CEEW facilitated the formation of four Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Amritsar to drive e-autos

The aim was to enable and empower women who wanted to drive e-autos. An implementation plan was developed to identify, train, and retain women drivers, emphasizing capacity building and community support. Recommendations in a policy memo were provided to Amritsar Smart City to extend RAAHI scheme to be gender inclusive. The launch of 200 pink e-autos with a 90 per cent subsidy in Amritsar represents a significant step toward gender-responsive three-wheeler (3W) fleet electrification in India.

Students in Ludhiana and Amritsar kick off the Zero Waste Schools Programme - an initiative for the students by the students.

CEEW in partnership with the City Municipal Corporations launched the Zero Waste School Programme Audits aimed at building champions in the public and private schools for sustainable waste management practices. CEEW conducted demonstration workshops with students from public and private schools in how to perform a waste audit by identifying, categorising, and measuring the waste generated on their school campuses. The workshop aimed to inspire a culture of sustainability in future generations through waste segregation and disposal. The programme’s learnings will provide valuable insights into typical waste generation per student and will inform effective waste management methods that other schools in Punjab can adopt.

Uttar Pradesh Directorate of Urban Transport and CEEW launched ‘Meri Bus, Meri Sadak’

The initiative aims to accelerate sustainable urban mobility in the state. Three independent research studies were also launched with CEEW’s assessments of the number of buses required by 2031 in the 26 major cities of UP, the infrastructure and investments required, and the benefits of enhanced public mobility. Several mobility experts, government officials, and other dignitaries attended the event to discuss UP’s transition to cleaner and more efficient transportation given that it will play a crucial role in UP’s aim to become a USD 1 trillion economy.

State-level convening on Construction and Demolition (C&D) Dust & Waste Management was hosted by the Municipal Corporation of Amritsar (MCA) and CEEW to discuss and address with key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, the challenges and opportunities associated with C&D waste management in the city. Solutions discussed included promoting eco-friendly construction practices, implementing efficient waste segregation, and establishing recycling facilities.

Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) package rolled out in Jharkhand for reducing Household Air Pollution

Asar developed an SBCC resource package for reducing Household Air Pollution (HAP). The pilot phase was rolled out in Lohardaga in partnership with the Jharkhand State Livelihoods Promotion Society (JSLPS), Government of Jharkhand. The SBCC resource package comprises a facilitators’ handbook, a set of flash cards and a guide book, a conversation map and a Snakes and Ladders game. facilities.

Breaking Barriers to Shifting to Clean Cooking Fuels

USAID, Asar Social Impact Advisors in collaboration with CEEW launched a report titled - ‘Barriers to access, adoption and sustained use of cleaner fuels among low-income households: An exploratory study from Delhi and Jharkhand, India’ with Shri Kushagra Mittal, Deputy Secretary (LPG), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in August 2023. The recommendations in the report are aimed at accelerating the transition to clean cooking practices with an emphasis on behaviour change campaigns and more incentives for adopting cleaner fuels, as LPG access alone does not guarantee sustained use unless refills are made affordable. Asar as part of the CABH engagement with MoPNG has led to approximately 300 women from Delhi and Jharkhand to sign up for the PMUY scheme for the first time. Engagement in Delhi and Nagpur slums, and Lohardaga, Dhanbad and Bokaro districts of Jharkhand has led to 6425 women participating in awareness meetings on air pollution, household air pollution and health impacts. CABH project has trained more than 3869 women on Household Air Pollution (HAP) and clean cooking.

USAID and CEEW Host National Dialogue on Air Pollution and Health

The Dialogue 'Cleaner Air and Better Health: Innovating Pathways to Scaling Solutions’ held on on August 31, 2023, brought together key stakeholders from the Government of India, pollution regulating agencies, academic institutions, and civil society to discuss and advance approaches to improving air quality, with a focus on mitigating health impacts. The event also included an exhibition – Hawa ke Saathi (Friends of Air) – that showcased prototypes of clean air solutions and interventions. Innovations included battery-powered wearable heating solutions for outdoor workers in winter months, a green hydrogen cookstove that provides energy security in areas where fuel delivery is a challenge, and a mini electric tractor designed to meet the specific requirements of small landholders and vegetable farmers.

Enhancing the Use of Data in Reporting on Air Pollution

USAID and Vital Strategies convened over 25 health- and climate- focused journalists from across six states for a two-day workshop [August 2023] in Goa to share best practices in and enhance the use of data in reporting on air pollution. The workshop included identifying sources of health data and evaluating public health claims, using credible data to inform stories, and discussions around challenges and opportunities to create evidence-based, compelling stories around air quality in India. The discussion also included sharing of experiences and ideas on how to humanise data or boosting data transparency to build a better understanding among its readers on the issue.

Building Capacity on Indoor Air Quality

Environmental Design Solutions (EDS) hosted the ‘Breathe-In’ dialogues jointly with the Society for Indoor Environment (SIE) as the knowledge partner. The ‘Breathe-In’ dialogues include a series of webinars to generate a community of professionals with know-how on indoor air quality issues, concerns and solutions and is focused on four themes - Regulatory convergence, Integrated design and technology, monitoring and management, and occupant awareness and communication.

Signature Global and CEEW Deploy a Pilot Air Quality Monitoring Network in Gurugram to Manage Construction Dust

A first-of-its-kind air quality monitoring network was deployed as a pilot at a Signature Global construction site to strengthen the regulation of polluting activities and promote clean construction practices. The network comprises of 9 air quality monitors and 1 automatic weather station, the data from which will be available to project developers and the research team through a dashboard that will capture pollution concentrations during different on-site construction activities. The network will strengthen regulation of pollution activities on construction sites and promote clean construction practices.