Aspiring for a career in environment in India today is akin to leaving a trail. The field is still nascent but opportunities exist across a slew of sectors, providing students the chance to become trailblazers.
JournalismIndia has no dearth of environment stories. It is in the telling, where it lacks. M Rajshekhar, a senior journalist, observes, “Environmental reporting in India is episodic and spasmodic. There is a lack of seriousness about it...”
Still, opportunities do exist. President of the Bangalore-based Forum of Environmental Journalists of India (FEJI) and veteran environment journalist Keya Acharya elucidates, “At FEJI we get a number of inquiries about environment reporting every month. Currently, we have about 500 environment journalists in our forum.”
Acharya feels that it is a matter of presentation for such stories to sell. “You can always give an environmental angle to a story, if you see it.” Hence, keen observation and foresight are quintessential, as is the ability to simplify complex environmental issues for the average reader. Courage and the desire to slog it out are also important. “As an environmental journalist you may need to travel a lot, often to the remotest areas, to cover certain issues. You may also be treading many vested interests,” she explains.
Education: A course in mass communication together with a technical qualification in environment is useful.
Employment: Environment journalists can work for mainstream and online media, as well as niche publications in India and abroad.
LawWhen M.C Mehta started off as an environmental lawyer in the 1980s, “there was nothing,” he says. However, more than 20 years later, the veteran sees a sea change in the field. “Today we have Green Tribunals to look into environmental violations, and people are more aware of their rights. Environmental issues have increased, litigation has increased and so have the opportunities for environment lawyers.”
Besides working in the public and private sector, a number of environment lawyers represent ordinary citizens in their fight against environmental injustice. The Delhi-based Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment (LIFE) is an organisation actively taking up the cause of people adversely affected by development projects. Says Rahul Choudhary, one of the lawyers at LIFE, “It’s a challenging job which requires background checks on complainants to ensure the veracity of their claims as well as extensive research on the environmental consequences of a project. It involves long hours and detailed reading, often on technical subjects one may not be entirely aware of. However, it’s all worth it because our work directly affects the lives of hundreds of people.”
Education: A degree in law is essential, while any technical qualification in environment would be an added advantage.
Employment: Environment lawyers can work with legal firms, NGOs, corporates, as well as government bodies set up under the Ministry of Environment.
They can also take up academic positions in law schools.
ArchitectureThe Indian green building movement began in the early 2000s and gained significant momentum in the last few years. Suraksha Bhatla, a Senior Green Building Analyst at Environmental Design Solutions, an organisation that has worked on more than 250 green buildings, says “Today, the Indian green industry has covered around 2 billion square feet of registered and certified projects (and) India ranks third for the most number of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), certified buildings in the world.”
Environmental architecture encompasses all aspects of the built environment — from the basic level of using recycled and low-energy materials to technical aspects such as site layout and planning, water recycling and waste reduction — in order to create a project that has a low carbon footprint and is energy efficient, leading to greater cost savings. S Srinivas, Deputy Executive Director at the Confederation of Indian Industry, Indian Green Building Council, says that cost savings contribute to the increasing popularity of the field. However, convincing the client is an important skill. “Environment architects need to be aware of the latest developments in the field — new materials and technologies as well as emerging knowledge and procedures — so that they can offer solutions and convince clients to take up green projects.”
Education : An undergraduate degree in architecture together with a postgraduate qualification in any related sustainability discipline is advantageous. LEED accreditation is required for green consultancy in India.
Employment: Green architects can work with environmental consultancies, green certification institutions and MNCs. They can also work with government organisations and educational institutions.
Waste managementGarbage is money, provided you’re willing to see it, believes Dr Amiya Kumar Sahu, Founder and President of the National Solid Waste Association of India (NSWAI). With millions of tonnes of waste being generated in India every day, waste management, he says, is not just a desperate need of the hour, but even a lucrative career option.
A waste management professional can be involved in a variety of roles. Prasad Modak, Executive President at the Environment Management Centre LLP, corroborates, “From analytical work, which involves monitoring and sampling waste, to designing work that involves creating systems and equipment that help in waste management — a number of profiles are available to qualified candidates. There is also a high demand for professionals involved in strategic planning.” However, the nature of the job is inter-disciplinary and aspirants should be willing to learn about all the processes involved.
Education: Students entering this field usually pursue engineering at the undergraduate level and then a postgraduate programme in environment management. However, a number of universities abroad offer specialised courses in waste management.
Employment: Waste management professionals can work with corporates, municipalities or take up teaching positions for courses in environment. They can also become entrepreneurs.
