Publications

India’s 2035 Climate Target: A Business Opportunity for Growth and Global Leadership

Policy brief
| June 30, 2025

India has demonstrated strong climate leadership under the Paris Agreement and is on track to meet its existing Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for 2030. As countries prepare to submit new NDCs ahead of COP30 in 2025, which reflect a country’s “highest possible ambition,” grounded in the principles of “common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities,” India has a timely opportunity to build on this success by setting out a clear, ambitious vision for 2035 that advances both national development goals and global climate commitments.

Assessing the Economic Viability and Environmental Benefits of Treating Market Waste Using Anaerobic Digestion: A Case Study of Koyambedu Market in Chennai, India

Policy brief
| June 27, 2025

There is significant potential to increase waste diversion in India, which can extend the lifespan of disposal sites, advance a circular economy, reduce emissions, and improve air quality and public health.

Grassroots Climate Action in Uttarakhand: Partnerships, Participation, and Progress

Article
| June 27, 2025

Agriculture is the backbone of the hill economy in Uttarakhand. However, most of the farming in the state is rain-fed, with irrigation facilities primarily restricted to the plains and valleys.

Internationalising Lifestyle for the Environment

Research Paper
| June 24, 2025

Lifestyle for the Environment’ (LiFE), introduced by India’s Prime Minister at COP26, emphasises behavioural shifts for sustainable consumption. This chapter explores the integration of LiFE into multilateral processes to strengthen global sustainability efforts. It analyses opportunities within the G20, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to embed lifestyle-centric approaches into global governance. 

India’s New AC Set Point Rule: A Small Tweak with Big Implications

Article
| June 19, 2025

Why a shift from 16°C to 20°C could reshape the nation’s energy future and cooling habits.

Climate Anxiety in Youth: Causes, Impacts, and Solutions

Article
| June 11, 2025

A recent survey reveals that 94% of Indian youth are grappling with eco-anxiety amid the climate crisis.

Assessing the Impact of Regional Climate Variability on Forest Vulnerability in Assam Using a GIS and Machine Learning-Based Approach

Research Paper
| June 10, 2025

Assam, one of India’s richest regions in terms of biodiversity, faces significant environmental threats due to regional climate variability and anthropogenic pressures. This study explores a GIS and machine learning (ML)-based approach to assess the impact of climate change on forest and biodiversity vulnerability across the state.

Bioremediation of oil spills and oil contaminated soil by Oil zapper

Article
| June 2, 2025

Oil spills are a worldwide phenomenon that pose a major threat to ecosystems and their flora and fauna. Despite the greatest efforts of the petroleum industry and consumers, oil spills throughout the country are increasing. Aside from oil spills, oil refineries produce a significant amount of toxic hydrocarbon waste that must be managed in an environmentally responsible manner. Physical (storing oil sludge and drill cutting in secured pits) and chemical techniques of removing these hydrocarbons are both costly and harmful to the environment.

The Silent Disaster: Why India Must Build Stronger Heatwave Resilience

Article
| May 30, 2025

Between 1992 and 2015, official estimates recorded 24,223 deaths caused by heatwaves, earning it the labels of a “silent killer” or an “invisible disaster.”

India and Commonwealth: Examining the Debates on Contemporary Relevance and Continued Membership

Research Paper
| May 30, 2025

India’s continued membership in the Commonwealth has led to an emergence o f two opposing perceptions. The first group perceives it as a relevant organisation, and India should continue its membership to pursue its varied interests. The second group relegates it as a relic o f the colonial past and strongly advocates for exiting the organisation.