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Sustainable Livelihoods

Sustainable Livelihoods

How do we ensure that India’s development aspirations are not at odds with its climate ambitions but instead leverage the latter? How can the clean energy transition contribute to increasing jobs and income? How can we mainstream climate-resilient jobs and livelihoods in a just and inclusive manner?

The Sustainable Livelihoods programme at the Council answers these questions and helps turn these answers into on-ground reality. We (i) identify and seize opportunities for green jobs and sustainable livelihoods, (ii) inform national and sub-national policies to further such opportunities, (iii) suggest transition pathways towards just and resilient economic opportunities, (iv) and support the development of market-ecosystem to mainstream green jobs and sustainable livelihoods.

The rapidly evolving programme currently focuses on identifying and mainstreaming the economic and livelihood potential of (i) energy transition, (ii) decentralised renewables to power livelihoods (Powering Livelihoods), (iii) bioeconomy, (iv) circular economy, (v) and nature-based solutions.

  • 1 million+

    additional youth reach employable age in India every month
    Source: Mallapur Chaitanya, 2018
  • 18.9%

    unemployment rate among youth as of June 2022
    Source: Quarterly Bulletin Periodic Labor Force Survey, 2022
  • $50 billion+

    market opportunity for clean energy innovations to power livelihoods in rural India
    Source: CEEW analysis, 2018
  • Countries across the world need to accelerate their transition to clean energy: a vital means to achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement. As part of this process, wealthier countries must step up and become co-investors in this transformation to ensure that no one is left behind. UNDP’s efforts to support communities across the globe to advance this transition to a zero-carbon future are closely aligned with the [CEEW’s] Powering Livelihoods programme.

    Achim Steiner

    Administrator, United Nations Development Programme

    Vice-Chair, UN Sustainable Development Group

  • Powering Livelihoods and the CEEW-Villgro partnership will go a long way in bringing out innovative solutions. Your initiative should look to leverage modern technologies and power villages at scale.

    Piyush Goyal

    Minister of Commerce & Industry and Minister of Railways Government of India

Our Sustainable Livelihoods Team

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