Publications

Towards Zero Waste: Innovations in Circular Economy Models for Indian Cities and Towns

Article
| September 12, 2025

Rapid industrialization, urbanization, and shifting consumption patterns have led to a dramatic rise in municipal solid waste (MSW) generation.

Promoting an Enhanced Learning About Environment Through a Whole-school Approach and Non-formal Education Tools: A Case Study of GREEN Olympiad

Research Paper
| September 12, 2025

Holistic education empowers learners with a transformative impact and improves their living conditions by enhancing their core competencies. A project-based learning approach helps to further facilitate environmental improvement initiatives at individual and institutional levels through a whole-school approach, ensuring sustainability and contributing to measurable results. GREEN Olympiad is a step in this direction and an example of a programme transcending towards education for sustainable development goals.

GREEN Olympiad: A Case Study to Augment Learning through Non-formal Education

Research Paper
| September 12, 2025

With an increase in human aspirations and urbanization, development is happening at a largely unsustainable pace. Hope still resides in the power of education to offset unsustainable actions by promoting Environmentally Responsible Behaviour (ERB) amongst our younger citizenry. ERB can put knowledge into practice, thereby ensuring sustainable environments, healthy communities, and social cohesion. Through programmes like GREEN Olympiad, students are sensitized to enhance their knowledge levels and pave the way to become environment-conscious citizens.

Let’s Electrify- Accelerating Electric Vehicle Adoption and Awareness in India

Policy brief
| September 9, 2025

This position paper seeks to build foundational awareness and understanding of electric vehicles (EVs), with an emphasis on accelerating their adoption in India. The analysis focuses on the private vehicle segment, as highlighted in a study by TERI, that projects a substantial rise in personal vehicle ownership, making it a critical area for electrification.

GIS & Machine Learning Based Approaches to Assess Forest and Biodiversity Vulnerability Under Climate Stress: A Case Study from Assam, India

Research Paper
| September 4, 2025

The study presents an integrated geospatial and machine learning framework to assess forest and biodiversity vulnerability in Assam, India, under projected climate stress scenarios. Using multi-source remote sensing datasets and climate variables, the work applies GIS-based spatial modeling and machine learning algorithms to identify climate hotspots, evaluate forest resilience, and highlight biodiversity-rich yet highly vulnerable landscapes.

EV Charging in India: Ecosystem Perspectives and Skilling Opportunities

Policy brief
| September 3, 2025

Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI) and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) today unveiled a landmark whitepaper on skilling for EV charging infrastructure at Mercedes-Benz Sustainability Dialogue India 2025. The whitepaper highlights the critical role of charge point operators (CPOs)–the backbone of EV charging infrastructure–in driving India’s transition to electric mobility.

Emerging Technologies and Debates: Nano-agri-inputs and Products

Article
| September 2, 2025

Nano-agri-inputs could be the next big leap in sustainable farming, with the ability to boost yields and cut emissions—but their real-world impact will rest on scientific rigour, careful regulation, and farmer trust.

Sericin-based ‘green’ and sustainable biomaterial for waste-water purification as a bioremediation strategy

Research Paper
| August 25, 2025

Silk protein sericin is a natural polymer extracted from the silkworm Bombyx mori, known for its eco-friendliness and biocompatibility. Silkworm cocoons, mainly composed of silk fibroin, possess excellent adsorption capabilities. The porous and fibrous nature of the cocoon provides a large surface area, offering a sustainable, cost-effective alternative to synthetic adsorbents and water treatment due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability.

Atmospheric Water Generation – A Sustainable Solution for Bihar’s Water Challenges

Article
| August 22, 2025

Atmospheric Water Generators are systems that extract water from moisture present in the air. They work on the principle of condensation — cooling humid air to collect water droplets — which are then filtered, mineralized, and made fit for human consumption.

India’s Green Diplomacy Could Be Its Biggest Soft Power Tool Yet

Article
| August 19, 2025

Natural resource conservation isn’t just an environmental concern; it’s a geopolitical one.