Community Engagement – Global South Policy Review

From Pledges To Practice: How India’s Universities Are Powering The Sustainability Transition

O.R.S. Rao

Indian higher education institutions are moving beyond rhetoric to actively embed sustainability in research, operations, and student engagement. Universities such as IITs, TERI, and Azim Premji University are integrating renewable energy use, green campus initiatives, waste management, and climate-focused curricula to foster environmental responsibility. The article highlights how student-led projects, collaborations with local communities, and interdisciplinary programs are driving real-world change. However, it notes that funding gaps, lack of institutional frameworks, and uneven implementation remain challenges. Overall, it emphasizes that universities are becoming key drivers of India’s sustainability transition, shaping both policy and future green leadership.

A Guide To Going Sustainable This Christmas

Srinidhi Cherngottil

People are now embracing eco-friendly and creative alternatives to traditional Christmas decorations! Instead of plastic trees and synthetic ornaments, individuals and communities are turning to sustainable materials such as books, branches, fabric, and even spices like cinnamon and star anise to craft unique festive displays. These innovations not only reduce waste and plastic use but also add a personal, locally inspired touch to celebrations. The piece underscores a broader cultural shift toward mindful consumption and green living, showing that festive joy and sustainability can go hand in hand.

Bengaluru’s ₹1-cr 2BHKs Spark Debate On Sustainability Of City’s Real Estate

Business Today

Bengaluru’s real estate market is facing growing scrutiny as even basic 2BHK apartments now routinely cost ₹1 crore or more, raising fears of an emerging housing bubble. Adding to these concerns is the city’s escalating water crisis. With groundwater depletion, shrinking lakes, and heavy dependence on tanker water, many new high-rise projects lack sustainable water sources. This mismatch between soaring property prices and declining urban livability has intensified worries about the long-term stability of Bengaluru’s real estate boom.

How Training in Green Skills Could Help Turn The Tide Against Plastic Pollution

UNEP

UNEP, in partnership with regional universities, is training students in green skills to fight plastic pollution. The program promotes a circular economy by teaching sustainable practices and waste reduction. By integrating these concepts into academic curricula, it aims to build a workforce ready to support eco-friendly industries. This effort is part of the broader “Green Jobs for Youth Pact” to boost sustainable employment in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Rwanda Sweet Solution For Adapting To Climate Change

UNEP

In Rwanda’s Ngororero district, a UNEP-supported initiative is aiding farmers in adapting to climate change through sustainable beekeeping. By adopting modern hives and planting trees, they have expanded their operation from 20 to 200 hives, enhancing honey production and income. This approach not only provides economic benefits but also restores ecosystems, mitigates climate impacts, and exemplifies how nature-based solutions can foster resilience and livelihoods in vulnerable communities

A Map of India’s Most Remarkable Water Conservation Efforts: From Kashmir to Tamil Nadu

Mervin Preethi

Water scarcity is a growing challenge, but across India, communities are finding smart ways to conserve every drop. This map takes you through some of the most inspiring efforts—from ancient step wells to modern rainwater harvesting—that are making a real difference in tackling drought and ensuring a sustainable future.

How a city-farmer partnership can help smaller cities solve their waste conundrum

Pushkara SV

Solid waste management is perhaps among the most overwhelming problems that Indian cities are grappling with today. But while the complexities around waste management in big cities are discussed widely, the challenges faced by smaller Indian cities and towns are even more complex due to limited scale, inadequate funding and institutional capacity constraints. Tier-1 and some Tier-2 cities have set up infrastructure and allocated resources for waste processing, but in general, small cities struggle to do so. As a result, waste processing in these cities is almost negligible, with only a few exceptions.

Waste workers take the lead in solving Bengaluru’s textile waste crisis

Sravasti Datta

The rise of fast fashion, coupled with citizens’ limited awareness about waste disposal, has led to a textile waste challenge in Bengaluru. The city generates 220 tonnes of textile waste everyday, which accounts for 4% of its municipal waste.
Managing urban textile waste goes beyond collection, sorting, and recycling — it should also take into account the needs of the frontline workers, the waste picker community. To address this challenge, waste pickers, with support from NGOs, have developed multiple solutions. In the past few years, they have set up Bengaluru’s first textile waste processing centre, a decentralised system to provide waste to this centre, and even a separate upcycling system that fashions new clothes out of waste.

A path to climate resilience through city-level research and planning

Divya Kilikar

As Indian cities expand, the impact of climate hazards varies widely due to socioeconomic inequalities and political and cultural factors. Cities lie at the forefront of the climate crisis, contributing heavily to greenhouse gas emissions while also reeling from impacts like heat islands, floods, droughts and public health risks. At the same time, India’s urban population continues to swell – rising about from 32% in 2013 to 36.3% in 2023. By 2050, India’s urban population is projected to reach 53%, adding 416 million people, according to a UN report.

Fiji’s Water Sector Strategy 2050

International Water Association

Fiji has adopted a strategy to improve its water sector’s resilience, sustainability and economic viability. As climate change intensifies in the Pacific, climate vulnerability of water systems under extreme weather events and rising sea levels is now endangering key water infrastructure, necessitating substantial investment in protective measures. Small Island Developing States in the Pacific are home to about 2.5 million people, living on hundreds of islands spread over the vast Pacific Ocean. The region covers nearly 15% of the Earth’s surface, with shared water security challenges and solutions.

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