Green projects can't fail the green test

The Supreme Court recently pulled up the Maharashtra government for its poor performance in implementing afforestation measures as compensation for cutting down trees while constructing Mumbai Metro lines. Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation's measures, including tree transplantation, were undertaken so ineffectively that it was obvious that compensatory and mitigation measures are not high on the priority list while building critical infrastructure.

Developers are required to undertake compensatory afforestation when their projects involve diversion of forest land or felling of trees. They are also required to implement measures to mitigate the environmental impacts of their development. But there is a tendency to take a box-ticking approach to such obligations. With climate and ecological risks rising, it is essential that economic activities - like infra development projects - begin to take measures that hedge against these risks. Understanding risks and the role that compensatory afforestation and environmental mitigation play in reducing them will push developers to treat them as integral parts of project design, rather than afterthoughts.

The top court pulling up Maharashtra government should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers to systemically incorporate ecological and climate factors in their planning. Even when infrastructure is considered green - as in the case of metro lines or RE transmission networks - environmental impacts remain. Ensuring that these impacts are addressed is critical for building resilient infrastructure. The apex court's rap on the state government's knuckles should nudge both public and private developers, as well as policymakers, to review how they understand and address climate and ecological risks.