ROLE OF NUDGING IN SELECT GOALS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Humankind has made tremendous progress in the 21st century. However, this progress has come at increased costs in terms of depletion of natural resources and environmental degradation. In response to this there is a growing concern across countries to adopt and achieve the goals of sustainable development. However, it is a challenging task as it requires changes in human psychology and practices, particularly, apathy and lethargy. It requires sensitization and influencing of the perception of human beings, which in turn calls for much effort. It is necessary to go beyond traditional approaches of laws and rules that involve penalties and compulsions with huge costs of implementation and compliance tracking. There is need to incorporate innovative ways of dealing with the issue. The Nudge theory offers one such alternative that can complement the traditional approaches. In this context, the present examined various steps taken by governments in India and other countries to incorporate nudging in the efforts to achieve goals of sustainable development. An examination of the effectiveness of nudge in the form of mid-day meal scheme in government schools in India was also undertaken. Preliminary analysis revealed favorable effect of the nudge in improving enrolment and attendance in primary schools.