Chandra Bhushan @Bh_Chandra

Europe is currently experiencing an intense heatwave, headlines are dominated by temperatures crossing 40°C. Germany has recorded a provisional national high of 41.3°C, France has seen its hottest June day on record at 43.3°C. Yet, across many parts of India, these are fairly common summer temperature. This contrast highlights an important reality: heat is not defined by a single number. People, ecosystems, and cities adapt to the climatic conditions they experience over time. A temperature that triggers severe disruption in one region may be relatively routine in another. Understanding heat requires looking beyond the thermometer and considering the local context in which people live and work. Bhushruti Bissu, Senior Research Associate, Just Transition, explains how @Bh_Chandra| @sresthab| @mandvi7| @rohit_bagai| @SamreenDhingra

iFOREST is delighted to sign an MoU with the Directorate of Town & Country Planning (#DTCP), Assam, to establish a collaborative framework for advancing sustainable urban development, clean energy transition, and climate-resilient urban planning in the State. Acting as the nodal office representing the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs (DoHUA), DTCP will facilitate technical cooperation to integrate environmental and climate indicators into urban planning datasets. Additionally, the partnership will support state-level climate initiatives by generating technical reports and policy briefs, and by driving institutional capacity-building programmes in collaboration with the Assam Urban Knowledge Hub (AUKH), GISE HUB GeoHub, and the Assam Climate Centre for Cities (SC-3). @Bh_Chandra @sresthab @mandvi7 @SKKanchan_ @Accmsociety #ClimateChange #Assam #UrbanPlanning #Environment

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Green Urea is no longer a distant dream. It is becoming a reality. The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has just released an Expression of Interest for the establishment of green urea plants in India. This is a significant moment. India could soon produce urea from little more than water, air and captured carbon dioxide. Just two years ago, when iFOREST released its report, “Green Urea – Economic and Environmental Benefits of a Low-Carbon Future,” we were repeatedly told that green urea was technologically difficult, economically unviable and unlikely before 2040. One senior official told me in 2024: “It will be only after 2040 that we can think about green urea. It is economically unviable and CO₂ is not available. This is why urea has been excluded from the National Green Hydrogen Mission.” But systems change when they are given a shock. The West Asia crisis, which pushed imported urea prices to nearly $1,000 per tonne, was precisely the shock the system needed. In our report, we had projected that green urea could become the cheapest form of urea by 2030. The recent crisis has brought that timeline forward to 2027. A green urea plant installed today can produce urea at a levelised cost of less than $500 per tonne — cheaper than imported urea. The most exciting part is that green urea can decentralise fertiliser production. Instead of relying only on large integrated plants, India can build smaller urea units close to CO₂ sources and agricultural demand centres. These plants can buy green ammonia and captured CO₂ from outside and synthesise urea locally. This spreads investment and risk across three players: green ammonia producers, CO₂ suppliers and urea manufacturers. Green urea can help India reduce urea imports, natural gas imports and fertiliser-sector emissions — while strengthening energy and food security. This is what Atmanirbhar Bharat looks like in practice. Please watch this space for my next op-ed on this issue.

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Everyone experiences the heat differently. For outdoor workers, women, children, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups, rising temperatures can pose serious health risks. As part of the joint initiative between @ngpnmc and iFOREST to strengthen on-ground health preparedness, iFOREST is supporting the development of an Integrated Heat and Cooling Action Plan (IHCAP) for #Nagpur. To better understand the health risks posed by rising temperatures and the steps citizens can take to stay safe, Team iFOREST spoke with Dipali Nagre, Head Nurse, NMC. Her insights highlight how to recognise heat-related illnesses, identify those most at risk, and take simple but effective measures to stay safe during extreme heat. @Bh_Chandra| @sresthab| @mandvi7| @prats_phoenix @SKKanchan_ | @rohit_bagai| @Nagpur| @Nagpurcp #NagpurHeatActionPlan #Nagpur #ClimateResilience #HeatActionPlan #UrbanResilience

प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी के भारत के सबसे लंबे समय तक सेवा देने वाले निर्वाचित प्रधानमंत्री बनने के उपलक्ष्य में iFOREST प्रमुख डॉ @Bh_Chandra ने @NavbharatTimes में एक विशेष लेख लिखा है, जिसमें वे मोदी के कार्यकाल को आकार देने वाले पर्यावरणीय दृष्टिकोण का गहन विश्लेषण करते हैं। डॉ भूषण लिखते हैं कि "प्रधानमंत्री मोदी का पर्यावरणवादी दृष्टिकोण एक विशिष्ट भारतीय सोच का प्रतिनिधित्व करता है — जिसकी जड़ें पंडित दीनदयाल उपाध्याय के 'एकात्म मानववाद' में हैं। यह वह दर्शन है जो पर्यावरण संरक्षण को केवल नीति नहीं, बल्कि गरिमा, विकास और जनभागीदारी से जोड़कर देखता है"। पूरा लेख नवभारत टाइम्स में पढ़ें @PMOIndia @NITIAayog @narendramodi @moefcc @srestha @SKKanchan @mandvi7 @SwachhBharatGov

iFOREST under the City Accelerator Programme (CAP), supported the launch and capacity-building activities of the Solar Didi initiative in #Dibrugarh. The initiative is a joint effort of the @mnreindia the @MoHUA_India to promote rooftop solar adoption under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. Through this initiative, Solar Didis will act as grassroots clean energy ambassadors by conducting door-to-door awareness campaigns, assisting citizens in understanding rooftop solar opportunities. The Solar Didis will collaborate closely with registered vendors, banking institutions, and @apdclsocial officials to facilitate smooth implementation of the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. @Bh_Chandra @mandvi7 @sresthab @prats_phoenix @SKKanchan_ #CleanEnergy #RenewableEnergy #EnergyTransition #Dibrugarh #Assam #RooftopSolar #PMSuryaGhar #MuftBijliYojana

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#Webinar| The Indo-Gangetic Plain is one of the world's most polluted regions. Uncontrolled fuel use across sectors is a key driver, affecting the health, productivity, and livelihoods of millions iFOREST invites you to join the launch webinar of our new report: "Reducing Emissions from Unmitigated Fuel Usage: Data-Driven Strategies for Air Quality and Climate Action in the IGP." This first-of-its-kind study in India examines unmitigated fuel use at the district level, drawing evidence from two contrasting Indo-Gangetic Plain districts: #Ludhiana and #Varanasi. The report maps both controlled and uncontrolled fuel use and the resulting emissions across key sectors, including industry, households, commercial cooking, agriculture, and MSMEs. The webinar will present data-driven strategies to tackle unregulated fuel use and drive cleaner air and climate action at the district level. 🔗 Register Now: lnkd.in/gWxwenET 📅 June 19, 2026 🕛 3:00pm - 4:30pm @Bh_Chandra| @sresthab| @mandvi7| @SKKanchan_ | @udhaya018| @prats_phoenix #CleanAir #AirQuality #IndoGangeticPlain #ClimateAction #iFOREST #EnvironmentPolicy #Sustainability

Session 1 | Technology & Market Readiness At the launch of iFOREST's latest report- Roadmap for Heat Pump Adoption in India. Session 1 brought together experts to assess where the ecosystem stands and what it will take to scale. 💡Key takeaways from the discussion: 1️⃣Adoption is strongest below 120°C, with the greatest value in shifting thermal loads from boilers, not replacing them. 2️⃣MSMEs are the next frontier: The biggest untapped market for industrial decarbonisation. 3️⃣Standards are the missing link: No certification frameworks, testing protocols, or accredited labs means weak market confidence. @Bh_Chandra @mandvi7 @Ganesha_123 @SKKanchan_ @rohit_bagai #EnergyEfficiency #HeatPumps #ClimateChange #Technology #HeatTechnology

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As @narendramodi becomes India’s longest continuously serving elected Prime Minister, it is worth asking: What is his environmental philosophy, and what drives his environmentalism? In my latest op-ed in @FinancialXpress, I examine how his environmentalism has evolved. financialexpress.com/opinion/decodi…

#iFORESTOpinion|As Prime Minister @narendramodi becomes India’s longest continuously serving elected Prime Minister, iFOREST CEO @Bh_Chandra decodes his environmentalism in his latest piece for the @FinancialXpress. Read the full article to understand the ideological moorings behind the Prime Minister’s consequential environmental vision for India. @sresthab @mandvi7 @prats_phoenix @SKKanchan_ #SwachhBharat #ClimateAction #RenewableEnergy #SustainableConsumption

Launching Soon! Heating and cooling account for nearly 50% of India's total energy use, yet the energy transition in this space has barely begun. #HeatPumps are one of the most powerful tools we have to decarbonise India's residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. Efficient, electric, and increasingly affordable, they're ready to scale. The question is whether our policies are. To answer that, iFOREST is launching a first-of-its-kind policy report — "Advancing Heat Pump Adoption in India: Potential, Opportunities & Challenges" — at a National Conference bringing together Policymakers, Manufacturers & Technology Providers, Financial Institutions, Industries & Urban Bodies to make this transition real. 🔗To join the conversation register now: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI… @Bh_Chandra|@sresthab|@mandvi7| @prats_phoenix|@SKKanchan_| @Ganesha_123 #HeatPumps #HeatDecarbonisation #CleanEnergy #EnergyTransition #EnergyEfficiency #IndiaEnergy #ClimateAction #NetZero #Decarbonisation #ThermalEnergy

iFOREST invites you to join an online session on the National Lifecycle Refrigerant Management Framework India, Climate and Energy Modelling Forum for India hosted by @NITIAayog . In the session we will present findings from its latest national-level research — grounded in household surveys, AC technician surveys, and stakeholder consultations conducted across the country, examining the growing challenge of refrigerant emissions in India, ground realities of handling and servicing practices, gaps in recovery, reuse, and disposal systems, and the institutional and policy requirements needed to build a future-ready, sustainable cooling ecosystem for India. 📅 Tuesday, 2nd June 2026 ⏰ PM – PM IST 🔗Register Now👇nitiaayog.webex.com/nitiaayog/j.ph… @Bh_Chandra| @sresthab| @mandvi7| @SKKanchan_| @prats_phoenix| @Ganesha_123 #RefrigerantManagement #CoolingForIndia #SustainableCooling #ClimateAction #EnergyEfficiency

Temperatures in Nagpur are soaring up to 44°C, and in this heat, our team of researchers is on the ground working with the @ngpnmc to strengthen their existing Heat Action Plan and co-create the city's first #IHCAP. The team found that the city has 170 cooling shelters, 7 dedicated heat-relief shelters operated by NMC, and 118 mapped water points spread across the city. With better activation, improved visibility, strategic placement, and targeted public awareness, these existing resources have strong potential to serve thousands of vulnerable residents, particularly during peak afternoon hours when heat stress is at its highest. Watch this space as iFOREST works with NMC to strengthen these systems and develop Nagpur's first Integrated Heat and Cooling Action Plan. @Bh_Chandra| @sresthab| @mandvi7| @prats_phoenix| @SamreenDhingra| #HeatActionPlan #Nagpur #ExtremeHeat #UrbanResilience #ClimateAction #NagpurMunicipalCorporation #CoolingForAll

✍️#Opinion| भू-राजनीतिक और जलवायु परिवर्तन का सामना कर रहे हैं भारतीय किसान। एक तरफ स्ट्रेट ऑफ हॉर्मुज़ की अनिश्चिता ने कृषि में उपयोग होने वाले यूरिया कीमतों को प्रभावित किया है, दूसरी और जलवायु परिवर्तन के चलते इस वर्ष मानसून का समय और मात्रा दोनों प्रभावित होने की आशंका है। iFOREST प्रमुख चंद्रभूषण, नवभारत टाइम्स में लिखते हैं कि,"इन आकस्मिक विपदाओं से किसानों को सुरक्षित रखने के लिए हरित उर्वरक, खेती में बिजली का उपयोग, प्राकृतिक खेती और जलवायु आधारित खेती को बढ़ावा देना होगा, साथ ही पूरी कृषि व्यवस्था में बदलाव करना होगा तब ही वे बदलते मौसम और राजनैतिक अनिश्चितताओं के बीच अपनी आजीविका संभाल पाएंगे"। पूरा लेख पढ़े| @Bh_Chandra @sresthab @mandvi7 @prats_phoenix @SKKanchan_

#iFORESTOpinion| Heatwave crisis needs a vision not just policy Writing in @IndianExpress, @rohit_bagai, Programme Associate, iFOREST, argues that with heatwaves being recommended in the list of nationally notified disasters, @NDMA_India must move beyond short-term fixes and invest in climate-sensitive urban planning, green infrastructure, better building design, and sustainable cooling solutions. Read the full article to understand why policy development must now follow suit to fully unlock this financial support and translate it into long-term, on-ground resilience against extreme heat. 🔗indianexpress.com/article/opinio… @Bh_Chandra| @sresthab| @prats_phoenix| @SKKanchan_ | @mandvi7 #Heatwave #ClimateAction #IndiaClimate #HeatActionPlan #NDMA #UrbanResilience #iFOREST

iFOREST is delighted to support the Government of #Assam in achieving its ambitious target of 5,000 MW of pumped storage capacity by 2035, building the knowledge and capacity needed to turn this vision into reality. The team at iFOREST facilitated an exposure visit to the #Pinnapuram Integrated Renewable Energy Project (IREP) in #AndhraPradesh for 12 senior officials from Assam's power sector, representing, @apdclsocial @apgcl and @aegclofficial With such initiatives, iFOREST will continue to support Assam in accelerating its clean energy transition. @Bh_Chandra| @sresthab | @prats_phoenix | @SKKanchan_ |@mandvi7| #CleanEnergy #PumpedStorage #RenewableEnergy #AssamEnergy #EnergyTransition #iFOREST #EnergyStorage

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Legendary Peace Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi ji @k_satyarthi presented 👇his recent book ‘Karuna:The Power of Compassion’ to me. share.google/wfiwdxROz9ugVw… I presented our Mashelkar - Borde book ‘More from Less for More’ to him. share.google/OnwhcOsLDMCBmo… My day was made with his most kind & gracious remarks on the book ‘with my deepest love & regards to Mashelkar Bhai Saheb, who I believe is one of the most compassionate & wisest human being’ 👇 But our joy was even more, when Kailash ji said that these two books are two sides of the same coin, Indeed! ‘Karuna’ speaks to the moral energy that drives change; ‘More from Less More’ book speaks to the innovative pathways that deliver it at scale. Compassion provides the why—the deep human impulse to care, to include, to uplift. “More from Less for More” provides the how—the discipline of creating affordable excellence, reaching the unreached, and multiplying impact with limited resources. Together, they form a powerful synthesis: purpose with performance, empathy with execution, soul with scale. In that union lies a new paradigm for the world—where we do not merely grow, but grow justly and where the true measure of progress is how effectively we transform human concern into universal well-being. @PuneIntCentre @sushilborde @anilgb @dinakholkar @amitabhk87 @aparanjape @anil_kakodkar

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💡iFOREST is proud to support #Odisha in accelerating rooftop solar deployment under @mnreindia's #PMSuryaGhar Muft Bijli Yojana. The state has now moved up from 13th to 10th improving its national ranking in rooftop solar deployment. Within just four months (Jan–Apr 2026), coordinated efforts by the iFOREST team, state and city technical teams, DISCOMs, and partners drove a sharp surge in rooftop solar installations across these cities: 1⃣Bhubaneswar nearly doubled installations, adding ~11.9 MW 2⃣Cuttack tripled installations, adding ~9 MW 3⃣Puri recorded sevenfold growth, adding ~3.4 MW The next phase will focus on financing access, ward and Gram Panchayat-level expansion, stronger local government participation, and data-driven targeting to sustain momentum. @Bh_Chandra @sresthab @mandvi7 @SKKanchan_ @prats_phoenix @mnreindia #CleanEnergy #RooftopSolar #EnergyTransition #RenewableEnergy #SolarEnergy #ClimateAction #SustainableDevelopment

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#iFORESTOpinion| Heat pumps can bail out small industries "India has not focused on replacing gas use with more efficient & environment-friendly technology, leading to dependence on a fuel whose supply isn’t always reliable,"writes @Ganesha_123, Senior Programme Associate, iFOREST in his latest piece for @FinancialXpress. Read the complete article to know how heat pumps can offer India's small industries a cleaner, more reliable, and cost-effective alternative to gas — and what policy shifts are needed to make the transition happen. @Bh_Chandra | @sresthab | @mandvi7 | @SKKanchan_ #HeatPumps #CleanEnergy #SmallIndustries #EnergyTransition #iFOREST

Thanks Parimal @Fintech03 for recalling these historic battles. As Chairman of @WIPO SCIT Committee, I remember emphasising to the assembly of 190 member states that knowledge generated by my ancestors in ‘laboratories of life’ has to be treated ON PAR with knowledge generated in ‘formal research laboratories’ of the west. Traditional Knowledge was not considered as a knowledge at all in the International Patent Classification System till then, which was then was forced to change. Please read and hear my first hand account of this battle in share.google/LcHXZT6eDhbdud… youtu.be/ga6TYwXfUyg?si…

Parimal @Fintech03

2 months ago

In the 1990s, India was facing a Biological Colonization. If Dr. R.A. Mashelkar had not stepped in, we might have ended up paying a royalty to a US corporation every time we used turmeric on a wound/exported Basmati rice. In 1997, a Texas-based company called RiceTec was granted

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