India: Finding paths to sustainable growth

Partnership has been the defining element of EDF’s work in India. In fact, it was a partnership with the Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN) that first tempted EDF’s business development expert Richie Ahuja to leave behind the big skies of Texas and relocate to Delhi two years ago.

Today, the focus of EDF's work in India is still sharing knowledge about climate change and innovative ideas for clean, sustainable development.

Who do we need to reach?

India began opening to world trade a decade ago, and today its economy is growing almost as fast as China’s. When EDF decided to explore innovative environmental solutions in India, it was clear that local partnerships would be key. We needed to tap into local knowledge and adapt our own ideas to local realities.

So we asked ourselves: Who in India is already wrestling with climate change? Would they benefit from collaboration with EDF?

• Youth. Half of all Indians are under 25. This dynamic and growing young population knows it must find new sustainable pathways to development.


• Rural villages. Over half of India’s population is rural and even urbanites maintain close ties with villages. Rural farmers are already seeing shifting seasonal patterns affect crops.

Why climate change?

Climate change poses an unprecedented challenge to developing nations. India, like others, is just hitting its stride growing the economy fast enough to lift millions of people out of poverty. Slowing development is not an option.

But growth based on carbon-intensive fuels like coal and oil is already clogging urban air and undermining improvements in health and welfare. And if carbon emissions keep rising, global warming could make things much worse.

Shifting seasonal patterns already threaten food security; and India could face rising sea levels, droughts or more severe storms if warming continues. The poor will be hardest hit because they lack the resources to adapt.

EDF partners with young leaders

One of EDF’s first efforts was to support a group of young Indian leaders forming a national youth climate action network.

In April 2008, the fledgling youth network convened a national climate change summit—that led to the Climate Youth Road Tour—a clean-energy drive across India designed to raise awareness about climate change. Featuring cookouts, dancing and a solar rock band, the climate road tour was so popular it attracted the attention of India’s president.

Reaching rural villages through film

More than half of India’s population—some 700 million people—live in villages and rural areas. Rural farmers are among India’s poorest citizens, and they will suffer the worst effects of global warming.

Rural farmers in India already know shifting seasonal patterns are putting crops at risk, but EDF needed the right partner to help share knowledge about climate change in the countryside. The Hunger Project, a global nonprofit that seeks sustainable solutions to world hunger, helps to empower women in rural communities.

EDF teamed up with The Hunger Project, and the result was a film that premiered in July 2009.