Given India’s net zero emission goal for 2070, courses blending economics, environment, and policy are set to see a high demand.

With extreme weather conditions, more people now want to know and study its cause and solutions. (Representational Image: Anant National university Official Website)

NEW DELHI: “Many years ago, working on sustainability and climate-related mandates was more ‘nice’ than necessary. But now it has become mandatory. With extreme weather conditions, more people now want to know and study its cause and solutions,” said Miniya Chatterji, founding director of Anant School of Climate Action, a part of the private Anant National University.

The trend started with Stanford University in the United States which, in 2022, launched a new climate school. Columbia University’s climate school joined in and started degree courses in the field. In India, too, many have taken the plunge in the last few years. Though these schools have added new bachelor’s courses in climate change according to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 mandates, there are challenges in demand and supply overall.

Tanu Jindal, group additional pro vice-chancellor (research and development), director of Amity University, pointed out that since last year, the university had witnessed a 20% increase in enrollments in its masters in environment science and engineering courses. “Due to this rise, we launched an MSc in climate change and green technology and a BSc in environmental science last year,” she said. “Earlier students were not keen on taking environmental science courses immediately after their 12th. But now many want to take up jobs in this area.”

TERI School of Advanced Studies (SAS), New Delhi, has also introduced courses on environmental science and resource management (ESRM), climate science and policy across all its courses along with a bachelor’s in environmental studies.

Why climate change courses are key

Chatterji explained that the big reason for the rise in climate education is the massive job boom since 2022 due to which they started the school. “While timelines in attaining net zero carbon emission are decided for every country, there is nobody to implement it. That’s what makes it extremely relevant today,” she said.

Jindal said that more students are choosing climate technology now because we need a sustainable world and these courses will directly take you to industry-ready jobs. “Once students get to know about green technologies and once we have such technologies and skilled people in this area, issues related to climate change will automatically have a solution,” she stated.

Ashish Garg, head of department, Sustainability Energy Engineering at IIT Kanpur, said rising energy demands are the main cause of issues related to global warming. “Because of climate change, the whole world is facing the challenge of sustainability and increase in energy demand is the driver behind it. It’s all interrelated. However, we need to prepare people and human resources who understand this problem, can develop solutions and work for industries as well as other sectors in energy, climate change, climate modelling, sustainability, environmental social governance (ESG) governance, and other facets of sustainability,” he said.

Climate change education: Curriculum

Chatterji said that Anant’s BTech in climate change has been pegged to the advancements in technology of the world along with multidisciplinarity.

“The course covers climate finance that teaches you how to fund these technologies. It has 54 hours of applied research with students working in actual industry live projects from all the companies working with Sustain labs. The course has eight streams in the first six semesters, including climate simulation, engineering, mathematics and climate engineering, climate chemistry, energy and technology, climate finance, design thinking and behavioural science and technology and society,” she said. Further, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US is a partner of the Climate School at Anant and provides support in specialisations technology and innovation and climate and policy.

In TERI SAS, the new addition to its already-available climate and development-focused courses are aspects of sustainable development which are more practice-based.

“The courses are very interdisciplinary with components on management, economics and climate along with a dedicated community programme where students have to go to rural communities and get involved in various aspects like ESG, development economics and others,” said Swarup Dutta, assistant professor and programme coordinator, MA in Sustainable Development Practice, department of policy and management studies, TERI School of Advanced Studies.

Jindal said that in its master’s courses in green technologies, a basic understanding of science is required due to its technical nature. But a student doesn’t need to have a master’s in environmental sciences only. “We have kept it open for any discipline in sciences,” she said.

She said because climate change is an important subject, the University Grant Commission (UGC) has given four credit courses to each field. At Amity, the courses include training about the toxicants in the environment, water testing, air pollution monitoring techniques, soil testing techniques, health safety measures, how to patent natural pesticides, water testing kits, degrading the toxic substance matter faster in natural conditions and many others.

Industry placements

At Anant, back in 2022, the internship stipends were around Rs 17 lakh per annum for a student. “The trend has continued and the paying capacity of this sector is very high as compared to other branches,” said Chatterji. She also said that in the last three years, they have seen 100% internship placements every year. “Students from BTech in climate change courses have an edge over others. Companies that have placed students include TechMahindra, Bharti Airtel, Jindals, Hitachi, IIT Mandi, different departments of United Nations in Africa and others,” she added.

Jindal stated that generally after a bachelor’s at Amity, students go for a master’s in climate and technology and after which the package varies from Rs 35,000- Rs 70,000 a month. Placement companies include grassroots organisations like the Centre for Science and Environment as well as ministry of earth sciences, ministry of environment forest, United Nations Environment Programme  (UNEP), and India Meteorological Department (IMD). Many students have opened their biodiversity non-profits as well, she added.

Challenges

Garg stated that since India has a net zero emission goal of 2070, programmes related to energy, economics and policy will see a high demand because of rising job opportunities. However, there are challenges.

Chatterji pointed out that online courses providing “cookie cutter” programmes are causing inertia in India’s climate action space. “We have to be careful with the kind of education that’s been rolled out and be wary of quality control and standardisation,” she said.

Anant is working closely with the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE), the premier government body for technical education, on a policy for this. “We worked

with AICTE to create that nomenclature of BTech (Climate Technology) which took years and is now part of the AICTE handbook.”

Dutta noted that environmental studies students are getting jobs in big consulting companies with Rs 13- Rs 16 lakh per annum salaries that rival those of MBA-holders but they possess little practical training. “Organisations are closely working on climate change issues, but not in mitigation. Most courses talk about scientific aspects but are removing the social science and community aspects. Hence, the demand is huge, but quality supply limited,” he stated.

Bisleri will share its findings with the central government to facilitate discussions and develop a framework, advancing the concept of water credits for the beverages industry. The proposal is aimed at making beverage makers more accountable towards water usage.

Mumbai: Packaged water maker Bisleri is looking to introduce water credits akin to carbon credits, aimed at making beverage makers more accountable for water usage.

The company has partnered TERI School of Advanced Studies to conduct a study that would set a benchmark for the beverage industry's commitment to water conservation.

The study assumes significance given that several large beverage makers have been criticized for extracting water from water stressed areas. Several companies now report initiatives to replenish water used during their manufacturing process.

Green credit for water conservation

Bisleri said it will share its findings with the central government to facilitate discussions and develop a framework, advancing the concept of water credits for the beverages industry.

“The water sector can generate green credits through water conservation, water harvesting, and water use efficiency, including treatment and reuse of wastewater," the company said. This will be similar to how companies buy credits to offset their emissions.

"This report is about proposing a model to the government—they can use and craft it. So, we are requesting the government to set up a platform as quickly as possible, similar to carbon credits, using this as a template," Angelo George, CEO, Bisleri International said in an interview.

Water savings need localized approaches

The study aimed to review national and international practices and policies in water trading, water credits and fiscal instruments and develop a methodological framework to estimate water footprint of a production unit. The study also tested and estimated the water footprint of two production units of Bisleri in two distinctly different terrains.

Unlike carbon emissions, water savings require a localized approach, factoring in variables such as rainfall and consumption at a watershed level, it said.

Problem of water scarcity

In India, 11 out 15 major river basins will be water-stressed by 2025, with per-capita annual water availability below 1,700 cubic meters, according to data from the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, a New Delhi-based think tank.

Bisleri’s move also comes after the government notified a Green Credit Program (GCP ) in October, 2023. The CPG is a market-based mechanism designed to incentivize voluntary environmental actions across diverse sectors, by various stakeholders like individuals, communities, private sector industries, and companies. In its initial phase, the CPG will focus on two key activities i.e. water conservation and afforestation. However, there is no official platform yet that permits trading of green credits in India.

Those in the beverage industry said that while the idea is novel, it could face challenges in implementation. “This is a responsible way for the industry to be more water-efficient, although several large companies are already replenishing water they use," said a senior executive in the beverages industry, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Additionally, ground water usage in India is already governed by various national and state-level rules that restrict the amount of water companies can draw for industrial and commercial use.

For instance, bottled water companies must obtain necessary No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for groundwater extraction and then undertake measures for groundwater replenishment. Packaged water units are also penalized for going above the minimum quantum of ground water withdrawal. Rates of ground water abstraction charges for packaged drinking water units vary in safe, semi-critical and critical assessment units, per rules laid out by the Central Ground Water Authority. However, companies also use other sources such as surface or municipal water—tariffs on which are different.

Others said the move is largely aligned to step up sustainable and environment-friendly practices followed by companies.

"If companies are able to follow efficient water use practices and earn credits their processes will be considered more environmentally friendly, because they are going to reduce their water footprint. Moreover, internationally, their product will have more acceptance, because you're contributing to environmental conservation. Third, is that it also reduces regulatory and reputational risk for organizations, said Nitin Bassi, senior programme lead for the sustainable water team at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).

However, Bassi warns that creating a baseline water footprint for the industry may have its challenges given the scale and scope of a given water unit. Smaller water units may be at a disadvantage when it comes to assessing their water footprint as their technology may not be at par with those deployed that large companies. "Additionally, while undertaking such projects, validating claims in the long-run becomes a challenge," he said.

Guwahati, April 30:  A two-day-long ‘Exposure Visit Programme’ for CBSE School Principals has successfully culminated here today at the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) where 34 school principals from various renowned CBSE schools from across the country participated.

The visit has been organized by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in collaboration with USTM from 29th to 30th April 2024. The program has been supported by the Department of Skill Education, CBSE under the Skill Education sector.

Addressing the school principals in an interactive session today, Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor of USTM said that the role of a school principal is multifaceted and essential for creating an environment where students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. He welcomed all the participants and said that USTM is always open to extending all kinds of support to uplift school education.

In the inaugural session yesterday, Prof GD Sharma, Vice Chancellor of USTM welcomed all the school principals and said that the National Education Policy 2020 has emphasized on Skill Education to become integral to School and Higher Education. Accordingly, CBSE has envisioned promoting Skill Education from Class 6th onwards in all its affiliated schools. He said that an added benefit of such an exposure visit is that it gives the principals a chance to meet other like-minded school leaders, share stories, and gain a lot in the process.

Speaking on this occasion, Dr Jagadish Barman, Jt Secretary, CBSE Centre of Excellence Guwahati said, “This Exposure Visit is expected to leverage the synergies between schools and Higher Educational Institutions and create a positive platform for cohesive interaction in the future learning ecosystem.”

These Principals may, in turn, mentor the teachers of schools in their neighborhood thus, unfold unlimited opportunities for educator empowerment, he added.

In this context, Prof Amit Choudhury, Dean, School of Technology and Management at USTM said that this year CBSE has selected USTM for principals’ exposure visit apart from six other institutions including TERI School of Advanced Studies New Delhi, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Asian Academy of Film Television Noida, Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati, Whistling Woods International Mumbai, and Indian Institute of Management–Raipur. The resource persons from USTM were: Dr E Karim, Dr Azmol H Barbhuiya, Dr Monalisa Bora Deka, Dr Alika Borgohain, Dr Baharul Islam, Dr K Aye, Dr S Gazi, Dr Nitu Borgohain, Dr Deboja Sharma, Dr Moutushi Das, Dr Mehjabin Rahman, Dr Papiya Dutta, Dr Palme Borthakur.

Dr Nirmaljit Singh Kalsi, Chairman, National Council for Vocational Education and Training took an online session on “Up-scaling of Skill Education in line with NEP 2020”. Several sessions took place on both days.

The participating schools in the program were Christ International School Bangalore, Mahavir Senior Model School Delhi, RS Jhunjhunwala International School Gujarat, Poddar International School Maharashtra, Manipal School, Brahmani Public School Odisha, DPS Ahomgaon Guwahati, Faculty HS School North Guwahati, Sharada Vidyaniketan Public School Mangalore, Kendriya Vidyalaya No.1 Kunjaban, KV NFR Maligaon, Ideal English Senior Secondary School Manipur, Livingstone Foundation International, PM Shri KV Khanapara, Holy Brook Sr. Sec. School, North East Public School Udalguri, Army Public School PRTC Bangalore, SBOA Public School Guwahati, The Priceton School, Sree Swami Vivekananda Higher Primary School, Kendriya Vidyalaya NEHU Shillong, Army Public School Shillong, SJ Patel Eng School Gujarat, Delhi World Public School Haryana, Jnana Ganga Central School, Dr. M Ramanna Shetty Memorial English Medium High School, Kendriya Vidyalaya ONGC Agartala, Kendriya Vidyalaya Assam University, Kendriya Vidyalaya Aizawl, Buhai School Sikkim and Kingcup Public School Itanagar.