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Rajendra Shende

Mr. Rajendra Shende, IIT-Alumni and former Director in the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Mr. Shende is founder and Chairman of TERRE Policy Centre and is leading expert in sustainable development technologies and policies at global and local level. In United Nations he coordinated the implementation of singularly successful global environmental accord for the protection of the ozone layer. He was leading proponent of leveraging inter linkages of the multilateral environmental agreements, mainly the Montreal Protocol (Ozone Agreement) and Kyoto Protocol (Climate agreement ). He advised in146 developing countries to implement the Montreal Protocol and derive the climate benefits by mitigating emissions of Green House Gases ( GHGs) . He strategized social media approaches for UNEP to promote implementation of the global accords at local level. He was one of the first bloggers in UN-system. Mr.Shende was Coordinating Lead Author of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC) that shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 with Al Gore. He is recipient of number of global and national awards that include Climate Protection award from USA. His was the first ever programme in UN system to win Stratospheric Ozone Layer Protection award from USA. The global partnership he forged to deploy Natural Refrigerants won Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government award. India’s former President Dr.Abdul Kalam felicitated him for the his work in multi-agency Public-Private Partnership that developed a model product Solar Refrigerator for preservation of vaccine. Mr Shende was recognized by UNEP for his unique approaches in creating action-based awareness , networking and capacity building programme , which later became models for other environmental agreements. Regular speaker, he has addressed the public meetings in Beijing University, MIT, Berkeley, INSEAD, HSC He published more than 100 awareness documents including ‘ Two Protocols One Solution’ and ‘ Networking Counts’ In TERRE, a not-for-profit organization he mentors the strategies for energy and food security through developing evidence based policies and promoting action based projects and partnerships. He continues to be advisor for United Nations activities and spends his time between India and France.

G7 meeting failed to read LeMay leaflets

G7 meeting failed to read LeMay leaflets

May 21, 2023

Before the bombing of Hiroshima, under the orders of American General Curtis LeMay, millions of leaflets were dropped from American military planes warning the citizens of grave consequences of war weapons. The leaflets informed of urgent precautions like safe shelter or evacuati...

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Climate Justice & G20: Making the most of Modi’s moment

Climate Justice & G20: Making the most of Modi’s moment

April 6, 2023

Rapidly unravelling first quarter of India’s leadership of G20 has witnessed major developments at global stage on  climate change, chronic concerns on COVID and continued conflict between Russia and Ukraine. These triple crises are  affecting geo-politics, world economic...

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Oil magnate to lead global conference to phase out oil, and why not?

Oil magnate to lead global conference to phase out oil, and why not?

February 11, 2023

‘Merchant of Death’ was the term used to describe Alfred Bernhard Nobel, a Swedish scientist and businessman who made millions selling dynamite, that he had invented. These explosives became the game changer in history of wars. Dynamite was the single most destructive inventi...

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Daydreams & nightmares after 50 years of fruitless climate change negotiations

Daydreams & nightmares after 50 years of fruitless climate change negotiations

January 9, 2023

Exactly four decades ago, in 1982, the then President of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak designated a desert city, Sharm El Sheikh, as The City of Peace in 1982. That was 10 years after the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was agreed upon by the world leaders...

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COP27 should be all about Climate Justice

COP27 should be all about Climate Justice

October 31, 2022

Never in the history of UN’s Climate Change Conference African continent has been so well prepared.  On the eve of the global meet, COP 27, to be held at Red Sea resort city of Sharm El Sheikh, in Egypt, in about a week, the delegates from African countries are well set to mak...

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Of Gandhi’s chappals and the British boots

Of Gandhi’s chappals and the British boots

October 9, 2022

Whenever I visit London, I simply cannot resist visiting the Parliament Square, not far from the River Thames, where stands a statue of Mahatma Gandhi. Sitting at the feet of this great man, I get drawn deep into thoughts of his actions, the period in which he fought his battles,...

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World Ozone Day 2022: Celebrating exemplary success of global environment deal

World Ozone Day 2022: Celebrating exemplary success of global environment deal

September 16, 2022

As we celebrate the 35th anniversary of the stellar success of the Montreal Protocol, as the agreement to save the ozone layer from depletion, is called, it is also timely to look at the recurring failures in finding a similar agreement that is not only workable but also exemplar...

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Funding developing countries to seal ozone hole

Funding developing countries to seal ozone hole

September 7, 2022

Ever wondered whatever happened to the Ozone Hole? Not many would be able to even figure out the question, let alone answer it correctly. But little wonder about it since over 60 pc of the world’s population today is born not just after the discovery of the Ozone Hole, but afte...

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Way ahead for Agnipath and Agniveer: Rescuing planet on fire

Way ahead for Agnipath and Agniveer: Rescuing planet on fire

July 5, 2022

The recent decision by the central government to dramatically change recruitment and tenure policies for the soldiers of the Indian defence forces has attracted a sharp controversy with proponents and opponents of the revised policies engaged in a very public and high-profile spa...

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Elephant in the conference room at COP26 in Glasgow

Elephant in the conference room at COP26 in Glasgow

September 28, 2021

During the Ice Age, elephants roamed freely around northern Europe. They became extinct several thousand years back. Since then, especially during the Roman and British Empires, elephants were imported or gifted from other regions like Asia and Africa. In 21st century right in Gl...

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Race to Zero: Unique opportunity for G7 and Modi

Race to Zero: Unique opportunity for G7 and Modi

June 4, 2021

Modi’s image appears to be tarnished, mainly in the western media, that has found governance-gaps in his management of  second wave of COVID pandemic. On the other hand, the world’s seven rich countries have recognised  India’s emerging strategic role in economic, social ...

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Biden building bridges: Climate finance must be at the centre

Biden building bridges: Climate finance must be at the centre

April 21, 2021

Days after an unruly crowd of conservative Americans had taken control of the US Capitol, the landmark edifice of democracy, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. took control of the United States of America after he was sworn in as the 46th President on the very steps of the Capitol buildi...

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