Climate Change
Our demand for energy is increasing exponentially due to population growth and requirement for more goods and services, driven largely due to changing lifestyles. Most of the energy comes from fossil fuels, like Coal, Petroleum and Gas. These fossil fuels produce a large amount of green house gases, like CO2, Methane, fluorocarbons and Nitrous oxide. Once released, the gases stay in the atmosphere for decades. The greenhouse gases trap the suns radiation leading to global warming. It is estimated that global temperatures will rise by 2 to 4 deg Celsius by end of this century (IPCC Fouth Assessment Report on Climate Change, 2007) Read more...

Cities and Communities
Fewer people live in villages and the countryside. Towns and cities are the new communities.
The size of our cities is increasing. Our cities are increasingly crowded, polluted and inhabitable. Rapid expansion and unplanned construction activity has decreased the green cover in our cities. P eople from rural communities migrate to cities in search of better opportunities. 30% of our population now lives in urban areas and this will grow to around 50% in the next 10-20 years Read more...

Our Homes
The homes that we live in were probably constructed 30-40 years ago – when energy efficiency was not a key goal. Not all new homes are designed in an energy efficient manner. Our water and electricity distribution systems are also very old, some dating to pre-independence. Read more...

Water
India is one of the most water stressed nations in the world. In India alone, an estimated 30% of the populations still do not have access to potable, clean water. Our gross per capita availability of fresh water is estimated to reduce by 37% from current levels by 2050 (UNEP, 2007). Read more...

Production and Consumption
A complex chain of loops brings goods from the raw material stage to the market shelf. Raw materials are extracted from the earth and nature. They undergo complex processing in factories– mixed with other raw materials, treated, packaged and transported over large distances – before it reaches you. This process consumes a lot of energy and causes inevitably varying degree of damage to environment through extensive use of chemicals, waste and pollution. Read more...

Biodiversity
The variety of life on Earth, its biological diversity is commonly referred to as biodiversity. The number of species of plants, animals, and microorganisms, the enormous diversity of genes in these species, the different ecosystems on the planet, such as deserts, rainforests and coral reefs are all part of a biologically diverse Earth. Read more...

Agriculture
Agriculture occupies approx 45% of the total land mass of the country and is a source of income for more than 50% of our people (ICAR). We are heavily dependent on the monsoon and ground water as less than 50% of the arable land is irrigated. Steadily growing population, a young nation and rising standards of living will lead to shift in food patterns. Read more...

Role of ICT
Information and Communication (ICT) technologies are great enablers to achieve economies of scale. If properly built, institutionalized and governed they have a crucial role to play in government and social services for the people. ICT can be a good catalyst for transparency, good governance and accountability. Read more...

Role of Policies, Regulations
Over the past decade or so, conflicts of economic and business decisions with social inequity and environmental issues are increasingly weighing on the minds of people and governments. The conflict is mainly based on a specific project or issue and differing interpretations and priorities of stakeholders. Consensus and equity based policies and regulations can then be an important factor towards influencing behaviours and changes. Read more...