Agriculture has long been the backbone of rural India, not merely as a livelihood but as a cultural identity. Yet, in recent decades, this foundation has begun to shift. Although agriculture still employs over 45% of India’s workforce, its dominance has declined sharply from around 70% a few decades ago. The rural economy is diversifying, but this transformation is marked more by distress than opportunity.
Why do India’s climate debates focus so heavily on grand-scale actions, think carbon targets and green tech while ignoring the quiet, daily efforts of rural women? These women, especially in tribal and village communities, practice environmental conservation not out of policy mandates but through tradition, necessity, and a deep connection to the land. Yet their contributions go unremarked in mainstream discussions. Inspired by this gap, I set out to document their stories, drawing on my sociological lens to highlight the gendered dimension of sustainability.
Harnessing energy from any and every deemed resource since time immemorial, humankind has always sought to better its civilizations. We have tilled the land, turned over Earth's face, dammed rivers, extracted fuel, and new frontiers keep showing up as potential reserves. Land-based minerals have proved phenomenal, driving development by powering economies and enabling technological innovation. As with every venture of humanity, by its standards and definitions of progress through metrics, the repercussions to the planet have been inevitable. Terrains once lush have been scarred hitherto, still leaching toxins and contaminants into their surroundings, and social conflicts are imminent for the communities that once lived there.
When discussing climate change, we often picture smoky skylines of megacities or vast industrial complexes. But beneath the radar, small towns in South Asia are quietly making their mark on the planet's greenhouse gas (GHG) ledger, and not in a good way.
Across several urban centers in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector is responsible for a significant share of emissions - ranging between a sixth and a third of the towns’ total GHG output.
Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) are a decentralized body of local self-governance. Through mechanisms such as the Gram Sabha and the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP), Panchayats are empowered to design and implement village-level plans focused on economic development and social justice. Today, the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) offers a powerful opportunity to build climate resilience through grassroots-level planning. By incorporating climate adaptation activities such as watershed management, sustainable agriculture, and renewable energy integration, GPDPs can effectively address local climate risks. Recognizing this potential requires strengthening the capacities of Panchayats through targeted training, technical assistance, and better coordination with schemes like MGNREGA and NRLM. This will empower them to lead climate-resilient development at the grassroots level.
The Gun Vadung River, locally known as the Imphal River, originates near Kangpokpi town in Manipur and flows southward through the district. It passes through several key areas, running from Kangpokpi town to Gamgiphai near Motbung, before eventually entering the Imphal Valley. Along its journey, the river and its tributaries serve as more than just natural water channels—they are vital lifelines for the communities they touch. The Gun Vadung supports agriculture, which is the backbone of local livelihoods, by supplying much-needed water for irrigation during both planting and harvesting seasons.
Sustainability used to be just a trendy term in boardrooms, but has now become a regulatory must-have. Companies worldwide are being compelled to disclose their operation’s impact on people, the planet, and profits. The European Union's European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) are considered the most comprehensive ESG reporting framework, putting them at the forefront of this movement. The ESRS was implemented under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). It establishes a high standard by mandating sustainability reporting, third-party assurance, and disclosures related to the entire value chain.