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.
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...
Read MoreWay 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...
Read MoreElephant 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...
Read MoreRace 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 ...
Read MoreBiden 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...
Read MoreIndia donates Covid19 vaccines for UN Peacekeeping Force
March 30, 2021
We had forgotten them in pandemic pandemonium. But make no mistake, they are also front-line workers. The UN Peace Keeping Forces (UNPKF) provide most needed global security services in the areas that need them the most. In 2020, they provided security and stability in war-torn p...
Read MoreWater, Water Everywhere. But where exactly? Treasure hunt for water begins
March 22, 2021
Yes, there is water everywhere. We all know that 70 pc of the Earth’s surface is covered with water. But for a glass of water, every second a woman in rural India walks an average of 173 kilometres – the distance between New Delhi and Kurukshetra– to fetch potable water in ...
Read MoreCircadian rhythm and heliotropism
February 5, 2021
Have you heard of circadian rhythm and heliotropism? These phrases are the scientific terminologies to describe the behaviour of a sunflower in the fields. The sunflower turns to be always facing the Sun. Greta Thunberg, who turned 18 just about a month back on January 2021, real...
Read MoreVaccine Maitri: India shows the way to cooperative approach in combatting pandemic
February 2, 2021
French scientist Louis Pasteur discovered the boon of vaccination by using a weakened virus way back in the 19th century with the first vaccine that he developed for chicken cholera. Since then, such vaccines have become the first line of defence against many communicable disease...
Read MoreCarbon neutral economy can be historical ‘new normal’
December 11, 2020
December 12, 2020, marks the 5th Anniversary of Paris Climate Agreement. The year 2020 is the only year since 1992 when the annual global meeting of United Nations Framework Conventions on Climate Change, UNFCCC, has not been held, due to COVID restrictions. Paradoxically, each y...
Read MoreSensationalism puts media in its own planetary crisis
November 18, 2020
Fake and phony news does not emanate only from the desire to misguide the people. It also comes from the inherent and impulsive tendency of competitive media to ‘Break the News’. Half-cooked verification before reporting and impetuous language while reporting and scant remors...
Read MoreWhoever wins US Presidential election 2020, Earth is the loser
November 3, 2020
November 4 is poised to be the new Earth Day when the fierce race will come to a frightful end. Then will begin humanity’s race to save planet Earth. Many postal votes would still be in counting on that day, so also the prophesied views of the climate scientists, carbon emissio...
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