Forests: An essential piece in the decarbonisation puzzle

Over the past two decades, India has seen growth in forest and tree cover despite developmental activities. India in its 2015 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) committed to creating an additional sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e) through the expansion of forest and tree cover by 2030.

Addressing the impending crisis of solar photovoltaic waste in India

The solar photovoltaic industry is witnessing a remarkable expansion worldwide. India is ranked fourth globally in ground-mounted photovoltaic deployment. While this is impressive, the waste resulting from such end-of-life photovoltaic panels is expected to be enormous at 4.5 million tonnes by 2050, as per our estimates. In the absence of suitable infrastructure facilities and a lack of proactive policies for recycling, waste accumulation can become an unmanageable problem.

Senior Associate/Research Scientist

We are seeking early-career or aspiring scientists with expertise in atmospheric chemistry and air quality measurements and interest in air quality policy. The candidate should have experience in using AMS/ACSM or similar higher-end instruments or in deploying and analysing data from large networks of low-cost sensors for characterising urban and regional air pollution. Familiarity with air quality management will be a plus.

 

 

PRESS RELEASE - Mapping Bengaluru’s air pollution using hybrid monitoring methods

The study conducted by the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) employed a hybrid measurement approach to generate high-resolution air pollution maps. A mobile monitoring campaign was conducted where various monitoring instruments were set up in a CNG-fuelled car, which covered approximately 10% of the city's roads, to measure on-road mass concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon (BC), and number concentrations of ultrafine particles (UFPs).

Potential and challenges of using hydrogen to decarbonise Indian Railways

The Indian Railways, one of the biggest train networks worldwide, transports over 24 million passengers and 3 MT of freight daily. It is a major energy consumer in the country with a significant emission footprint. To overcome these challenges, the government has set a target to achieve 100% electrification of the railway network by 2024. Currently, 80% of the routes have already been electrified. However, the cost effectiveness and technical feasibility of complete electrification in areas with low grid access or inaccessible terrain or in routes with low frequency remain unclear.

Regional (South) Meet of Institutes of Repute Associated with NCAP

CSTEP and the National Knowledge Network (IIT Kanpur) organised the regional (south) meeting of Institutes of Repute (IoR) associated with NCAP on 27 July 2023 at Royal Orchid, Bengaluru. 

 

The objective of the meeting was to synergise the efforts among agencies and discuss integrated multi-dimensional aspects of air quality monitoring and management.

 

Please refer to the concept note and agenda for more details.

ICAS 2023: Clean Air for Sustainable Development and Mission LiFE

The India Clean Air Summit (ICAS) is the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy’s (CSTEP’s) flagship event on air pollution. The event is organised by the Centre for Air Pollution Studies (CAPS) at CSTEP and serves as an important platform for shaping the narrative and driving action on air quality in India.

 

In the fifth edition of ICAS, we explored the need to prioritise clean air for sustainable development and Mission LiFE in collaboration with Indian Aerosol Science and Technology Association (IASTA). 

 

Democratizing Air Pollution Models in India: Current Opportunities and Challenges

CSTEP collaborated with ORF America to organise a round-table discussion on 22 June 2023 in ITC Windsor, Bengaluru.

 

Titled ‘Democratizing Air Pollution Models in India: Current Opportunities and Challenges’, various stakeholders, including technical and policy experts, deliberated on current practices in air quality modelling in India and the way forward.