Himalayan development and environment

Every one agrees that environmental change have deep import and significance for human survival. Yet, until recently, these issues have been practically missing from the important policy formulation processes with which powerful political and economic forces are concerned world over. A serious wide ranging international discussion began on the environmental issues with the Stockholm Conference. Almost two decades have since elapsed. Many steps have been taken to conscientize the citizen, the scientist and the decision maker in these contexts. Yet, much remains to be done. The environmental clock is ticking in the meantime with an inevitability that seems to be threaten ing. Politics and economics have been the primary concerns of world powers. However, it is now realized with increasing urgency that 'ecology and 'economy' have necessarily to find a constructive fit The debate on policy and institutional changes needed to reverse environmental degradation and Imove toward more sustained forms of development is becoming urgent and intense. The forthcoming 'Earth Summit' (U. N. Conference on Environment and Development) being held at Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 is to be the "most comprehensive endeavour towards understanding the ever-increasing complexity and conflict characterising the relationship between environment and development" throughout the world. It is hoped that an important feature of the Earth Summit' will be the focussing of global attention on the environment and developnient of mountains.