As 2024 comes to a close, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) reflects with pride on its significant contributions to advancing environmental sustainability and driving innovative solutions for a greener future. Throughout the year, TERI played a pivotal role in numerous projects, initiatives, and research endeavours focussed on promoting environmental progress and fostering a more sustainable planet. The year marked the culmination of its 50th anniversary celebrations, with prestigious events held across regional centres, setting the stage for a renewed commitment to combating climate change. Notable global events hosted by TERI, highlighted its leadership in driving innovative solutions, fostering international collaboration, and shaping policies for a climate-resilient future. As TERI moves into its next 50 years, it remains dedicated to promoting climate justice and sustainability on a global scale.
The 23rd edition of the annual flagship event of TERI—the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) was held in New Delhi from February 7-9, 2024, under the umbrella theme ‘Leadership for Sustainable Development and Climate Justice.’
The Summit was inaugurated by Hon'ble Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, and received a message from the Hon'ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, endorsing that the WSDS’ theme “underscores the need for bold steps, decisive action and clear direction for a sustainable and equitable future.”
The three-day Summit brought together global leaders from diverse sectors to address interconnected issues and deliberate on cover themes like integrating sustainable development, nature-based solutions, adaptation and resilience, sustainable consumption, and lifestyles, addressing the energy trilemma, and climate action.
Through its constructive engagement, the Summit, along with the Act4Earth initiative, aims to strengthen dedication across all spheres to enhance ambition and action to create a more sustainable and equitable world for present and future generations.
TERI along with the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India hosted the third edition of the Water Sustainability Awards to promote Sustainable Development Goals related to water.
“India has the potential to emerge as a global leader in innovation, but it requires an exponential mindset—one that is bold, transformative, and inclusive,” said Dr RA Mashelkar, former Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), delivering the Twenty-third Darbari Seth Memorial Lecture.
This year’s hallmark event, held at TERI headquarters, paid tribute to the visionary legacy of its founder, Mr Darbari S Seth, and Dr R K Pachauri with inspiring speeches, heartfelt tributes, and awards celebrating outstanding service and innovation within the institute.
The 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29), held in Baku, Azerbaijan, focussed on climate finance and national climate action plans under the theme, ‘In Solidarity for a Green World’. TERI participated with a 24-member delegation led by Director General, Dr Vibha Dhawan. Experts from TERI expressed concerns over COP29’s outcomes, particularly the adoption of the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) of USD 300 billion annually by 2035, emphasizing the need for equitable and actionable climate solutions.
TERI hosted multiple sessions at the twelfth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF12), held in Cairo, Egypt, from November 4–8, 2024. The sessions addressed key urban challenges and showcased the latest initiatives through events like the Urban Library, Voices for Cities, and at the India Pavilion.
The World Urban Forum (WUF) is a premier global conference convened by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) to exchange ideas and experiences on sustainable urbanisation.
The 7th G-STIC Conference united experts and stakeholders worldwide to align technological, policy, and business solutions addressing global climate challenges, development priorities, and regional conflicts. Collaborative partnerships, knowledge exchange, and innovative approaches for climate action along with the sustainable development goals were explored.
The 6th RD20 Conference, a premier global platform for advancing clean energy technologies, was hosted by TERI in New Delhi, India. Organized in partnership with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, this marked the first time the conference was held outside Japan, underscoring India’s pivotal role in driving global energy innovation.
Over five days, leading research institutions, industry experts, and policymakers from G20 nations met and convened to explore innovative pathways for achieving carbon neutrality through enhanced international collaboration in the clean energy domain.
TERI celebrated its 50th anniversary with a grand event, beginning with the inauguration of an exhibition by Mr R Mukundan, Managing Director & CEO of Tata Chemicals and Governing Council Member of TERI. The exhibition showcased TERI's trailblazing efforts in sustainability, innovation, and resource management.
The day-long event reflected on TERI's remarkable contributions over the past 50 years while charting a bold vision for addressing future environmental challenges and fostering a greener, more resilient world.
The 50th year celebrations at TERI’s Western Regional Centre in Goa focussed on the theme ‘Pioneering Sustainable Solutions: Goa's Path to 2030 SDGs.’ The event highlighted the urgency of today’s environmental and climate challenges. A diverse array of stakeholders from various sectors came together to share their experiences, integrate new insights, and foster decision-making for a sustainable and equitable future for Goa.
The North Eastern regional centre in Guwahati celebrated the 50th anniversary with a landmark event in Guwahati, fostering sustainable development, climate action, and community empowerment. The celebration gathered leading experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to reflect on TERI’s transformative contributions to sustainability and climate action over the past five decades. The event highlighted the institute's pioneering work across environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, and climate resilience, showcasing its unwavering commitment to fostering a sustainable future.
As part of TERI's 50-year celebrations, the ‘Simplifying Sustainability’ radio campaign with 92.7 BIG FM raised awareness about adopting sustainable practices. Running from May 22 to June 19, 2024, the campaign aired every Saturday and Wednesday, simplifying environmental concepts into actionable steps like reducing waste, conserving energy, composting, and growing kitchen gardens. TERI experts shared insights on air, energy, climate change, sustainable habitats, and agriculture.
‘TERI’s Solutions for Sustainable Development’, a compilation of 60 knowledge products to instill the practice of sustainability for a wide range of stakeholders, was unveiled by the Hon’ble Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, during the WSDS 2024. These solutions are the tangible pathways for effective realization of sustainable development by the global community.
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, TERI launched the book ‘Creating Impacts, Transforming Lives’, highlighting the pioneering work of its researchers over five decades through transformative projects. The book was unveiled by former Union Minister Mr Suresh Prabhu.
The SDG Blueprint Tool is an open-access knowledge tool, which provides the national policy interface between sustainable development goals (SDGs) and sustainable agriculture. The tool is a ready reckoner and practical guide which can be used by policymakers, researchers, and civil society to inform policy and praxis on the issue of sustainable agriculture in India.
Identifying the key drivers for decarbonizing the sector, the report highlights the cost decline of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) as a crucial factor in reducing coal dependency. It examines least-cost pathways for supply and storage to meet electricity demand from 2024 to 2032. It evaluates BESS cost scenarios, their impact on coal generation, capacity, and offers insights for policymakers and global stakeholders.
In the TERI’s discussion paper titled 'Roadmap to India’s 2030 Decarbonization target', the creation of 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 was found to be feasible though challenging. The paper articulated that for achievement of India’s 2030 targets announced at COP26, there is a need for creation of large storage projects, including setting up concentrated solar power (CSP plants with storage).
India's automotive industry is transforming, requiring diverse mobility solutions. Bio-CNG offers a sustainable alternative for rural areas by utilizing abundant animal waste, addressing transportation challenges, and promoting cost-effective e-mobility in the transport sector's transition to sustainability. The report presents a comprehensive understanding of the environmental and social benefits arising from using Bio-CNG as a sustainable vehicular fuel, especially for providing affordable mobility in rural areas.
This report explores the principles and strategies for achieving a Just Transition in India’s coal sector and proposes a comprehensive Just Transition Framework tailored for the country. Drawing from historical contexts, global best practices, and India’s unique challenges, it provides a detailed roadmap for stakeholders across all levels of governance. It adopts a two-pronged approach with institutional changes and targeted interventions for consensus-building, socio-economic, and eco-friendly development.
The report examines the power system flexibility with high penetration of renewables, providing insights into technical and operating interventions. Aligned with India’s COP26 goals, the No Fossil-fuel Scenario proposes phasing out coal post-2030, utilizing battery storage and pumped hydro to address intermittency challenges. Growing renewables, batteries, and EVs complicate system planning further. Power sector planning requires holistic coordination across governments to ensure energy security and affordable prices in India.
TERI's discussion paper, ‘India's Journey to Net Zero: A Conceptual Framework for Analysis’, outlines the transition pathways for India's major carbon-emitting sectors—electricity, transport, residential cooking, industry, and agriculture. It examines these sectors through the lens of decoupling energy consumption growth from rising emissions. This study offers a macro perspective on net-zero transition, emphasizing rigorous sectoral analysis, modeling, costs, and trajectories to develop least-cost policy options.
India's water sector faces climate change challenges, including erratic monsoons, rising temperatures, and sea-level rise, compounded by inadequate infrastructure and weak policies. A climate-resilient approach is vital, emphasizing integrated water management, nature-based solutions, advanced technologies, and policy updates. The conceptual framework will support in achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-6 on clean water and sanitation while addressing broader water-related challenges.
This study aims to forecast the transport demand for India until 2070-71 and assess the baseline emission trajectory, based on TERI’s in-house transport model (TERI-TptM) with updated base year of 2019-20. This study highlights the crucial importance of electrifying road vehicles, using hydrogen as a transportation fuel, and significantly increasing railways' share, particularly in freight, to effectively reduce emissions in India's transport sector.
India’s commitment to a clean energy transition is acknowledged, with the National Green Hydrogen Mission as a cornerstone of this endeavour. Recognizing hydrogen’s transformative potential, states are championing hydrogen initiatives to support decarbonization. Aligned with this national goal, TERI’s policy brief titled 'Green Hydrogen - Path to Decarbonization' focussing on how hydrogen can strategically contribute to India’s clean energy transition in the hard-to-abate sectors of industry and transportation.
The establishment of GGA addresses a critical gap in global climate policy by placing adaptation on equal footing with mitigation, if not at the forefront. This paper proposes to initiate a discussion to rethink about and expand the scope of GGA at least on three accounts: need for robust scientific capabilities, an adaptation friendly global financial system, and scale of various adaptation thematic areas in terms of their global linkages.
The paper explores the relationship between CO2 emissions and consumption and argues that high and unsustainable levels of per capita consumption is the primary driver of climate change. To stabilize climate change early, international climate actions must reduce unsustainable energy consumption and emissions in developed countries, while ensuring equitable access to energy and resources in developing nations.
This paper examines India's initiatives for biodiversity conservation and land restoration within the context of global sustainability goals, drawing comparisons with efforts in developed countries. It examines international frameworks, including the Rio Conventions, and highlights India’s progress in land restoration and biodiversity conservation through regulations, policies, programs, and community-led initiatives. The paper compares India’s initiatives with the EU and North America, highlighting differences.
This paper examines ways to better align the NCQG and JTWP. It highlights that JTWP has the potential to be a framework for deeper, more effective collaboration towards a collective narrative around implementing the Paris Agreement through just transition pathways at global as well as national scales, leading to tangible progress towards a sustainable and equitable future.
Climate Transparency’s report, supported by the EU Climate Dialogues Project, introduces the Climate Policy Implementation Check to assess progress in policy implementation across four dimensions. focussing on India’s non-fossil energy targets, it evaluates the National Solar Mission, Green Hydrogen Mission, and Domestic Carbon Market, concluding that India’s framework ambition rating is high.
The travelogue describes TERI’s journey across the eastern coal belt regions of Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh, aptly capturing the real life stories of the stakeholders dependent on coal economy. The narration in this travelogue portrays the ground level challenges and concerns. Such qualitative facets of the coal producing geographies throw light on life, livelihood and other socio-economic dimensions. Narratives emerging from such evidence speak volumes of coal dependence, which may provide planners and researchers with leads to think ahead.
The study acknowledges the geographical and economic diversity of the region, presenting findings grouped by relevant sub-categories of countries and Climate Sensitive Diseases. Additionally, in-depth case studies have been developed by eleven representative countries of India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia, Nepal, Tuvalu and Fiji considering factors such as country size, income status, vulnerability to climate risks and existing health system status. The research aims to provide valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities for making health systems in the Indo-Pacific region more resilient and sustainable in the face of climate change.
Climate finance plays a crucial role in climate efforts. This paper examines the evolution of the discussions on the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), which played a key role in COP29. This paper analyses the positions of various countries' stances, strategies, and coalition dynamics. Developing countries stress the responsibility of developed countries, further emphasizing equity in climate finance.
Mainstream frameworks on sustainable consumption and production fail to holistically capture downstream segments of resource consumption and production systems, especially in relation to lifestyle choices. Building on TERI’s work, this policy brief seeks to develop composite metrics on consumption for G20 countries and discusses ways to further internationalize sustainable lifestyles. The paper advocates balancing overconsumption and underconsumption for climate justice, highlighting India's leadership in promoting these values.
The knowledge document examines the critical synergies between climate action and SDGs, highlighting their implications for multilateralism. Despite the adoption of the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, global progress remains insufficient, with only 13.6% of SDG targets on track. The interconnected nature of climate and SDG actions is evident, as aligning these efforts could significantly enhance global economic output and resilience.
Green Public Procurement (GPP), a sub-component of sustainable public procurement, leverages government purchasing power to promote environmental sustainability by integrating environmental goals into public procurement processes. This policy brief employs a case study-based approach to identify strategies for promoting GPP in India. The policy brief suggests a framework of using the dimensions of lifecycle stages, policy instruments and alignment with development priorities.
Celebrating 50 years of leadership in sustainability, TERI was honoured at its Golden Jubilee event during the 12th Eastern Himalayan Naturenomics Forum in Guwahati.
Dr Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI, received a special Balipara Foundation Award 2024 from Mr Praveer Sinha, CEO, TATA Power, and Mr Ranjit Barthakur, Founder, Balipara Foundation, recognizing TERI’s forward-looking work for the past 50 years on science, research and sustainable development in both India and around the world.
TERI’s Advanced Oxidation Technology (TADOX®) for wastewater treatment won a ‘Silver Award’ at the prestigious International Water Association (IWA) Project Innovation Awards 2024. The award, presented during a special ceremony at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition in Toronto on 13th August 2024, was given in the ‘Breakthrough in Research and Development’ category.
TERI in collaboration with Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited, launched ‘Uttam Pranaam’, a significant Bio nano Phosphorous product, for fostering self-reliance in the agricultural sector and inaugurated the 'Centre for Bio Nano Fertilizers' in Bhatinda, Punjab.
Puducherry Climate Change Cell, Department of Science, Technology and Environment in collaboration with TERI, organized the 2nd Capacity Building Workshop on Green Budgeting for the U T of Puducherry.
This report, launched by Honourable Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel, Government of India, Shri HD Kumaraswamy, builds on the work of 14 task forces constituted by the Ministry of Steel on decarbonization in April 2023.
TERI was the knowledge partner for seven task forces and has contributed immensely to the deliberations of the task forces, preparation of the task force reports, and development of the seven chapters for the above-mentioned report.
The regional workshop in Lucknow on August 20, 2024, showcased the findings and achievements of CAP India, with key stakeholders from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra attending. Dr Arun Kumar Saxena, Honourable Minister of State (Independent Charge), Environment, Forest & Climate Change, commended the project’s role in promoting sustainable practices and stressed the importance of ongoing action against air pollution. The event featured presentations, panel discussions, and success stories, fostering collaboration and an exchange of ideas and best practices.
The project’s pilot initiatives were showcased at the MoEF&CC’s Clean Air Blue Skies Day event on September 7, 2024, in Jaipur. TERI also presented these pilots at the Delhi Secretariat on September 26, 2024, and the MRS pilot featured in MoEF&CC’s Best Practices in Air Pollution Mitigation in India booklet.
The GREEN Olympiad for Youth (GO4Youth) was launched on January 31, 2024, at the University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi, by Prof Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman of UGC, with key participation from Dr Vibha Dhawan and Dr Dipankar Saharia of TERI. The programme, endorsed by UGC, MoEFCC, and MoE, aims to raise awareness about environmental issues among students aged 18-25 years in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The event was attended by over 1000 students and university officials, featuring a presentation by Dr Livleen K Kahlon and a registration tutorial video. GO4Youth, an annual MCQ-based examination is an initiative by Education for Youth Empowerment Area of EEA Division.
TERI, in collaboration with the Punjab Forest Department and VNV, successfully implemented a carbon finance project in Punjab. The project's success was celebrated at the 73rd State Van Mahotsav on August 6, 2024, with Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Bhagwant Mann Singh in attendance. So far, INR 10 crores have been distributed to 3,686 registered farmers, with an additional INR 35 crores expected to be disbursed by March 2025.
TERI, in association with Ernst & Young conducted an Ecosystem Service valuation of three protected areas of Bangladesh namely Modhupur National Park (MNP), Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary (TWS), and Ramgarh Sitakunda Reserved Forests (RSRF). The study highlighted the importance of forests in providing ecosystem services and contributing 7,394 lakh USD to their GDP.
Furthermore, Payment for Ecosystem Service (PES) – a market-based mechanism - was developed for RSRF to incentivise the landowners and farmers for managing their land and providing ecosystem services.
TERI convened an advisory committee for the Vizag-Prajamukhi Urban Living Lab (V-PULL). This committee was formed in the inaugural ‘Margdarshak Meeting,’ uniting diverse stakeholders in Visakhapatnam on July 11, 2024. The committee included representatives from government, academia, industry, and civil society to address climate resilience. The stakeholders engaged in an in-depth and productive discussion, focussing on the challenge of urban flooding.
The Farmers Training Centre, an ONGC-TERI initiative at Mukteshwar in Nainital district of Uttarakhand, is a significant milestone in the collaboration towards empowering the farmers of the region. The Centre aims to promote eco-friendly techniques, sustainable livelihoods, homestays, and ecotourism, benefiting 6,000 people in the Nainital and Champawat districts.
In an endeavour to develop workable solutions for a sustainable future, TERI has established TRISHA (TERI's Research Initiative at Supi for Himalayan Advancement) at Supi village in Nainital district, Uttarakhand to support local farmers and help them in livelihood generation through the use of sustainable agricultural practices.
Supi Sugandh offers pure, natural products grown and processed by local farmers in Supi villages. These products reflect TRISHA’s collaboration with farmers, supported by TERI’s guidance and skill development initiatives.
The ‘Conference on Disaster Resilience,’ held on February 15, 2024, brought together disaster management experts, policymakers, and industry leaders. The day-long event showcased innovative ideas, fostered networking, and addressed critical themes in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). It served as a crucial platform to enhance disaster management practices and influence policy development across diverse sectors, including Agriculture, Industry, Mobility, Telecom, Power and Energy, Cybersecurity, IT, and AI.
TERI, in collaboration with ADPC, organized a high-level consultation on November 29, 2024, in Bangkok, focusing on climate change and health challenges in the ASEAN region. The objective of the discussion was to share the findings of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) supported study on “Climate Change and Human Health: Challenges, Adaptation, and Policy Perspectives in the Indo-Pacific Region”. The event shared findings from the FCDO-supported study covering Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines. The key recommendations include addressing heat-related illnesses, air pollution, conducting vulnerability assessments, and strengthening healthcare systems to enhance resilience.
A high-level roundtable discussion titled ‘Future of Climate Change Negotiations: Lessons from COP29’ was held in New Delhi, organized by TERI. The event brought together experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to reflect on the outcomes of the 29th Annual Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC (COP29), held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 23 November 2024
The discussion focussed on the critical challenges and opportunities for the Global South, particularly in areas such as climate finance, adaptation, and energy transition, offering diverse perspectives on the developments at COP29 and the road ahead.
A delegation led by Mr Mike Naig, Secretary, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, State of Iowa, USA, visited TERI Gram in Gwal Pahari, Gurugram in September. The discussions focussed on potential collaborations in trade, investment, R&D, and technology transfer with TERI colleagues, followed by a tour of the R&D facilities at the TERI Gram campus.
The visit also marked the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and TERI. The MoU aims to foster collaboration on ‘Sustainable Agricultural Development, Renewable Energy Implementation, and Expanding Biofuel Utilization.’
In a significant collaboration, TERI signed a TADOX® Technology and Trademark License (TTLA) Agreement with Ion Exchange India Ltd, on February 22, 2024, aimed at commercializing TERI's patented wastewater treatment technology for industrial applications.
On May 8, 2024, TERI signed an MoU with the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia, to enhance scientific exchange and cooperation. This renewed agreement aims to further strengthen deeper partnerships in research, education, and technology development. Key areas of shared research include the digitalization of energy systems, decentralization of energy supplies, and cross-sectoral issues where energy plays a central role, such as agriculture, transport, industry, and regional development.
TERI along with Assam Agriculture University and ReNew signed an MoU at the Assam Agriculture University campus in Jorhat on May 10, 2024, for developing a nature-based carbon finance project in Assam.
This project will involve the phased plantation of one crore saplings over three years. The carbon finance mechanism will offer additional monetary benefits to over 10,000 farmers.
The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), TERI and the Suzuki R&D Center India Pvt Ltd (SRDI) signed an MoU to collectively advance initiatives in renewable energy, circular economy, rural development and waste management. This collaboration aims to improve rural livelihoods by assisting stakeholders in generating carbon credits through mitigation measures, exploring mechanisms for carbon credit exchange and developing methodologies and tools for assessing carbon footprints of rural livelihood activities.
King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) and TERI signed an MoU to collaborate on research programs involving areas such as energy and transport modelling for regions and countries, urban transitions and renewable energy.
The agreement for research focusses on advancing biogenic innovations to develop efficacious and eco-safe products for crop nutrition and crop protection in order to achieve sustainability in agriculture. The joint initiative of Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited and TERI aims to address the pressing challenges in the Indian agriculture sector, such as stagnating agricultural productivity, soil health degradation, poor nutrient use efficiency, reduced response (resistance) to chemicals and negative impact of excessive synthetic inputs on environment and human health, by developing innovative biogenic solutions, such as nano biotechnology based alternative fertilizers, bio-fertilizers, bio-stimulants, and biological control agents and biopesticides which would have no negative impact on environment and human health and provide improved benefit to cost ratio to farmers.
TERI engages with multiple facets of sustainable development from science and technology to policy. The Earth Pod steers conversations on issues related to climate change, energy transitions, and environment friendly growth.
Take 3, a short video, features in-house experts who answer three questions on current developments in the sector. In this edition, Dr Suneel Pandey, Director, Circular Economy & Waste Division, TERI, talks about the importance of Earth Day’s theme- 'Planet vs Plastics' in mobilizing transformative action worldwide.
TERI’s community radio ‘Kumaon Vani’ engaged in diverse projects to accelerate sustainable outcomes in the region. Some key undertakings include:
The year saw TERI’s involvement in the making of short films that strove to preserve the environment and empower lives.