Blogs

A version of this blog was originally published on 14th November 2024 on the International Institute for Environment and Development website. Nature, when combined with the enthusiasm and creativity of children, can transform inner-city wastelands into spaces for people. Nearby trees, parks, gardens, green schoolyards and other urban green spaces are not just ‘nice to have’; they are ‘need to have’ resources for health and wellbeing. This is also the message of a recent UNICEF report.

In August 2024, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India appreciated the efforts made by econsciousTM – a waste recycling start-up based out of New Delhi – in his ‘Mann ki Baat’ address. Co-founded by Sonal Shukla during the Covid-19 pandemic, econscious turns plastic waste into furniture and is a prime example of a green enterprise that produces eco-friendly products. Less known are the efforts of Mamta Devi and her venture, Didi ke Papad. Together with her group of 11 JEEViKA didis (Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society self-help group members), they use a solar-powered machine to make papad – a traditional Indian snack – and sell them in the largely rural Begusarai district of Bihar.

Early Childhood Development (ECD) centers in India, primarily government-led Anganwadis (early childhood play and learning centers) and primary health centers, provide basic nutritional, learning and healthcare facilities for young children (0-5 years) from low-income communities. While these centers focus on the children’s physical and social development, there is an opportunity to enhance their maintenance and add more comforts and engaging elements. Improving these aspects can encourage caregivers to spend more time in these spaces and motivate families to send their children to the centers.

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) contribute to about 30% of India’s GDP and employ an estimated 15.50 crore individuals, as recorded on the Udyam Registration Portal in December 2023. Moreover, they contribute to roughly 45% of India’s total exports. These enterprises drive economic growth by fostering bottom-up innovation

A version of this photo blog was originally published on October 15, 2024 in Gaon Connection.⁠

As the first light of dawn breaks over the farm, Ravi steps onto the field to the sight of solar panels glistening under the early morning sun. This is no ordinary farm; it is an agrivoltaics installation where the land is co-utilized for cultivating crops, raising livestock and harnessing solar energy.

"The world is on fire, from the Amazon to California, from Australia to the Siberian Arctic. The hour is late and the moment of consequence, so long delayed, is now upon us. Do we watch the world burn, or do we choose to do what is necessary to achieve a different future?" — Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac in ‘The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis’

This is the first blog in a three-part series that presents the climate action planning process – from creation of the plan to its implementation – for three cities in Maharashtra. It records the learnings from this process and looks at how climate action plans can pave the way for sustainable, equitable and resilient development.

In a small, predominantly tribal village of Jhabua district in Madhya Pradesh, Sushma and her husband Anil toil hard to cultivate tomatoes in the small parcel of land that they own. They are dependent on the income from growing tomatoes for their household expenses and to repay the loans they take to bear farming costs. However, it is not always profitable to grow tomatoes. Sometimes, they bear losses due to unforeseen weather conditions, pest infestation or poor market prices.

This is the second blog in a three-part series on creating children and caregiver-friendly public spaces. It looks at how cities can overcome urban challenges to foster such spaces. Read the first blog in the series ⁠here.

In rapidly urbanizing India, cities largely focus on ensuring that infrastructure and housing cater to the rising demands of the growing population.

As climate change impacts compound, with each passing year, a new normal awaits the younger generations who will have to live with its impacts and burdens. According to UNICEF, almost every child is exposed to one or more climate and environmental hazards, shocks or stress, from flash floods, extreme heat, cyclones and air pollution to acute water shortages.