Centre for Science and Environment

Centre for Science and Environment
Name	Centre for Science and Environment
Established	1980
Founder	Anil Agarwal
Type	Research and advocacy
Location	New Delhi, India

Centre for Science and Environment

The Centre for Science and Environment is an Indian public interest research and advocacy organization based in New Delhi, founded in 1980 by Anil Agarwal. The organization engages with environmental policy, sustainable development, and public health, intersecting with actors such as World Health Organization, United Nations Environment Programme, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (India), Niti Aayog, and National Green Tribunal. Its work relates to international frameworks like the Paris Agreement, Sustainable Development Goals, Montreal Protocol, and national instruments such as the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, linking research to stakeholders including Indian Council of Medical Research, Central Pollution Control Board (India), and Greenpeace International.

History

Founded by environmentalist Anil Agarwal amid debates following the Bhopal disaster and regional concerns highlighted by the Chipko Movement, the organization grew in the 1980s alongside policy shifts from the World Commission on Environment and Development and reports such as the Brundtland Report. During the 1990s it expanded research connecting to events like the Earth Summit and institutions such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. In subsequent decades its trajectory engaged with legal arenas exemplified by petitions before the Supreme Court of India and collaborations with research bodies including the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Mission and Activities

The centre's mission frames evidence-based advocacy, policy analysis, and capacity building, interfacing with agencies such as United Nations Development Programme, International Monetary Fund, Reserve Bank of India, and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (India) to influence health, urban, and climate policy. Activities include technical assessments deployed for initiatives related to Smart Cities Mission, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, National Clean Air Programme, and engagements with municipal bodies like the Delhi Pollution Control Committee and state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Kerala. The organisation trains practitioners from institutions such as the State Bank of India, Indian Railways, and Bureau of Indian Standards.

Research and Publications

Research outputs span air quality, water governance, climate resilience, and energy transitions, connecting analyses to datasets from World Bank Open Data, Interpol, NASA, and Indian Space Research Organisation. Publications include reports, policy briefs, and books comparable to works from IPCC authors, drawing on methods used in studies by Nature (journal), The Lancet, and Science (journal). Major publications have been cited in proceedings of bodies like the Parliament of India, National Biodiversity Authority, and courts including the Bombay High Court. Collaborations and citations involve think tanks such as Observer Research Foundation, Centre for Policy Research, Brookings Institution, and Chatham House.

Advocacy and Campaigns

Advocacy campaigns target air pollution, toxic chemicals, and food safety, aligning with campaigns by World Wildlife Fund, Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth, and national movements such as Rajdhani Bachao. Campaigns have provoked policy changes in schemes such as the National Action Plan on Climate Change and regulatory moves involving Central Drugs Standard Control Organization and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. The centre has engaged with global processes including advocacy at Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC sessions and consultations with United Nations Human Rights Council delegates.

Programs and Projects

Programs address urban sustainability, rural livelihoods, and renewable energy, partnering with agencies like Asian Development Bank, European Union, GIZ, and multilateral funds such as the Green Climate Fund. Projects have included urban air monitoring pilots interfacing with technologies from European Space Agency, ISRO, and sensor networks used in studies by Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Community-level work coordinates with non-profits including PRADAN, SEWA, and Akshaya Patra Foundation and engages local governments like Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

Funding and Governance

Funding sources include philanthropic foundations comparable to Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Wellcome Trust, and bilateral donors such as UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and USAID. Governance structures mirror practices in institutions like Transparency International and boards with experts from Indian Council of Agricultural Research, National Institute of Nutrition, and academic appointments linked to University of Delhi and University of Cambridge. Financial oversight and audits follow norms aligned with Institute of Chartered Accountants of India standards and grant management comparable to Ford Foundation procedures.

Awards and Recognition

The organisation and its leaders have received recognitions analogous to awards by Ramon Magsaysay Award, Right Livelihood Award, Padma Shri, and mentions in lists by TIME (magazine), The Guardian, and The New York Times. Work has been acknowledged in citations by entities such as the UNESCO, World Economic Forum, and academic prizes from Indian National Science Academy and Royal Society-affiliated programs.

Category:Environmental organisations based in India