People in boats at sunset, Ganges, India.

India – Dealing with environmental challenges of industrial expansion

Last reviewed: ‎26‎ ‎October‎ ‎2023

Harmful environmental impact from expanding industries is one of India’s most urgent challenges. The Swedish EPA’s cooperation has involved sustainable urbanisation, inspection of industries, and reinforcement of environmental legislation.

The bilateral cooperation with India has aimed to improve environmental governance for mutual strategic benefits, for example to comply with commitments within international environmental conventions. 

Training programmes for environmental regulators 

Between 2012-2022 the Swedish EPA collaborated with the Indian research and advocacy organisation Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). CSE organises training programmes for state-level environmental regulators in which the Swedish EPA participated as speakers or lecturers in areas such as “Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement” and “Urban Air Quality Management. Understanding the trainings were environmental permitting of industries, inspection and sustainable urbanisation.

Topics covered were for instance: waste management and wastewater treatment, environmental governance, and different types of environmental instruments such as legislation, economic and voluntary instruments. Based on interactivity, discussions and group exercises, the trainings provided opportunities for participants to exchange expertise and experience. 

Besides participating and contributing to courses in different regions in India, the Swedish EPA has previously arranged study visits to Sweden. Seminars and field trips to industry plants and public agencies aimed to share experiences and enhance mutual learning in specific technical areas. 

Contaminated sites / Case – the Union Carbide disaster 

In 1984 a devastating accident occurred in Bhopal, India, at the pesticide plant of the former Union Carbide India Limited. More than 500,000 people were exposed to the highly toxic substance methyl isocyanate, MIC. The number of casualties rose to several thousand and the disaster is considered one of the worst in history. 

During the second half of 2019 a delegation from Bhopal visited Malmö for an exchange programme on guidance and education in sampling strategy and risk assessment of contaminated sites. The visit included seminars about the Swedish process for treatment of contaminated land. The purpose was to mediate systems and tools to perform analyses and risk assessments in a sustainable way for their work in Bhopal. The delegation also visited the post treatment site of BT Kemi in Teckomatorp to take part of their experiences on site. 

Memorandum of Understanding with India on cooperation in the field of the environment:

Memorandum of Understanding with India on environmental cooperation (In Swedish)

Contact

Would you like to know more about thecooperation with India? Send an email to Malin Larsson at anna.otmalm@naturvardsverket.se.