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ISSUE BRIEF
01 October, 2025 |

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is an Air Quality Decision Support System?

    An AQDSS integrates data from various sources, performs necessary analytics, and provides actionable insights to support policymakers in making air quality management decisions.

  • What do Delhi’s Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) and Decision Support System (DSS) provide?

    The AQEWS provides air quality and weather forecasts for Delhi three to ten days in advance. It also provides real-time air quality and weather information at the station and city levels. The DSS provides the contribution from 28 sectors to Delhi’s PM2.5.

  • How can Delhi’s air quality forecasts be improved?

    A regular update of emission inventories every two to three years, and using machine learning models to correct forecast errors, can improve air quality forecasts.

  • How can Delhi’s DSS be improved?

    The DSS should have the option to simulate actionable pollution reduction scenarios, including the impact of GRAP restrictions. Having a year-round operational DSS, along with displaying sectoral emissions from neighbouring districts, constituents of particulate matter and open-access data, will also enhance the ability of the system.

  • How can a user access Delhi’s air quality forecasts?

    The air quality forecasts provided by IITM/IMD Pune are accessible through their website https://ews.tropmet.res.in/

  • How did Delhi’s AQEWS perform in winter 2023-24 and 2024-25?

    The AQEWS could predict ‘very poor and above’ days with ~80 per cent accuracy. It rightly predicted 83 out of 92 ‘very poor and above’ days in 2023-24 and 54 out of 58 such days in 2024-25. It also rightly predicted 5 out of 14 ‘severe and above’ days in 2024-25, marking a significant improvement from 1 out of 15 such days in 2023-24.

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Action - Oriented Dialogue
Ten Years of the Paris Agreement: From rule-making to delivery

07 Oct 2025   |   1030 - 1600 hrs IST

Session brief:

The Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) is pleased to invite you to an action - oriented dialogue on "Ten Years of the Paris Agreement: From rule-making to delivery" on 07 October 2025, 10:30 - 16:00 IST, at Taj Mahal, New Delhi.

The 2015 Paris Agreement is a landmark accord aiming to cap global warming well below 2°C, ideally at 1.5°C. It created a universal, bottom-up framework using Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), long-term goals, and accountability mechanisms, grounded in the principles of equity. This structure has advanced key areas like Loss and Damage and the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), forming the bedrock of international climate governance.

Despite this framework, a significant "delivery gap" persists. Current policies are projected to lead to a dangerous 2.9°C of warming, according to a recent UNEP report. Developed nations, while having net-zero targets, are consuming a large share of the remaining carbon budget, showing a lack of leadership. The Global South, which has contributed minimally to historical emissions, is disproportionately affected by climate change, yet international climate finance, including the unmet $100 billion goal and the inadequate NCQG of $300 billion, falls short of their needs.

This makes COP30 in Belém a critical event. As the first COPafter a full ambition cycle of the Paris Agreement, it will follow the Global Stocktake (GST) and the submission of new NDC 3.0. Brazil's proposed "Circle of Presidencies" aims to increase accountability, positioning COP30 as a "post-negotiation COP." In this context, our convening will serve as a crucial moment for all stakeholders to reflect on the agreement's decade-long implementation, assess progress, and formulate actionable recommendations to create a more ambitious and equitable agenda for global climate action.

For Event Queries

Yadu Kathuria

Communications Consultant

[email protected]

Key Speakers

ISSUE BRIEF
24 September, 2025 | ,

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • When were State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) established in India, and what is their role?

    State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) were established following the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment, with the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 providing the legal foundation. Their mandate expanded under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Today, SPCBs serve as the key state-level regulators for pollution control, responsible for monitoring and regulating air, water, and noise pollution, granting consents and authorisations, enforcing environmental laws, and ensuring compliance with multiple waste management and environmental standards.

  • What is covered in the annual report of SPCBs?

    SPCB annual reports typically summarise the entire range of annual activities of the Board. This includes their statutory role and governance, monitoring results (ambient air, water, and noise pollution levels in the state), consent/inspection/enforcement actions, hazardous/municipal/biomedical/e-waste management, major projects (e.g., activities undertaken under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)), capacity-building activities, IEC activities, finances/staffing and future plans.

  • Why are innovations important for SPCBs?

    Over time, SPCBs’ mandates have expanded from water and air regulation to a wide range of environmental and waste management laws, while staffing and resources have not kept pace. To address this, many boards are streamlining consent and monitoring processes, adopting advanced tools such as online continuous emission monitoring systems (OCEMS) and GPS-based tracking, reorganising internal functions, improving public communication, and collaborating with research institutions. These innovations can potentially help the boards manage rising workloads and strengthen regulatory effectiveness despite capacity constraints.

  • What are Pollution Control Committees (PCCs)?

    In Union Territories, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is empowered to exercise the functions of a State Pollution Control Board. The Central Government may delegate these functions to Pollution Control Committees (PCCs), which discharge equivalent consent and enforcement responsibilities. All Union Territories in India have constituted PCCs.

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REPORT
25 September, 2025 |

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why are e-buses important for India’s mobility future?

    E-buses are central to India’s clean mobility transition because buses remain the most affordable and widely used form of public transport, carrying nearly 390 million passengers daily. Diesel buses still dominate, accounting for 95 per cent of sales, but they contribute heavily to oil imports and urban air pollution. By switching to e-buses, India can cut fuel dependency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve urban air quality. At the same time, electric buses lower operating costs - 31 per cent cheaper than diesel and 18% cheaper than CNG buses—making them more economical in the long run.

  • How many jobs can the e-bus sector create?

    Every new bus adds 4-5 jobs and supports employment alongside climate action. According to CEEW’s Transportation Fuel Forecasting Model (TFFM), by 2047, India will have around 3.34 million buses on the road, of which nearly one-third will be electric. This expansion will generate 10.1 million jobs (1.01 crore) in total, with 9.6 million in operations (drivers, conductors, cleaners, depot staff) and 0.5 million in manufacturing. E-buses are slightly more job-intensive than diesel buses, as they require additional staff for charging and their maintenance. This means the shift to electrification will directly support livelihoods while boosting domestic manufacturing of batteries, electronics, and bus components.

  • Which regions are leading in e-bus adoption in India?

    The uptake of buses varies widely across states. Maharashtra (13.4 per cent), Tamil Nadu and Karnataka (9 per cent each), Haryana (7.8 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (6.5 per cent), and Rajasthan (6.3 per cent) accounted for 52 per cent of registrations in 2023-24. Delhi has emerged as a national e-bus leader, operating nearly 2,000 e-buses by 2024 with another 1,000 planned in early 2025. Under the Grand Challenge Phase-II tender, Delhi aims to raise the share of e-buses in its fleet from 2 per cent in 2022 to 70 per cent by 2025. Other promising zones include Gujarat’s Kevadia (India’s first EV-only tourist zone) and Himachal Pradesh’s Rohtang Pass, where diesel buses are restricted in favor of e-buses.

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Policy Dialogue
Towards COP30 - How can Article 6 partnerships harness India's green transition?

08 Oct 2025   |   09:30 - 14:30 IST

Session brief:

As global negotiations under the Paris Agreement move toward operationalising Article 6, there is increasing momentum to ensure that cooperative approaches deliver real, measurable, and equitable climate outcomes. For India, Article 6 presents a strategic opportunity to unlock much-needed climate finance, enable technology transfer, and accelerate low-carbon development through market-based mechanisms.

At this critical juncture, India’s engagement with Article 6 must align with its development priorities - particularly the need to finance mitigation in hard-to-abate sectors, support industrial transformation, and enhance market readiness. The evolving global landscape on carbon markets, combined with India’s domestic ambition, calls for a deeper examination of how Article 6.2 and 6.4 can be leveraged to drive climate-aligned industrial growth while ensuring environmental integrity and national ownership.

This event will explore how India can proactively shape its strategy under Article 6 to meet domestic climate goals, mobilise international finance, and strengthen institutional capacity for participation in.

For Event Queries

Yadu Kathuria

Communications Consultant

[email protected]

Key Speakers

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29 January, 2025 | , ,

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फेलो & डायरेक्टर - ग्रीन इकोनॉमी एंड इंपैक्स इन्नोवेशंस

Frequently Asked Questions

  • भारत का ग्रीन इकोनॉमी पैराडाइम क्या है?

    भारत के लिए ग्रीन इकोनॉमी पैराडाइम इन बातों पर केंद्रित होना चाहिए: (i) अर्थव्यवस्था में उन क्षेत्रों और वैल्यू चेन को शामिल करना, जो रोजगार की अधिकता वाली आर्थिक वृद्धि को बढ़ाए और प्राकृतिक संसाधनों को बचाएं/पुनर्जीवित करें; (ii) उन क्षेत्रों में निवेश करते हुए आर्थिक लचीलापन विकसित करना, जो कम कार्बन और जलवायु परिवर्तन वाली दुनिया में उपयुक्त हो और फल-फूल सके; (iii) सततशीलता उन्मुख क्षेत्रों, जैसे बायो-इकोनॉमी और प्रकृति-आधारित समाधान, ऊर्जा परिवर्तन के अलावा सर्कुलर इकोनॉमी को शामिल करने के लिए, अर्थव्यवस्था के 'हरितकरण' (Greening) को बढ़ाना; और (iv) सक्रियता के साथ खनन आधारित अर्थव्यवस्था से पुनर्जीवित (regenerative) अर्थव्यवस्था में बदलने के लिए (भविष्य के) कर्मचारियों की क्षमता और कौशल को विकसित करना।

  • तीन प्रमुख हरित आर्थिक क्षेत्र कौन से हैं, और उन्हें ओडिशा के लिए कैसे चुना गया?

    चिन्हित किए गए तीन हरित क्षेत्र हैं: हरित ऊर्जा परिवर्तन (Green Energy Transition - ET), सर्कुलर इकोनॉमी (Circular Economy - CE), और बायोइकोनॉमी और प्रकृति-आधारित समाधान (Bioeconomy & Nature-based Solutions - BE और NbS)। इन्हें निम्नलिखित आधार पर चुना गया: (i) सरकार की विकसित होती नीतियां; (ii) भारत में निजी क्षेत्र की बढ़ती रुचि, जिसमें बड़े उद्योगों से लेकर स्टार्ट-अप तक शामिल हैं; (iii) ऊर्जा परिवर्तन के अलावा नौकरी सृजित करने वाले विकास के अवसरों की पहचान करने की आवश्यकता; (iv) अर्थव्यवस्था के सभी स्तरों पर आर्थिक गतिविधियों को प्रोत्साहित करने की आवश्यकता - सूक्ष्म उद्यमों से लेकर बड़े उद्योगों तक, और प्राथमिक से लेकर तृतीयक क्षेत्रों तक।

  • ऊर्जा परिवर्तन (ET), सर्कुलर इकोनॉमी (CE), और बायो-इकोनॉमी और प्रकृति-आधारित समाधान (BE और NbS) क्षेत्रों में क्या-क्या शामिल है?

    ऊर्जा परिवर्तन (ET) एक गैर- जीवाश्म ईंधन (fossil fuel) अर्थव्यवस्था की दिशा में जाने के लिए आवश्यक तकनीकों को अपनाना है। हमने ET के भीतर 14 वैल्यू चेन्स को चिन्हित किया है, जिसमें सौर और पवन ऊर्जा जैसे अक्षय/नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा (Renewable Energy - RE) स्रोतों का उपयोग, आजीविका के लिए नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा का विकेंद्रीकृत उपयोग, और इन स्रोतों के लिए जरूरी प्रमुख घटकों का निर्माण शामिल है। इसमें डीकार्बोनाइजेशन (decarbonisation) के उद्देश्य से प्रौद्योगिकियां, उत्पाद और सेवाएं भी शामिल हैं, जैसे कि इलेक्ट्रिक वाहन (EV) और ग्रीन हाइड्रोजन (GH2)। हरित ऊर्जा स्रोतों में परिवर्तन से नौकरी के प्रमुख अवसर पैदा हो सकते हैं और नए बाजार खुल सकते हैं। सर्कुलर इकोनॉमी (CE) एक ऐसी प्रणाली है, जहां कोई सामग्री कभी बर्बाद नहीं होती है और प्राकृतिक संसाधनों को पुनर्सथापित किया जाता है। इस मॉडल में उत्पादों और सामग्रियों को मरम्मत, पुन: उपयोग, नवीनीकरण, पुनर्निर्माण, पुनर्चक्रण और कंपोस्टिंग जैसी प्रक्रियाओं के माध्यम से संचालित किया जाता है। हमने सर्कुलर इकोनॉमी के भीतर चार प्रमुख वैल्यू चेन की पहचान की है - निर्माण और विध्वंस (Construction and Demolition - C&D) मलबा, लिथियम-आयन बैटरी (Lithium-ion Battery - LIB) वेस्ट, प्लास्टिक वेस्ट, और बिजली और इलेक्ट्रॉनिक उपकरण वेस्ट (e-waste)। बायो-इकोनॉमी को आर्थिक वस्तुओं के उत्पादन के लिए जैविक संसाधनों में बदलाव लाने और उपयोग करने के एक कुशल तरीके के रूप में वर्णित किया गया है, जो एक सतत अर्थव्यवस्था को साकार करने की दिशा में राजस्व वृद्धि को बढ़ाता है। इसमें बायो-इनपुट, बायोगैस, बायो-फाइबर और बायो-पैकेजिंग सहित वैल्यू चेन्स की एक विस्तृत श्रृंखला शामिल है। जहां बायो-इकोनॉमी उत्पाद-आधारित उद्योग संरचना पर ध्यान केंद्रित करता है, प्रकृति आधारित समाधान प्राकृतिक पारिस्थितिक तंत्र की रक्षा, पुनर्स्थापना या सतत प्रबंधन जैसे कार्यों से जुड़ा है, ताकि स्थानीय समुदायों के लिए आय और नौकरी के अवसर पैदा किए जा सकें। इसमें कृषि वानिकी (agroforestry), पारिस्थितिक मैंग्रोव बहाली (ecological mangrove restoration), समुद्री शैवाल की खेती (seaweed cultivation), सतत वन प्रबंधन (sustainable forest management) और स्थायी पर्यटन (sustainable tourism) जैसी वैल्यू चेन्स शामिल हैं। इस संयुक्त क्षेत्र के भीतर, हमने 10 वैल्यू चेन्स को चिन्हित किया है, जो ओडिशा के हरित परिवर्तन (green transition) में योगदान कर सकती हैं।

  • ओडिशा के लिए ग्रीन इकोनॉमिक वैल्यू चेन्स की कैसे पहचान की गई?

    हमनें प्रत्येक हरित वैल्यू चेन के लिए 2030 तक नौकरी, बाजार और निवेश (Job, Market, and Investment - J-M-I) की संभावना का अनुमान किया है। नौकरियों के लिए, केवल पूर्णकालिक सीधी नौकरियां का आकलन हुआ है, इसके साथ अप्रत्यक्ष और प्रेरित नौकरी के अवसरों का ब्यौरा दिया गया है, लेकिन आकलन नहीं किया गया है। इसके अतिरिक्त, प्रत्येक वैल्यू चेन के लिए, हम प्रमुख और संबद्ध सरकारी विभागों, कार्यान्वयन से संबंधित चुनौतियों और शमन के संबंधित दृष्टिकोणों, बड़े पैमाने पर पारिस्थितिक जोखिमों और कार्रवाई को तेज करने के लिए सफलता की वास्तविक कहानी को चिन्हित किया है।

  • ओडिशा में ग्रीन इकोनॉमी को लागू करने के लिए कौन से संस्थागत तंत्रों का प्रस्ताव किया गया है?

    यह अध्ययन ग्रीन ओडिशा इनिशिएटिव (Green Odisha Initiative - GrOI) के संचालन के लिए एक सचिव-स्तरीय समिति और अधिकारियों की उप-समितियों के गठन का सुझाव देता है। प्लानिंग और कन्वर्जेंस डिपार्टमेंट (Planning and Convergence Department - P&CD) सचिवालयी सहायता प्रदान करेगा, और एक कॉमन रिजल्ट्स फ्रेमवर्क (Common Results Framework - CRF) योजनाओं में अनुरूपता लाने और प्रगति की निगरानी करने में मदद करेगा।

  • सीईईडब्ल्यू (CEEW) ग्रीन ओडिशा इनिशिएटिव के साथ कैसे जुड़ा हुआ है?

    सीईईडब्ल्यू ने ओडिशा औद्योगिक संवर्धन एवं निवेश निगम लिमिटेड ( Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha Limited) के साथ एक समझौता ज्ञापन पर हस्ताक्षर किए हैं। आईपीआईसीओएल, राज्य में सभी औद्योगिक निवेशों के लिए एकल संपर्क बिंदु है और ओडिशा के लिए निवेश प्रोत्साहन, सुविधा और देखभाल संबंधी रणनीति तैयार करता है। इस समझौता ज्ञापन के अनुसार, सीईईडब्ल्यू सरकार के लिए नॉलेज पार्टनर के रूप में कार्य करेगा और एक प्रोजेक्ट मैनेजमेंट यूनिट के माध्यम से सहयोग करेगा।

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फेलो & डायरेक्टर - ग्रीन इकोनॉमी एंड इंपैक्स इन्नोवेशंस

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16 September, 2025 |

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why is the processing of critical minerals important for India’s clean energy transition?

    India’s goal of achieving Net Zero by 2070 and installing 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030 depends on scaling clean energy technologies. These require large volumes of high-purity critical minerals. Without domestic processing capabilities, India will remain import-dependent, exposing its energy transition goals to global price shocks, trade restrictions, and supply disruptions. Building processing capacity ensures a reliable raw material base for India's solar, wind, battery, and hydrogen industries.

  • How will critical mineral processing benefit India’s economy?

    A a robust critical minerals processing industry will secure India's clean energy supply chains, catalyse domestic manufacturing in high-growth sectors, create new jobs, and reduce import dependence. It will also strengthen India’s resilience to global supply shocks and position India as a competitive player in global critical mineral value chains.

  • What is the current status of critical minerals processing in India?

    India has decades of experience in processing bulk minerals like iron, aluminium, copper, and zinc. Seven out of 15 critical minerals analysed in this study - copper, graphite, rare earth elements, silicon, tin, titanium, and zirconium - are processed domestically at a commercial scale. However, India lacks the capability to produce the ultra-high purity grades required for clean energy and defence applications, and remains import-dependent.

  • What are the major challenges in building critical minerals processing capacity in India?

    India faces cross-cutting gaps - limited advanced processing know - how, underdeveloped R&D - commercialisation linkages, inefficient recovery from mine tailings and secondary sources, lack of economies of scale, shortage of skilled manpower, and fragmented policy oversight. These constraints prevent India from moving beyond basic beneficiation to high-purity refining required for clean energy industries.

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16 September, 2025 |

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is ex-situ crop residue management?

    Ex-situ crop residue management is the process of removing crop residue from the field and managing it through utilisation pathways such as compressed bio gas, biomass-based power plants, industrial boilers, pellet/briquette manufacturing, 2g ethanol, brick kilns, biochar and paper/packaging industry.

  • What are the different steps in the biomass supply chain in Punjab?

    The ex-situ biomass supply chain is a sequential process concentrated within a short 15–20 day kharif harvest window in October and November. It begins with residue collection, involving slashing, drying (with a recommended minimum five-day period to limit moisture), raking, and baling the stubble. This is followed by first-mile transportation of bales from fields to storage, which can be interim or main (leased/owned, either open or semi-open with sheds). Finally, last-mile transportation delivers the stored biomass to end-user facilities, where it is utilised in various industries.

  • Why is biomass storage important?

    It ensures a continuous feedstock supply for year-round industrial operations despite seasonal availability. Proper storage is vital for maintaining feedstock quality, preventing degradation from high moisture (ideal to be 20 per cent or less) and microbial activity, which reduces calorific value and poses a fire risk. Storage minimises significant losses impacting profitability and prevents methane emissions from degraded bales.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What are Custom Hiring Centres?

    Custom hiring centres rent crop residue management (CRM) machines, such as Super Seeders, to farmers at government-prescribed rates. Under the CRM scheme launched in 2018, they enjoy 80 per cent subsidy benefits on machinery purchases. Such CHCs can be set up by cooperative societies, cluster-level federations, self-help groups (SHGs), farmer producer companies/organisations (FPCs/ FPOs), panchayats, and village-level entrepreneurs.

  • How do Custom Hiring Centres benefit farmers?

    By offering CRM rental services, CHCs provide farmers with access to capital-intensive, high-quality mechanisation opportunities at affordable rates, prompting rural entrepreneurship and innovation. They also reduce the capital requirements and maintenance responsibilities associated with owning equipment, allowing for more efficient resource use. Additionally, renting safeguards farmers from the risk of owning specialised equipment in case farming practices change.

  • What has been the status of Custom Hiring Centres set up for crop residue management?

    CHCs own nearly 45 per cent of the total CRM machines deployed in Punjab, yet only 15 per cent of the farmers practising in-situ CRM accessed their services. The share of new machines procured by CHCs has also declined significantly from over 50 per cent before 2022 to just 10 per cent in the last two years. Overall, nearly 85 per cent of the CRM machines currently held by CHCs were procured between 2018 and 2021, during the scheme’s initial years of rollout.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What are behavioural biases?

    Behavioural biases are systemic inclinations in human decision making that operate outside of the tenets of logic, plausibility, and reasoning based on probability (Hans et al. 2022). These impede rational decision making and require unique approaches or interventions known as nudges to guide choices while respecting individuals' freedom.

  • How do e-rickshaws impact 3W drivers’ perception of e3Ws?

    E-rickshaws are low-speed electric passenger vehicles, mostly operating on lead acid batteries (Kumar et al. 2022). There are many concerns regarding their performance, safety, durability, and effectiveness as a sustainable livelihood opportunity (Singh, Mishra, and Tripathi 2021). FGDs show that both e3W and d3W drivers in Amritsar are not in favour of e-rickshaws. However, only 13 per cent of drivers stated that e-rickshaws have had no impact on their perception. About 19 per cent of drivers reported that safety was a major concern with e3Ws. Of these, 55 per cent stated that their understanding of e3Ws was highly influenced by e-rickshaws.

  • How can drivers and local informal leaders drive the transition to e3Ws?

    Pradhans or local informal leaders and peers have a strong influence on e3W purchase decisions by d3W drivers. Almost half of the d3W drivers surveyed stated that they would be highly likely to transition to e3Ws if their pradhan had an e3W. Our survey also shows that 42 per cent of d3W drivers felt that their peers were switching to e3Ws. About 17 per cent stated that they would switch if their peers also switched to e3Ws. Therefore, informal networks play a crucial role in informing e3W perceptions of drivers and can be harnessed to to communicate benefits of e3Ws and improve pride in e3W ownership.

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