Beating the Heat in 300+ Cities

CEEW is working with 50 cities across eight states/union territories — Andhra Pradesh, Delhi (NCT), Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand — to design and implement localised Heat Action Plans, aiming to reach 300 cities by 2027. Over the last year, the CEEW team has co-developed Heat Action Plans for more than 50 Indian cities, covering close to 60 million citizens to tackle periods of extreme heat.

These plans combine ward-level heat-risk assessments, early-warning thresholds, sustainable cooling solutions, training of first responders, and adaptation-finance pathways to protect vulnerable communities and build long-term climate resilience.

Accelerating the Shift to Clean Energy

In March 2025, CEEW hosted the National Dialogue Powering India’s Future: Policy, Markets, and Innovation for a Clean Grid, convening senior policymakers, practitioners, and experts to discuss practical solutions for enabling the clean energy transition. The dialogue highlighted the sector’s recent progress, the critical role of state-level leadership, and the reforms needed to meet India’s fastrising power demand with renewables. It also marked the release of CEEW report How Can India Meet its Rising Power Demand? that offers actionable pathways for balancing growth and clean energy integration through 2030 and beyond.

Source: CEEW analysis 600 GW of clean energy capacity by 2030—that is the scale India must aim for, backed by policy innovation, smarter grid planning and digitisation, and decisive Centre–State coordination.

Enabling India’s Net-zero Ambition

This year, CEEW advanced India’s low-carbon transition by deepening research across hard-to-abate sectors, and supporting policymakers on future capacity needs. We contributed to Greening the Steel Sector in India: Roadmap and Action Plan with the Ministry of Steel, developed emissions targets for the fertiliser sector with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme, assessed pathways for deploying green hydrogen in refineries and fertilisers with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, and informed research on decarbonising India’s automobile industry.

87%of potential emissions from India’s auto industry could be eliminated by switching to green electricity and low-carbon steel

Reimagining growth through the power of a circular economy

In December 2024, CEEW, in collaboration with World Resources Institute (WRI) India and Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), hosted an event on Pathways for Building a Circular Economy in India, focusing on opportunities to advance circular and sustainable growth across seven priority sectors— solar panels, batteries, steel, construction, agricultural waste, wastewater, and municipal solid waste. Along with the launch of a joint discussion paper, Unlocking India’s Circular Economy Potential for Sustainability: Insights Across Seven Key Sectors, the event also featured a keynote address by Amitabh Kant, former G20 Sherpa of India.

Building Odisha's Green Economy

CEEW's landmark study on Odisha's green economy unveiled a potential to create 1 million jobs, attract INR 3.5 lakh crore (USD ~$42 billion) in investments, and boost the state's GDP by 23 per cent by 2030 across the energy transition, circular economy, and bio-economy sectors. The study identified 28 green value chains — from solar and battery storage to seaweed farming and e-waste recycling.

It also laid the groundwork for the Green Odisha Initiative, a roadmap to align policies, mobilise resources, and foster inclusive, job-intensive growth while positioning the state as a national leader in sustainable development.

Scaling up the Rooftop Solar Revolution in Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh

CEEW’s rooftop solar work combines policy research, technical analysis, and large-scale communications to accelerate adoption across India. Our research identifies regulatory, financial, and technical barriers, while our campaigns aims to build awareness, trust, and consumer demand. Through research and strategic outreach, this year, we supported governments with data-driven insights to strengthen programme design, streamline processes, and expand access to rooftop solar.

Shaping Thane’s Air, Water, and Heat Action Plans

In January 2025, CEEW partnered with the Thane Municipal Corporation to create India’s first Treated Used Water (TUW) Reuse Plan. It brings a circular economy approach to urban water management. The plan sets reuse-specific quality standards, promotes TUW for non-potable purposes, and aims to reduce freshwater dependency while protecting local water sources.

CEEW is also proud to have partnered with Thane to help create flood and heat action plans, and set up the Air Quality Decision Support System (AQDSS). The initiatives reflect Thane’s journey towards becoming a climateresilient city.

Greening Public Transit in Tamil Nadu and Punjab

As part of the India–UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (PACT) partnership, CEEW is supporting low-carbon, climate-responsive urban development in Tamil Nadu’s Tier-2 cities—strengthening integrated mobility and planning in Erode with Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) India, and enabling data-driven urban transitions in Thoothukudi through digital twin technologies developed with IIT Madras, TERI, The Energy and Resources Institute (ITDP) India, and Cenex. In parallel, CEEW formalised a partnership with the Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company and Sandeep Gandhi Architects to improve the bus transport ecosystem across Punjab’s cities.

Championing Global Climate Action at COP29

At COP29, CEEW convened global experts, policymakers, and leaders to explore actionable pathways for energy transition, climate resilience, and accountable progress toward a net-zero future.

In the banner: UN Secretary-General António Guterres at Integrity Matters, a high-level event at COP29, with CEEW's Arunabha Ghosh, discussing global net-zero commitments and emphasising accountable climate action.

Fostering International Climate Action

ITALY: H.E. VANI RAO, Ambassador of India to Italy, with ARUNABHA GHOSH, CEO, CEEW, discussing deeper India–Italy cooperation in clean energy and sustainable development investments, New Delhi, September 2024.

MALAYSIA: CEEW and Institute of Strategic & International Studies Malaysia explored ways to strengthen the India–Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership through joint research and action on sustainable development. Both signed an MoU to scale up India– Malaysia climate cooperation, advancing green technologies, accelerating energy transitions, and shaping climate-resilient economic pathways, New Delhi, October 2024.

Taking India’s Clean Energy Story to Global Forums

At the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly SDG7 Action Forum, CEEW, along with Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), highlighted India’s renewable energy journey and its lessons for the emerging economies, showcasing initiatives for an inclusive, affordable transition.

CEEW’s Arunabha Ghosh appointed South Asia Envoy to COP30

As one of eight international envoys for strategic regions, Dr Ghosh played a key role in facilitating dialogue and ensuring strong representation of South Asian voices at the global climate conference.

“COP30 must be a platform where the Global South is not only heard, but where their unique forms of climate leadership are recognised and supported.”