly of low in... more India is at the cusp of a major transition. Within a generation a society predominantly of low income rural agriculturists will become one of middle income, urban, industrial and service workers. The absolute size of the rural population will start declining in a decade or so and a massive occupational and locational shift will move a 100 million people from rural and agricultural work to factories and service establishments in cities.

There are other transitions that will accompany this. One is the so called demographic dividend - the bulge in working age population in the North. The South on the other hand will see a rising proportion of aged retirees from the work force and face labour shortages, which are already evident in current migration trends. All this will happen in a global environment where new technologies that replace skilled labour with computer controlled machines will dull the edge of comparative advantage of low cost labour.

This paper outlines an agenda for development focussing on shifting the focus of growth to the North, ensuring high growth in industry and services, promoting an energy transition,coping with the urban challenge, establishing a structured social security system, conserving the environment and reforming politics

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