Why Carrots Trump Sticks.

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My Sustainable Encounter with Shivani Mehta

by Albert Schiller

Beyond Punitive Measures

Effective climate action often grapples with a fundamental question of human motivation: are individuals and organizations best driven by fear of punishment or the allure of reward? Observing the landscape in India, a compelling argument emerges for the latter. Shivani Mehta articulates a clear preference for "reward-based programs". She finds these to be "the most successful ones when we are implementing programs... at the State or the national level as well". This directly challenges the conventional, often Western-centric, reliance on penalties and compliance mandates. A system of positive reinforcement, exemplified by initiatives like the Swachh Survekshan program, which awards top-performing cities, provides direct "motivation for the local bodies as well as for the people" to work towards shared goals actively.

The Logic of Human Behavior

This strategy taps into a "natural human tendency". Individuals are, by nature, more responsive to incentives that offer tangible benefits. This approach fosters a "positive environment" where good work yields rewards, rather than cultivating a "negative notion" born from fines or punitive actions. The Majhi Vasundhara Abhiyan, a state-level climate program in Maharashtra, is a powerful case study. Like the national Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, this initiative effectively educated rural local bodies about climate change and its direct impacts. These programs demonstrably "create awareness" and "spur action" by aligning environmental efforts with regional aspirations. Does this localized, reward-driven model hold a universal key to sustained behavioral change over global enforcement frameworks?

Unseen Contributions, Tangible Impact

The broader ecosystem of climate action, however, frequently overlooks critical contributors. Shivani points out that the vital work of local organizations and NGOs, despite "strengthening the implementation part of the frameworks or the tools", is "often overlooked". These grassroots entities bridge significant gaps between high-level policy and on-the-ground practice. Academic institutions also play a crucial, yet sometimes unacknowledged, role in the "research that takes place in understanding the problem as well as to come up with the solution". NGOs often face the challenge of adapting their agile, community-led models to "top-down defined" structures while competing for limited funds. Their integration is beneficial but arguably indispensable for comprehensive impact.

The Collaborative Imperative

Constructing an "influential report" that genuinely impacts decisions requires broad stakeholder involvement. This process demands active collaboration from diverse groups: "academicians", "representatives from the local governments", "representatives from the different departments", "local organizations", and even "local people". Uniting these varied voices ensures a comprehensive perspective, resulting in a "implementable at the local body level" report transcending mere theoretical documentation. Is collective input the missing element for truly actionable policy, ensuring solutions resonate with those they aim to serve? Ignoring the nuances of human motivation, whether in individuals or small local bodies, is a strategic miscalculation for any environmental mandate.

So what can we take from her approach?