Council on Energy, Environment and Water

Council on Energy, Environment and Water
Name	Council on Energy, Environment and Water
Formation	2002
Founder	Ashok Malik
Type	Think tank
Headquarters	New Delhi
Region served	India, South Asia
Leader title	Executive Director
Leader name	Arunabha Ghosh

Council on Energy, Environment and Water is an Indian policy research institution focused on energy policy, environmental policy, and water resources with an emphasis on sustainability and climate change mitigation. Founded in 2002 and based in New Delhi, it engages with national agencies, international organizations, and private sector actors to translate research into actionable policy. The institution works across sectors including renewable energy, urban planning, river basin management, and industrial decarbonization.

History

The organization traces origins to early-21st-century policy debates in India on electricity reforms, water law, and air pollution following landmark events such as the 2001 Gujarat earthquake and global dialogues like the Kyoto Protocol negotiations. Initial collaborations included partnerships with groups active in World Bank programs, Asian Development Bank projects, and bilateral initiatives with United Kingdom and United States agencies. Over time it engaged with multilateral forums including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the G20, and the International Energy Agency on issues ranging from solar power deployment to river interlinking controversies. Key milestones involved advisory roles to ministries during National Solar Mission deliberations and contributions to regional dialogues with Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.

Mission and Objectives

The council's stated mission aligns with promoting evidence-driven policy for sustainable development in India and South Asia. Objectives include advancing research on renewable energy integration with grids, advising on water governance reforms, and designing pathways for industrial transition consistent with Paris Agreement commitments. The organization aims to bridge academic work from institutions such as Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Tata Institute of Social Sciences with policy actors including the Ministry of Power (India), the Central Water Commission, and state-level agencies like the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board.

Research and Programs

Research programs cover thematic areas: electricity markets and grid integration of solar photovoltaic and wind power, low-carbon strategies for steel and cement sectors, water allocation in river basins such as the Ganges and Brahmaputra, and urban resilience in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Projects have involved quantitative modeling using tools referenced by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports and scenario analyses employed by the International Renewable Energy Agency. Collaborative research partners include Princeton University, University of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Indian research centers such as Indian Institute of Science. Program outputs include policy briefs, technical reports, and capacity-building workshops co-hosted with actors like the United Nations Development Programme and the World Resources Institute.

Policy Engagement and Impact

Engagement strategies emphasize advisory consultations with central ministries, testimony in legislative hearings, and participation in international delegations to summits like the UN Climate Change Conference and COP26. Impact has been visible in advisory inputs to national schemes including the Ujjwal Bharat–style initiatives, reforms to electricity tariff frameworks, and incorporation of water-stress analyses into state-level planning documents for Rajasthan and Karnataka. The organization has informed private-sector decarbonization roadmaps adopted by conglomerates such as Tata Group and Adani Group and contributed to standards discussions at bodies like the Bureau of Indian Standards.

Organizational Structure and Funding

The council operates under a governance framework with a board of trustees, an executive leadership team, and thematic program heads. Staff include researchers with backgrounds from institutes such as Columbia University, Oxford University, National Institute of Advanced Studies, and Centre for Science and Environment. Funding sources combine philanthropic grants from foundations like the Rockefeller Foundation and the Tata Trusts, project-funded partnerships with entities including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the European Union, and fee-based consultancy work for state governments and corporations. The organization maintains collaborations with think tanks such as Brookings Institution and Chatham House.

Awards and Publications

The council publishes working papers, policy briefs, and books, contributing to literature alongside publishers and journals like Nature, Energy Policy, and Economic and Political Weekly. It has received recognition through awards and mentions from institutions including the India Climate Collaborative and citations in reports by the International Energy Agency. Notable publications have addressed pathways for net zero targets, river basin governance, and urban air quality interventions, and have been used as inputs in academic courses at IIM Ahmedabad and IIT Bombay.

Category:Think tanks based in India