Transitions Research Newsletter: February 2025
Transitions Research
Discovering just and sustainable transition pathways for India’s future.
Foreword
February at Transitions Research was a month of collaborations and thought-provoking discussions. This month, we brought together diverse voices to explore pathways for climate resilience and just transitions. In Goa, we partnered with The Climate Party? to reimagine a Net-Zero Panaji – through discussions, visioning exercises, and interactive public posters that invited residents to share their hopes for their city in 2050. Our Talking about Transitions dialogue, ‘From Informality to Impact’, examined challenges and opportunities in scaling climate resilience solutions for informal settlements in India. Among other things, this dialogue looked at financing barriers, governance gaps, and community-driven approaches. As the Tracking, Learning and Sharing lead of the global The Adaptation Research Alliance , we also hosted the Asia-Pacific Regional Symposium in Sri Lanka, deepening conversations on adaptation and learning across regions.
Publications
Ashali Bhandari and Pooja Haldea examine how health-focused messaging can drive climate action and low-carbon lifestyles.
Climate messaging often focuses on distant goals such as ‘saving the planet’. Such abstract messaging makes it hard for individuals to connect their daily actions to global environmental challenges. Research shows that people are more likely to adopt sustainable behaviors when messaging highlights direct, personal benefits – especially health.?
In this piece for India Development Review, Ashali B. and Pooja Haldea highlight how health-focused messaging can drive climate action more effectively than abstract environmental appeals. A 2022 Nature study across five countries found that framing climate policies around health benefits increases public support, especially among those less concerned about climate change. Initiatives like ‘World Car-Free Day’ and ‘Breathe Life’ show how emphasising air quality and well-being can encourage sustainable choices.?
Ashali Bhandari and Evita Rodrigues highlight the need for inclusive climate resilience in India’s cities in their latest piece for The Hindu.
With 200 million people projected to move to Indian cities by 2035, the urgency to integrate informal settlements into climate adaptation efforts has never been greater. Residents of informal settlements face heightened vulnerability to climate risks due to a lack of essential infrastructure. Socio-economic vulnerabilities – linked to precarious livelihoods, migrant status, and factors such as social class, caste, race and gender – further amplify these risks. The recent passing of the Disaster Management Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha highlights the growing focus on equipping cities to prepare for and respond to climate challenges. However, without targeted resilience strategies, millions will continue to face growing risks to their lives and livelihoods.?
Drawing from our recent report, ‘From Informality to Impact’, co-produced with the Global Resilience Partnership , Ashali and Evita’s op-ed article examines how cities can scale solutions that buffer these communities from climate shocks. By leveraging local knowledge, digital tools, and diversified financing, we can build climate-resilient cities that leave no one behind. By showcasing successful homegrown solutions, this op-ed explores how Indian cities can prioritise inclusivity to ensure a sustainable urban future.
Events
Scaling Climate Solutions for Urban Resilience in Informal Settlements at our recent Talking About Transitions dialogue.
Our recent Talking About Transitions dialogue brought together Dr Parag Agarwal (智 湃) (Founder and CEO JanaJal-JJSUITE-JanaJal WOW ), Dulari Parmar (Lead, Climate Justice, Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action (YUVA) ), and Rishika Das Roy (Lead, Sectoral Strategy and Investments, India Climate Collaborative ). Our panelists discussed how the private sector and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) can work together to build climate resilience in informal settlements. Many small projects struggle to grow because they lack funding. The discussion at this Talking About Transitions dialogue highlighted key areas where investment is happening – affordable, heat-resilient housing, green jobs and skills training, and better urban services to help cities plan for climate change. A key takeaway from the session was that stronger partnerships across sectors can help these solutions reach more people.
Asia-Pacific Symposium 2025 hosted by Transitions Research, as the Tracking—Learning—Sharing (TLS) lead of The Adaptation Research Aliance (ARA) in Colombo, Sri Lanka
From 24 to 26 February, Transitions Research, as the Tracking–Learning–Sharing (TLS) lead of The Adaptation Research Alliance (ARA), hosted the ARA–TLS Asia-Pacific Knowledge Synthesis Symposium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The event convened 30 participants from 22 ARA member organisations from 10 countries across Asia–Pacific. Topics discussed included key learning questions on ‘Climate Change and Human Settlements’, ‘Climate Change and Health’, and ‘Digital Technology and Food Systems Resilience’. As part of the workshop, Integrated Design led a regional advocacy session focused on strengthening local-to-global connections on adaptation financing in the lead-up to COP 30.
Nupur Khanter features on Ooloi Labs’ webinar on leveraging qualitative data for localised climate adaptation with experts Shuchi Vora and Vinuta Gopal
Nupur Khanter featured on Ooloi Labs webinar on ‘The Role of Qualitative Data in Localized Climate Adaptation,’ exploring how stories, lived experiences, and community knowledge are shaping more inclusive and effective climate adaptation strategies. She was joined by Shuchi Vora , Head of Learning at Global Resilience Partnership , and Vinuta Gopal , CEO and Co-Founder of ASAR. The panel underscored that locally-led adaptation is not only about action at the local level, but about shifting power and decision-making to communities most affected by climate risks. Nupur emphasized that while quantitative data helps map climate risks and trends, qualitative data brings to light the everyday lived realities of communities, filling critical knowledge gaps and ensuring that adaptation efforts respond to what matters most to people on the ground.
Imagining a Climate-Ready Panaji with Transitions Research at The Climate Party
On 22 February, Transitions Research and The Climate Party? came together in Panaji, Goa, for an evening of visioning, collaboration, and climate action. Held at Fika Coffee Co., the event brought together residents, experts, and changemakers to collectively reimagine what a net-zero, climate-resilient Panaji could look like by 2050.Through informal conversations and interactive discussions, participants explored key themes from the Net Zero Panaji: 2050 Vision Report, which Transitions Research launched last October, and which discusses collaboratively generated solutions for housing, mobility, and urban services.
The conversation is an ongoing event! We want to turn collective imagination into actionable pathways. Stop by Fika Coffee Co. or the Goa Central Library to add your vision to our installations and be part of shaping Panaji’s future.
Ashali Bhandari joins The Climate Conundrum Podcast to discuss urban climate challenges and solutions
Ashali Bhandari, Managing Director of PULL at Transitions Research, joined the latest episode of The Climate Conundrum Podcast hosted by Sanika Diwanji to discuss the role of urbanisation in shaping our climate future. With Indian cities set to welcome 416 million new residents by 2050, planning for sustainability, resilience, and inclusivity is more urgent than ever.
This conversation explored key challenges and opportunities in urban climate action –? from the financial and governance gaps slowing down progress to the importance of just transitions and inclusive planning. Maharashtra’s pioneering Climate Action Plans (CAP) in 44 cities also featured in the discussion, highlighting the potential for policy-driven change.
New joinees
We are pleased to welcome a new member to our growing team!
Hiranya Ganatra is an Urban Planning Associate at Transitions Research’s initiative People’s Urban Living Lab (PULL). He is an architect and urban planner with keen interest in affordable housing, mobility planning, and climate adaptation at the intersection of spatial data analysis, policy research, and digital tools. His work focuses on using GIS, computational modeling, and urban research to develop resilient and inclusive city planning solutions.Hiranya holds a Master’s in City and Technology from Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC), Barcelona, where he explored data-driven urbanism and technology-integrated planning, and a Bachelor’s in Architecture from Mumbai University.
What we've been reading/watching/listening to:
“As the Paris Agreement marks its 10th anniversary this year, I am delving into the intricate negotiations that shaped this landmark climate accord. Currently, I’m immersed in Todd Stern’s Landing the Paris Climate Agreement: How It Happened, Why It Matters, and What Comes Next. As my colleague said, this book offers a firsthand account of the complex diplomacy behind the agreement, providing valuable insights into the dynamics of multinational climate negotiations. My reading is part of my ongoing research for a paper examining the evolution and impact of the Paris Agreement over the past decade”. - Nishant Sirohi , Law & Society Fellow at Transitions Research
“I’ve been thinking a lot about how AI agents influence decision-making. When I open ChatGPT, I see prompts like ‘get advice’ or ‘make a plan’ – small nudges shaping how I interact with AI. But what happens when AI becomes more human-like, with personalities and voices?
I recently watched the short film for Mercedes-Benz’s new car, where Antonio Banderas drives his daughter’s car and learns about her life through its AI assistant as it nudges him to get a matcha at her local coffeeshop, or grab a bite at her favourite restaurant. It made me wonder: To what extent will we trust AI’s recommendations? Could we use AI to nudge people towards sustainable decision making? Or will it continue to be used for commercial gains?” – Ashali B. , Managing Director of #PULL
Call to action
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