Blogs

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a disruptive new normal for everyone through shelter-in-place orders and social distancing guidelines. But for the billions of urban poor, these guidelines aren’t just burdensome; they’re essentially impossible.

Social distancing is a critically important response to the pandemic, but it also assumes that residents have adequate space, services and social safety nets to survive such an order. This is simply not the reality across cities in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

More than...

The global spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) highlights the intensity of global interconnections, and social and economic interdependence between regions. The pandemic has reinforced the critical need for access to safe and assured water supply for all, as described in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, for preventing rapid transmission of the disease.

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Water is an important defining element of settlements across the world and can be traced back through a city’s historical structure and morphology. The relationship between a city and its waterfront is unique and always changing, depending on the functions carried out on adjoining land.i

Since time immemorial, Indian cities have come up either on riverbanks or near surface waterbodies or over groundwater reservoirs, making the presence of water a founding feature of settlements. Historically, waterbodies played a vital role in defining the cultural heritage of a city. They provided public spaces for recreation, gatherings and religious activities, as well as a range of livelihood options, like fishing and boating. This dependence, in turn, ensured that these waterbodies were cared for and used by local communities, and fostered a water focused identity of the place....

In Sahibganj district, north-eastern Jharkhand, Premjyoti Hospital is the only medical facility within a radius of 200 km, that has the staff and services to perform surgeries. More than two decades ago, in 1996, a team of enterprising doctors set up this hospital to cater to the predominantly tribal community of the region. The district had no electricity then. In the later years, when grid power reached this remote region, power was still available for barely 6-8 hours every day, especially in the peak summer months, when temperatures soared up to 45 degrees Celsius.

Dr....

This blogpost was originally published in Mint on 21 January.

Climate change is one of the top issues for the policymakers, investors and chief executives gathered in Davos at the 50^th World Economic Forum annual event. Acting on climate is no longer just a political imperative but defines business leadership in today’s carbon-constrained world.

Climate Action: A Business Imperative
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The recently released budget 2020 by the Finance Minister of India has few talking points on climate change and the need for action to fight different environmental hazards like air pollution and disasters, and encouraging investment in renewable energy. In this piece, we try to understand the budget’s implication for adaptation to climate change and building resilience. Does the budget actually budget for adaptation needs of the vulnerable?

Delhi’s transport system has a plethora of modes catering to the city’s transport demand; however, the issues related to the accessibility and availability of public transport still persist in few areas, owing to its disjointed nature. Many organisations manage the city’s extensive transport system which includes but is not limited to, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) Limited, the Government of NCT Transport Department, Delhi Traffic Police, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), etc. All of these authorities have overlapping...

As Indian states gear up to revise their State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs) and take stock of the progress made so far, a pressing issue that looms ahead is how to mobilize the finance needed for implementing different mitigation and adaptation strategies. According to the Economic Survey of India, India faces a multi-billion-dollar gap of around USD 38 billion when it comes to the implementation of its National Adaptation Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). With no...

Tamil Nadu contributes to 16% of India’s total installed capacity of grid-connected renewables, second only to Karnataka. Its renewable power (RE) installed capacity is 42% of its total energy mix. Already a leader in RE, the state must ensure that its energy transition is sustainable, prescient, and inclusive.