In an age where we chase quarterly GDP numbers like gospel and measure progress by urban skylines and stock market surges, Dr. Anil Prakash Joshi walks in like a gust of Himalayan air—refreshing, firm, and a little unsettling in the best way. At the second edition of the India Climate Summit 2025, hosted by Times Network, he reminded everyone in the room that the real wealth of a nation doesn’t just lie in its bank accounts or billion-dollar startups. It’s in its rivers, forests, soil, and silence. It’s in knowing not just how much you’ve earned, but how much water you’ve consumed and food you’ve wasted. It’s in remembering where the mango you just ate came from—and whether it will still grow there 20 years from now. Dr. Joshi’s presence at the summit was not just symbolic. It was urgent. Redefining Progress: Why the Earth Should Have an Accounting System Too A Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardee, Dr. Anil Prakash Joshi has long believed that GDP—our classic indicator of national growth—tells only half the story. “We speak of progress, but we never speak of environmental productivity. A robust economy is only possible if the ecosystem is stable,” he said. This isn’t a new concern for him. Years ago, he coined the term Gross Environmental Product (GEP)—an ecological counterpoint to GDP. It’s not just a concept anymore. On 5 June 2021, the state of Uttarakhand formally adopted GEP as a growth measure. Let that sink in. A state in India now officially acknowledges that environmental health is as important as economic indicators. Think of it as nature’s credit score. “We Know Our FDs, Not Our Food” What makes Dr. Joshi’s activism stand out is not just his scientific background—it’s his cultural clarity. “We, as a human species, are insecure. We know exactly how much money we have, where our FDs are, our EMIs. But we have no idea how much water we consume or where our food comes from,” he noted. It’s not just ecological ignorance—it’s ecological amnesia. He warned against the rampant urbanisation that has left rural wisdom behind. “People in cities don’t know anything about soil, water, or where their food is grown. We’ve turned a blind eye to the very earth we walk on.” His frustration is layered with fact: while metros balloon and globalise, villages shrink, not just in population but in self-sufficiency. God, Culture and Consumerism: It’s All Connected If you thought climate talk couldn’t be spiritual, think again. Dr. Joshi spoke passionately about how “there’s no difference between God and Environment—it is the same.” For him, environmentalism isn’t a movement; it’s a philosophy. A value system. A forgotten culture. “We’ve confused culture with consumerism. One cannot replace the other,” he added. He’s not just a scientist or a social worker—he’s a revivalist. Hailing from the lap of Ganga and Yamuna, his message is steeped in a deeper truth: environment isn’t a policy, it’s a practice. From Villages to Visionary Policy: A Life’s Work Born in 1955 in Kotdwar, Pauri Garhwal, to a family of farmers, Dr. Joshi began as a college professor with a PhD in ecology. But in 1979, he gave up his academic job to launch HESCO (Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization), a Dehradun-based NGO that blends traditional knowledge with modern science. With a team of just 30 people, HESCO has reached 40 villages, introducing water mills, rainwater harvesting, herbal pesticides, compost pits and more. One of his most ingenious moves? Transforming the humble shrub Kurri—a weed, until he discovered its use in furniture, incense sticks, fodder, and even fuel. Add to that: ten books, over 60 scientific articles, the Jamnalal Bajaj Award, the Jawaharlal Nehru Award, Ashoka Fellowship (1993) and a memorable appearance on Kaun Banega Crorepati (25 December 2020) as a Karamveer guest. Oh, and a documentary titled A Son of Himalaya. Development vs 5 Trillion Pieces of Floating Plastic Even as India dreams of becoming a $5 trillion economy, Dr. Joshi is asking the questions no one else is. “We need development, yes. But do we ever talk about the 5 trillion plastic pieces floating in our water bodies?” For him, these aren’t two sides of a debate. They are part of the same conversation. The four pillars of GDP—agriculture, infrastructure, services and industry—must stand on ecological foundations, or they will eventually collapse. “GDP going down is not the concern. GEP going down is a crisis.”