June Event Will Connect Climate Leaders in India and U.S.
Montpelier, VT – May 5, 2016 – The Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) has been selected by the Department of State to organize a conference focused on implementing India’s COP21 commitments. The conference, The Future Is Now: India from COP21 to Reality will be held June 24-25 in Hyderabad and will include international experts and practitioners, environmental NGOs, in-country development organizations, finance experts, Indian companies and philanthropic organizations as well as India’s top national and state decision-makers.
Conference participants will explore India’s key climate change issues and opportunities in light of India’s Paris commitments. ISC is partnering with the Center for Environment and Development to present the conference, which will feature Indian and U.S. experts on topics such as clean energy, energy efficiency, climate finance, resilience, climate mitigation, air pollution, waste reduction and many more. Indian practitioners are encouraged to apply to participate in the conference at no charge: learn more.
The Department of State’s Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal notes that, “India is a vital player in addressing climate change and we look forward to increasing our partnership to expand clean energy deployment and access.”
Steve Nicholas, Vice President of Urban Programs at ISC, agrees: “The Paris Agreement is an incredibly important opportunity to reduce emissions and implement green development projects in India. Connecting U.S. and Indian leaders to each other is critical, because those professional relationships will continue to pay dividends. We’re honored to be working with our colleagues in India to understand their challenges, share what we’ve learned, and talk about what’s possible.”
Conference participants, which may include leaders from local government, industry, NGOs, academics, and national government officials, will have the opportunity to connect with their peers and share challenges, solutions and resources. ISC is renowned for its peer-learning programs, which have helped over 2,500 government and nonprofit leaders in the U.S. hone their skills and access tested and effective approaches to the myriad challenges of climate change and sustainable development.
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About the Institute for Sustainable Communities
An international nonprofit organization, the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) has 25 years of practical experience working with local leaders to accelerate climate change and sustainability solutions. ISC’s programs are designed to facilitate peer learning and engagement among local leaders charged with the work of making their communities more sustainable. ISC has led more than 100 projects in 30 countries, and currently works in China, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Bangladesh and the United States.
About the U.S. Consulate General Hyderabad
The United States Consulate General in Hyderabad promotes U.S. interests and the U.S.- India bilateral relationship in the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha. The Consulate does so through diplomatic and cultural relations with government officials, academia, business community, media, and the general public. Established in 2009, the U.S. Consulate General in Hyderabad is the first U.S. diplomatic office to open in India since India’s independence.
About the Center for Environment and Development
The Centre for Environment and Development (CED), established in 1993, is an autonomous research and development, training and consultancy organization focusing in fields related to environment and development. CED has its headquarters at Thiruvananthapuram and Eastern Regional Campus at Bhubaneswar, Regional Centre at Hyderabad and projects in Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Pondicherry and Gujarat apart from Odisha and Kerala.