







































Ecology, Economy and Society–the INSEE Journal 5 (2): 149-152, July 2022  

 

REPORT 

A Report of the Online Course on “Climate, 
Community and Conservation” 

Neha Mishra, Anindita Roy Saha, and Nawin Kumar Tiwary  

The interconnectedness of climate, community, and the environment is a 
subject of active interdisciplinary discourse against the backdrop of the 
current climate crisis permeating across prevalent social stratifications. It 
necessitates a thorough understanding of the relationship between climate 
and community, and consequently, the roles played by communities in 
environmental conservation. To tackle climate change, action is required at 
all levels of society, from businesses and policymakers to educators and 
individuals. As key providers of higher education, universities and colleges 
are important promoters and advocates of the global agenda at a local level 
for sustainable development.  

With a commitment to building a sustainable future through education, the 
Centre for Earth Studies and the Department of Environmental Studies, 
Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi, organizes national-
level online courses on related themes. Climate, Community and 
Conservation was the second national online certificate course conducted 
from 21 August to 17 September 2021 for undergraduate and postgraduate 
students, research scholars, and environmental practitioners. The course 
was conducted on the pattern of MOOCs with online seminars and 

 
 Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Studies, Indraprastha College for 
Women, University of Delhi, Delhi, India. nehamishra2706@ip.du.ac.in  

 Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Indraprastha College for Women, 

University of Delhi, Delhi, India,  asaha@ip.du.ac.in 

 Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Studies, Indraprastha College for 
Women, University of Delhi, Delhi, India. nktiwary@ip.du.ac.in  

Copyright © Mishra, Saha and Tiwary 2022. Released under Creative Commons Attribution 

© NonCommercial 4.0 International licence (CC BY-NC 4.0) by the author.  

Published by Indian Society for Ecological Economics (INSEE), c/o Institute of  Economic 
Growth, University Enclave, North Campus, Delhi 110007.  

ISSN: 2581–6152 (print); 2581–6101 (web).  

DOI: TBA 

mailto:nehamishra2706@ip.du.ac.in
mailto:asaha@ip.du.ac.in
mailto:nktiwary@ip.du.ac.in


Ecology, Economy and Society–the INSEE Journal [150] 

 

presentations by the faculty of the host institutions and eminent experts 
from various universities and organizations, such as the University of Delhi, 
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), 
World Resources Institute (WRI) Bengaluru, Wildlife Institute of India 
(WII) Dehradun, United Nations University, Nature Conservation 
Foundation (NCF) Mysore, and so on. The course was spread over three 
sub-themes, namely, climate crisis, climate and community, community and 
conservation. 

The course was inaugurated with a keynote address by Prof. Maharaj K 
Pandit, former Dean, Faculty of Science, and Head of the Department of 
Environmental Studies, University of Delhi. This internationally acclaimed 
expert on the Himalayas explained the uniqueness of the Himalayan 
ecosystem and the associated evolutionary divergence and migration of 
human populations. The negative impacts of various anthropogenic 
pressures require a trans-national effort involving due deliberations between 
policymakers and experts. Prof. NH Ravindranath, IISc Bangalore, 
provided information on the magnitude and impact of the climate crisis in 
the form of increasing extreme weather events that may have repercussions 
on food security, submerge coastlines, and enfeeble natural resilience 
infrastructure. Dr Mukunda Dev Behera, IIT Kharagpur, spoke about the 
role of climate in the evolution of biodiversity on the planet, the 
devastating impacts of climate change on biodiversity, and the possible 
solutions through coordinated global efforts and local actions. He 
highlighted the need to invest in early warning systems, implement disaster 
risk reduction strategies, and opt for nature-based solutions for climate and 
disaster resilience. 

The second theme investigated the delicate relationship between climate 
and communities. Currently pressing issues like climate migration, 
sustainability of forests and rural and urban communities, and circular 
economy solutions for sustainable cities and communities were some of the 
major topics of discussion. Dr Architesh Panda, United Nations University, 
stated that it is the shared responsibility of governments and communities 
to tackle the growing challenge of climate disruptions, which is already 
affecting the sustainable development of communities all over the world. 
Climate-induced migration may have a significant impact on rural–urban 
dynamics and increase pressure on cities and metropolitan areas, which are 
powerhouses of economic growth, contributing about 60% to the global 
GDP while generating 70% of global carbon emissions and 60% of 
resource consumption. The lectures further brought forth the recent 
problems faced by cities concerning environmental quality, resilience, and 



[151] Neha Mishra, Anindita Roy Saha, Nawin Kumar Tiwary 

 

livability, thereby suggesting that tackling these problems requires collective 
action that brings together science, state, and society. India’s progress in 
SDG 11 was assessed and key areas that require work identified. The 
lectures emphasized contemporary topics such as circular cities that apply 
the concept of a circular economy, becoming digitally enabled, generating 
sustainable prosperity, improving livability, and developing resilience. Dr 
Ulka Kelkar, Director of the Climate Program at WRI India, talked about 
low-carbon development pathways for India that are economically robust 
and environmentally sound. She used a systems dynamics model to illustrate 
energy consumption and emissions if circumstances proceed in a “business 
as usual” manner for the next 30 years. The suggested pathways to a low-
carbon future and climate change mitigation include decarbonization of 
electricity, energy conservation, circular use of materials, emissions 
sequestration, etc. The lectures specified that there is a need to focus on 
enhancing our developmental strategies to make economic growth climate-
resilient.  

The third theme aimed at discussing the role of the community in 
conservation efforts. That community participation along with scientific 
interventions can play a pivotal role in environmental conservation was 
established through the lectures delivered by experts and practitioners. Prof. 
Ruchi Badola, WII, elucidated the crucial role played by indigenous 
knowledge and indigenous communities in the revival and restoration of 
degraded ecosystems. Special reference was made to the National Mission 
for Clean Ganga. The lectures in this series provided fundamental principles 
and methods of working on conservation projects. Various case studies of 
environmental conservation involving communities through conservation 
projects were discussed. Dr M Ananda Kumar, NCF, described human–
elephant conflicts as a major conservation issue across Asia. He showcased 
how long-term research may enable scientists to understand the 
relationships between people and wildlife while identifying the reasons for 
human–wildlife conflicts (Kumar et al 2014). Ms Karishma Pradhan 
presented a case study on the Hornbill Nest Adoption Program (HNAP) 
conducted in collaboration with the Ghora-Aabhe Society and Arunachal 
Forest Department in Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh—a haven 
for hornbills in Northeast India, which has four of the nine identified 
species. The role of long-term research and monitoring (LTRM) was also 
deliberated as a significant tool for testing and developing theories and 
understanding complex ecological and evolutionary processes. 

The month-long course aimed at sensitizing, training, and mentoring a 
diverse cohort of interdisciplinary students, researchers, and practitioners 



Ecology, Economy and Society–the INSEE Journal [152] 

 

and equipping them to find innovative solutions to environmental 
challenges. It was curated to shape and train future decision-makers and 
thereby help bring about positive societal transformations for the 
impending challenges of the current century.  

REFERENCES 

Kumar, M Ananda, and Ganesh Raghunathan. 2014. “Fostering Human–Elephant 
Coexistence in the Valparai Landscape, Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil 
Nadu.” SAARC Forestry Centre: 14. 


