Malappuram: The academic community should come forward to objectively understand the working of various economic sectors to prevent overconsumption affecting the ecology due to faulty policies, said renowned ecologist Madhav Gadgil. Delivering the inaugural speech at a national seminar on climate change and sustainable development at Malayalam University in Tirur on Thursday, Dr Gadgil said it was being performed almost exclusively by journalists and non-academic organisations.
“Setting aside the arms deals and drug trafficking, the production geared towards the glamour industry, notably the luxury housing and beauty products have a significant impact on the environment. We need academic studies of the material and energy demands imposed by these and their contributions to overall development,” he said. “For development, we should go beyond GDP growth and view it through the prism of a more comprehensive framework of changes such man-made capital, natural capital, human capital and social capital,” Mr. Gagdil added.
