About Us

Idea Behind the Organization:

The Climate Agenda is a registered non-profit Trust committed to addressing the critical climate challenges faced by India. Our approach to climate action is anchored in three key pillars: Public Health, Livelihood, and Equity. We aim to bridge the gap between ground-level evidence and policymaking by supporting the creation of pro-climate policies and ensuring their effective implementation.

Our work is driven by a deep concern for India’s current energy production methods and the patterns of energy consumption across households and industries. This motivates us to initiate impactful communication campaigns and research projects that focus on thematic areas such as Decentralized Renewable Energy (DRE) adoption, Clean and Inclusive Mobility, and Just Transition in Industries, among others. By fostering a nuanced understanding of these issues, we strive to promote sustainable solutions that benefit both people and the planet.

History:

The Climate Agenda was formally established in 2017 as a direct outcome of an Air Quality Monitoring and Advisory Campaign conducted in five Indian cities during 2016-17. The campaign, called Care4Air, was a community-led initiative supported by multiple stakeholders. Low-cost monitors were deployed at various locations alongside a regulatory-grade PDR device, with the aim of enriching public discourse using local data and evidence, particularly at a time when air quality discussions were primarily focused on Tier 1 cities.

The organization’s efforts gained momentum as air quality monitoring expanded to 40 locations across Uttar Pradesh. The Climate Agenda subsequently joined a national campaign that contributed to the announcement of the National Clean Air Program (NCAP). As part of this initiative, we supported NCAP in developing city-level action plans for three cities in Uttar Pradesh. Our work has influenced public discourse and led to systemic changes at the national level.

Building on this success, we have contributed to the formulation of the Uttar Pradesh State Solar Policy, the UP Electric Vehicle Policy 2019, the Solarizing UP Cities Scheme 2022, and equity-based decarbonization of brick kilns, among other initiatives. These multi-stakeholder communication campaigns not only brought climate issues to the forefront but also guided the government in creating policies that address critical climate concerns in the state. Our efforts have gradually expanded to newer regions and geographies as well.

Core Strategies:

The current climate crisis necessitates collective action. Every sector of society—government, public institutions, civil society, research and educational bodies—must come together to tackle climate change. The intersectionality of climate change also demands collaboration across domains such as gender, livelihood, public health, transportation, and more. This understanding has shaped our strategy, which includes:

Multi-Stakeholder Engagement

Creative Communication Campaigns to shape public discourse and educate target audiences.
Facilitating Direct Conversations among the public, stakeholders, and policymakers.
This three-pronged approach has helped drive several national and state-level systemic changes aimed at reducing anthropogenic contributions to climate change.

Our Social Capital:

The Climate Agenda currently operates the following networks:

100% UP Network, spanning 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh (including all Non-Attainment Cities in the state) and actively engaging 150 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) working on climate-related themes.

Regional Interfaith Network, comprising leaders from all religious communities in the region, united in their commitment to collective climate action.
Youth for Equity & Sustainability Network, connecting young leaders from key cities and motivating them to take action on climate issues.
India’s Women Producers for Climate Action, a network of women from farming, artisan, tribal, and entrepreneurial communities across India, promoting climate resilience to mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events on their livelihoods, health, and quality of life.