Eco-Tourism Beyond Tigers?
Sustainability Next|March 2017

India’s eco-tourism policies are too heavily tilted towards managing tiger reserves.

Eco-Tourism Beyond Tigers?

This has clearly affected the development and growth of eco-tourism as a complete experience. In fact, it has been affecting tigers too as people disturb them while trying to get a glimpse. “There’s too much stress on large mammals (like elephants, rhinos & tigers). The challenge for us is how to move away from this focus,” Vinay Luthra, chairman of the Karnataka Tourism Board observed.

What a robust eco-tourism policy should look like – was the topic of the workshop at IIM Bangalore in February 2017. It was put together by Dharthi and SustainabilityNext in collaboration with IIMB (Centre for Corporate Governance & Citizenship.) The participants represented different stakeholders – forest department officials, tourism board members, resort owners, community-run resorts, NGOs and academia.

It’s surprising that India and most of its state governments, with the exceptions of Kerala, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, are yet to announce a comprehensive eco-tourism policy. Karnataka was a pioneer when it announced its ‘Wilderness Tourism Policy’ a decade ago. The state is known to have drafted an eco-tourism policy as well recently, but a few contentious issues and vested interests are said to holding back from announcing it.

This story is from the March 2017 edition of Sustainability Next.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the March 2017 edition of Sustainability Next.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM SUSTAINABILITY NEXTView All
Where Wastepickers Become Entrepreneurs
Sustainability Next

Where Wastepickers Become Entrepreneurs

Bengaluru’s Citizens have looked at waste pickers, popularly called rag pickers, with disdain. Even if some acknowledge their constribution to the city’s cleanliness they don’t think waste pickers have or need an identity of their own.

time-read
4 mins  |
July 2017
We Can Reverse Global Warming In 30 Years
Sustainability Next

We Can Reverse Global Warming In 30 Years

Yes, says Paul Hawken, author of 'Drawdown - The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming' if most of the 100 solutions suggested in the book are implemented by 2050. The good news is, most of the solutions already exist 

time-read
1 min  |
July 2017
Greater Malabar Initiative To Promote Local Innovation For Local Problems
Sustainability Next

Greater Malabar Initiative To Promote Local Innovation For Local Problems

Kappad, 12 kilometers from Kozhikode a quiet place that witnessed the historical event that changed the history of India forever - the place Vasco Da Gama landed in 1498.

time-read
2 mins  |
July 2017
Carbon Masters To Set Up First Bio-CNG Unit In Malur Soon
Sustainability Next

Carbon Masters To Set Up First Bio-CNG Unit In Malur Soon

Carbon Masters, a Bangalore based energy start-up, has raised an undisclosed amount from Indian Angel Network and Sangam Ventures, a pure play clean tech venture fund.

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2017
Fish Food Using Plastic Waste
Sustainability Next

Fish Food Using Plastic Waste

During her school, one day, Miranda Wang was distraught at seeing a huge landfill with plastic contributing to most of the urban waste.

time-read
1 min  |
December 2016
any takers for coconut-shelled homes?
sustainability next

any takers for coconut-shelled homes?

jayneel trivedi is an architect who works in the sustainable living space. he has worked with govardhan eco village project (mumbai), a 100 acre sustainable farm community and retreat center. this project has won national and international awards like iaa olive crown award, skoch platinum award, green apple award (uk), asian leadership csr award (dubai), aqua excellence award. jayneel is also associated with indian green building council (igbc) that spearheads the green building movement in india.

time-read
4 mins  |
january 2017
one third of consumers prefer sustainable brands
sustainability next

one third of consumers prefer sustainable brands

a study by accenture and havas media group also found that consumers in emerging economies are more engaged on sustainabilty and expect companies' good purpose efforts to benefit them directly.

time-read
2 mins  |
january 2017
diesel cars are 10 times more toxic than trucks and buses
sustainability next

diesel cars are 10 times more toxic than trucks and buses

a recent article in the guardian quotes a report which shows that modern diesel cars produce 10 times more toxic air pollution than heavy trucks and buses.

time-read
1 min  |
january 2017
Amazon Tower To Study Impact of Climate Change
Sustainability Next

Amazon Tower To Study Impact of Climate Change

The Amazon, a region nearly the size of the U.S., is by far the largest rainforest on earth. Biologists have warned for decades that its prodigious biodiversity was threatened by logging.

time-read
2 mins  |
July 2016
‘Environment' Missing from Budget and Economic Survey
Sustainability Next

‘Environment' Missing from Budget and Economic Survey

It’s taken the sharp ears and eyes of senior staff at Centre for Science & Environment to notice that the word ‘environment’ was missing from this year’s Economic Survey as well as the 2017 Budget. What does one make of it? Does it mean this government is callous towards the environment or is it that other related words like renewable energy, climate change, sanitation, and cleaning rivers have replaced the mother word?

time-read
1 min  |
February 2017