Pune : FLAME University, the pioneer of liberal education in India, will be hosting its first conference based on the theme, ‘Climate change and India: Implications for environment, policy and international politics’, on December 9th and 10th, 2021. This conference is organized by FLAME University’s Centre for Earth and Environment, Centre for Public Policy and Centre for South and Southeast Asia Studies.  Dr. Prasad Pathak, Dr. Chaitanya Ravi and Dr. Roger Liu who are heading these centres, respectively, are bringing together the leading authorities in India to discuss complexities around climate change and India’s role in near future. The centres aim to disseminate the salient insights from such discussions to academics, think-tanks, media, policymakers, NGO’s and students.

Dr. Dishan Kamdar, Vice-Chancellor, FLAME University, said, “Climate change is both an existential crisis and an unprecedented opportunity to move past status quo and to innovate and cooperate on devising solutions. Leading business groups and even the smaller ones in India are investing consciously in clean and green energy processes that will reduce the harmful effects of environmental pollution. Finding solutions to climate change will require a collaborative effort with significant roles for government, academia, industry, think tanks and the society at large.  FLAME University aspires to actively contribute to the ongoing climate conversations in the country through research, education and creating a platform for dialogue through this conference.”  

The impact of climate change is intensifying more rapidly than the predictions of scientists. India also has its own challenges with respect to climate change. Globally, India is being looked at one of the major greenhouse gas emitters when the country wants to grow its economic prowess. In addition to this, India’s relationships with other countries and political scenario at the global stage is seriously affected by climate change. Panel discussions during the conference will touch upon topics such as, Public Policy (India’s Climate Change Policies), Environmental Studies, International Studies (The International Politics of Climate Change: Implications for India), Climate Change Policy, Adaptation & Education.

Some of the speakers/panellists at the conference include:

• Dr. Abhay Jere, the Chief Innovation Officer for Ministry of Education, Govt. of India

• Ms. Saloni Goel, Climate Change Specialist at NITI Aayog

• Vice Admiral (Retd.) Pradeep Chauhan, Director-General, National Maritime Foundation, New Delhi

• Dr. Kaveri Iychettira, Assistant Professor, IIT Delhi

• Dr. Aalok Khandekar, Assistant Professor, IIT Hyderabad

• Dr. Aswath Damodaran, Professor, IIM Bangalore

• Mr. Pranab Ranjan Choudhury, Vice President, Centre for Land Governance

• Dr. Priyadarshani Karve, Director, Samuchit Enviro Tech

• Dr. Chirag Dhara, Assistant Professor, Krea University

• Dr. Jagannath Panda, Research Fellow, IDSA

• Dr. Swapna Pathak, Assistant Professor, Oberlin College

• Dr. Pradip Swarnakar, Associate Professor, IIT Kanpur