Publications

Discussion Paper on Faecal Sludge Management in Urban India: Policies, Practices, and Possibilities

Policy brief
| December 9, 2016

Urban Sanitation and Need for Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) in India The Government of India has undertaken an ambitious social change endeavour of clean and open defecation free (ODF) India. Sustained efforts in this direction has improved the sanitation scenario in India, which in turn would help in achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 6 of universal and equitable access to safe and aff ordable drinking water and adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all.

Sustainable Urban Development: Necessity of Integrating Water-Energy-Food Dimensions in Developmental Policies

Policy brief
| October 1, 2016

India is in a state of transition from traditional rural economy to a modern industrial economy. However, with increasing urbanization it faces challenges in terms of population rise, unplanned urbanization, climate change and degraded ecosystem which pose major impediments towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals. As on 2015, 400 million people reside in urban India and by the year 2050, the number of people living in Indian cities is expected to be about 840 million, which will further aggravate the issues of water, energy and food security.

Road Map for Mainstreaming Urban Climate Resilience in Goa

Policy brief
| July 26, 2016

This policy brief is based on the learning that emerged from The Energy and Resources Institute's (TERI) two-year long program on 'State-level policy engagement for mainstreaming urban climate resilience' in Goa and Uttarakhand, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation under its Asian Cities Climate Change Resilient Network (ACCCRN) initiative. ACCCRN—a 9-year initiative (2008–16)—has been instrumental in bringing forth the urban climate change resilience agenda to cities in Asia.

Road Map for Mainstreaming Urban Climate Resilience in Uttarakhand

Policy brief
| July 26, 2016

This policy brief is based on the learning that emerged from TERI's two-year-long program on 'State Level Policy Engagement for Mainstreaming Urban Climate Resilience' in Goa and Uttarakhand, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation under its Asian Cities Climate Change Resilient Network (ACCCRN) initiative. ACCCRN—a 9-year initiative (2008–16) has been instrumental in bringing forth the urban climate change resilience agenda to cities in Asia. In India, with ACCCRN's support, various cities, viz.

Recent applications of enzymes in personal care products

Research Paper
| May 9, 2016

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Fungi: An Amazing and Hidden Source of Antimycobacterial compounds ​

Research Paper
| May 9, 2016

Tuberculosis is an endemic disease of the poverty ridden, undernourished and over populated countries of the world. It is also a systemic disease that is extremely dependent on the physiology of the system it invades and thus varies signifi cantly from person to person. New developments in the treatment of this d isease have rarely percolated down to the larger sections of the under privileged in our societies. The need for highly active, long acting, yet less expensive drugs against Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis still exists.

Review of MBBR models for treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater

Research Paper
| May 8, 2016

The conventional waste water treatment technologies are based on processes like Activated sludge process, Extended aeration, Submerged aerobic fixed film reactor, Trickling filter or Rotating Biological Contactor. However, in the recent years there has been a shift towards adoption of Sequential batch reactor (SBR) and Moving bed biological reactor (MBBR). This paper reviews various MBBR models available in the Indian market for the treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater and their effect on reactor volume and media quantity.

Discussion Paper: Suggestions for an Appropriate Environmental Governance Architecture for India

Policy brief
| February 15, 2016

The Discussion Paper examines the current architecture of the main environment related legislations, namely the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980; The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972; The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; and The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, in the context of the Constitutional provisions and the evolution of approaches to better environmental management, including those emanating from international conventions.

Discussion Paper: Modelling Urban Carrying Capacity and Measuring Quality of Life using System Dynamics

Policy brief
| February 11, 2016

An outcome of urban growth is concentration of population and businesses. As the population of an urban area increases, so do diverse concerns and problems including issues of servicing large number of people with existing, limited resources. Environmental problems, particularly pollution and water scarcity, have become more prominent and worrisome in recent times and are central issues for urban planners and decision makers. To address these complex problems, practical approaches that incorporate the concept of carrying capacity into managing urban development are needed.

Sustainability Dynamics of Resource Use and Economic Growth

Policy brief
| August 31, 2015

All economies of the world depend upon the use of renewable natural resources1 for their growth. This relationship inherently reflects that continued increase in extraction of resources is a must to sustain economic growth. Inevitably, a tipping point is reached from where the regeneration rates of the resources diminish due to depletion of the resource stock. The resource production peaks and declines which lead to a delayed feedback on the economy, ultimately restricting its ability to grow and sustain its level of output.