Preventive Environmental Management (PEM) stands for a dynamic synergy of tools and approaches, which can be easily applied by diverse stakeholders in the society. For instance, a PEM expression by industry can be in the form of cleaner production, waste minimization, value addition to wastes, and reducing recalcitrance of wastes. This could also have significant bearing on improving safety and health at the work place and the surroundings. Technocrats active in areas of technology development can analyze gaps in technologies and production practices to first achieve waste minimization and recycling of resources. Engineers and scientists addressing issues of resource conservation and advanced management of wastes can devise pathways for technical improvement. They could thus help in sectoral transitions to cleaner production with significantly lesser material and energy intensities.

India has been on a steep learning curve over the past three decades; more so during the last decade adapting to liberalization and evolving her own structures of competitiveness and environmental governance. The domestic and global demand for an environmentally efficient society has been an important driver for transitioning to better technologies and improved production practices. This is the most opportune moment for taking a stock of the situation by interpreting opportunities for further improvement. This effort synthesizes some learnings of relevance to diverse stakeholders who can play rather important roles in enabling adaptations to advanced technologies and improved production and consumption systems.