Navigating pathways to a sustainable future by
Analysing issues at the frontier of addressing climate change, managing the energy transition, and limiting environmental threats in India and globally
Informing policymakers, stakeholders, and the public about key policy and governance levers, and their implications
Accelerating the transition to an environmentally and socially sustainable future by enabling strategic action for systemic change
Our areas
of work
Our events
Past Event
Book Discussion |‘More and More and More: An All-Consuming History of Energy’
A discussion of the book, ‘More and More and More: An All-Consuming History of Energy’ by the author Jean-Baptiste Fressoz, a historian of science, technology and the environment, a researcher at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, and a professor at the Ecole des Ponts et Chaussées, with Elizabeth Chatterjee, Assistant Professor of Environmental History at the University of Chicago, and Ashwini K Swain, Fellow, SFC.
Climate Finance at COP 29: What New, Collective, Quantified Ambition?
A discussion on the state of play on climate finance negotiations going into COP 29, with Joe Thwaites (NRDC), Jonathan Beynon (CGD), and Avantika Goswami (CSE). Moderated by Aman Srivastava, Fellow, SFC
Launch Event: Introducing the Sustainable Futures Collaborative (SFC)
Featuring opening remarks by N.K. Singh, Chair, 15th Finance Commission and a panel discussion on ‘Building the foundations for a sustainable future’.
Public engagement
IN THE NEWS
The big India melt: from heat stress to the politics of shade
The Migration Story Podcast | 17 June 2025
“India’s cities, like many cities in the developing and developed world, tend to pull or concentrate heat because of the cement, how close buildings are, how traffic moves, how sunlight hits the city and the angles at which it hits it. A lot of people’s houses have tin roofs and are cement structures so the houses themselves are heat trapping. When you add all of this together, it becomes quite clear that the climate is driving up the threat of the hazard. At the same time, the nature of Indian urban form is particularly ill-suited to containing this problem. Taken together, this points to a clear policy direction: we need long-term solutions that address the structural problems in how Indian cities work.” – Aditya Valiathan Pillai spoke about how shade is an elite commodity.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT
Episteme 2025
22 May 2025
Arunesh Karkun conducted a session introducing air pollution and the core concepts of air quality management for a group of exceptionally talented 8th graders, organised by the Pravaha Foundation and held at IIIT-Hyderabad. The interactive session involved group activities and lively conversations about understanding the fundamentals of air pollution, and creating a starting point for these young and eager learners to one day take over the complex world of air quality management.
IN THE NEWS
India’s steel expansion threatens climate goals and global efforts to clean up industry: report
The Associated Press | 20 May 2025
“India may be better off tolerating some short-term pain of technological upgrading to make its steel cleaner for long-term competitiveness gain,” Easwaran Narassimhan was quoted in AP News.
