Sustainability as the Provider of Livelihood

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My Sustainable Encounter with Bijan Mishra

by Albert Schiller

The Livelihood Imperative: A Foundational Realization

Does true sustainability emerge from regulatory mandates, or a deeper understanding of human well-being and long-term societal continuity? Bijan Mishra's impactful 35-year journey has been instrumental in shaping India's evolving sustainability landscape. His career began not with a predefined mission, but through immersion within diverse industrial segments, including mining, thermal power stations, renewables, and steel plants.

During this tenure, he first realized sustainability would become "more than just work", evolving into a core identity. He observed that in a country like India, where "opportunities and learnings come every day", one could directly "correlate the output or the productivity with the sustainability". This correlation became fundamental, as he understood that sustainability "has to go in the long run". From India's unique perspective, he recognized that "everything... is related to livelihood". This insight was pivotal:

From Micro-Impact to Macro-Solutions: A Pivotal Shift

Bijan's career initially involved researching the "health aspects of livestock" impacted by pollution from thermal power stations and various industrial activities. This early work, investigating emissions and their impact on the "life cycle impacting the bovines and comes to the human life chain", triggered a crucial thought. He questioned "whether these learnings could be transferred into understanding and implementing the different management techniques, plans, and technological innovations" within industries that significantly contributed to environmental degradation. This foundational research ultimately facilitated his shift from a specialized project focusing on localized pollution effects to large-scale engagement with industries, seeking systemic solutions where problems were initially conceived on a micro-level. His early insights into the tangible harm caused by industrial practices thus catalyzed a broader, more impactful career trajectory.

Productivity and Planet: A Unified Vision

Bijan Mishra's philosophy posits that sustainability is not a separate discipline, but an inherent aspect of optimal productivity and enduring societal well-being. His core conviction, formed through decades of experience, is that any industry's "output or productivity" is inextricably linked to the sustainability of its operations. For him, this connection is not abstract; it's a practical truth that "has to go in the long run" for any enterprise to thrive. This perspective redefines sustainability from merely a regulatory burden or a marketing buzzword to a fundamental component of long-term economic viability and societal health. He views a productive industry as one that inherently cares for the nature it depends on, recognizing that environmental degradation ultimately undermines resource availability and human livelihood.

The Legacy of Practicality

Bijan Mishra's perspective offers a blueprint for long-term, sustainable transformation. His approach transcends mere compliance, advocating for sustainability as an embedded, logical, and enduring aspect of thriving economies and communities. It is a philosophy forged in the practical realities of industrial India, emphasizing that understanding the intricate links between resource utilization, productivity, livelihood, and environmental impact is paramount. His 35 years in the field underscore that genuine commitment to the planet and its people is not a fleeting trend, but a continuous journey of pragmatic action, driven by an unwavering conviction that protecting nature is essential for the long-term well-being of all.

This enduring commitment allows him to see solutions where others perceive only obstacles, making his decades of on-ground experience a testament to the power of persistent, purposeful engagement. He embodies the principle that a deep understanding of integrated systems and an unwavering belief in their viability are the engines of sustainable progress in complex environments like India.

So what can we take from his approach?

Questions for Audience

1. Bijan Mishra asserts that sustainability "has to go in the long run" because "everything... is related to livelihood." How can businesses and communities better integrate this long-term livelihood perspective into short-term planning and decision-making?

   
   

2. The blog highlights Bijan's shift from micro-impact research to large-scale industrial engagement. What mechanisms can facilitate this transfer of learning from small-scale observations to broad, systemic environmental solutions across different sectors?