Awareness about environment and climate issues is rising in India and with progressive regulations like mandatory contribution by companies towards CSR, one can look at private capital for environment conservation, saysMark Tercek, global chief executive officer, The Nature Conservancy (TNC). The 70-year-old global non-profit entity is working on projects related to cleansing rivers like Ganga and Narmada apart from addressing air pollution, drought and wetland issues across cities like New Delhi and Chennai. Excerpts:
TNC is relatively new in India. How is the experience so far?
We have been here for nearly three years. The first year and a half was [spent in] planning and getting organised. The past year was our first real year of operation. I’m very pleased that we have put together with partners some very good projects. It is too early to brag. We have the Happy Seeder programme to address air pollution in Delhi, the Chennai wetlands project, the river project at Marathwada to name a few. We are new in India and the team is relatively small with 17 people.
But, we are drawing on our teams from around the world.
We have done projects like the Chennai wetlands project for decades around the world. Our India team benefits from that expertise. Although we are young in India, we are old in terms of our global experience. That should allow us to get off to a fast start.
Based on your three-year experience in India, where would you peg the general awareness among Indians about climate and environment issues?
Awareness level is very high. People are aware of the issues. There is enough room to improve to get everybody on our side. Corporates in India are very engaged with their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes.
Also, the fact that companies have to mandatory contribute 2% (of net profit) towards CSR is a very progressive regulatory thing. We encourage some of those companies to make a difference on the nature front.
How easy or difficult it is to get funding for such projects in India?
We have had some success. We have to be humble and respectful when asking for money. So far, we have raised half of our support fund for India from India. A little bit more than half from outside India. Once we deliver, we should be able to get more support. We are cautiously optimistic.
How many projects do you have in India right now?
We have a total of nine.
What are your India-specific plans going ahead?
We want to have a big impact but we have to earn our way. Continually show results, build relationships with government, get private sector and financial support. We want to be encouraged by early results. We want to work with other NGOs and the government to get more scale.
Who do you think plays a bigger role in such projects as you interact with government/ private sector?
This is not an India-specific comment. The private sector is attractive to work with since it is creative, fast-moving, entrepreneurial and enormously helpful. But in most situations, government is more important since they can invest in nature for social good — that’s the government’s job. In our line of work, regulations and laws matter. Private sector is a great partner in general, including for influencing governments but the government is the most important player.
What is your experience been with the government?
They have high, sophisticated awareness and are looking for solutions that can be scaled and be cost effective. Even though people think that environmental protection are at odds with economic opportunities, it is not true.
Government leaders understand that protecting natural assets is fundamental to lifting people out of poverty and access a better life.
