To augment the capacity of India’s political leadership in advancing policies that provide lasting environmental benefits, EPIC India is hosting a delegate of Indian parliamentarians at the University of Chicago. The multiparty delegation comprising nine MPs from different states will meet University of Chicago scholars, policymakers, and opinion leaders in Chicago during their visit from 8th-12th May 2022.

This year’s Legislator’s Program will be attended by a delegation of nine Members of Parliament from various political parties, including Rajya Sabha Members – Dr. Amar Patnaik (Biju Janata Dal), Smt. Priyanka Chaturvedi (Shiv Sena), Shri C M Ramesh (Bharatiya Janata Party), and Lok Sabha Members – Shri Brijender Singh (Bharatiya Janata Party), Shri Shivkumar Udasi  (Bharatiya Janata Party), Shri Kotagiri Sridhar (YSR Congress Party), Shri Rahul Kaswan (Bharatiya Janata Party), Dr. Heena Gavit (Bharatiya Janata Party), and Shri Ritesh Pandey (Bahujan Samaj Party).

Sharing his excitement about the knowledge exchange, Prof Michael Greenstone, the Milton Friedman Distinguished Service Professor in Economics and director of EPIC, said, “Innovate policies work when policymakers are ready to experiment. From our working for several years in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha, Bihar, and other Indian states, we know that Indian lawmakers have been at the forefront of trying groundbreaking policies to balance India’s growth story and environmental concerns. Therefore, we are thrilled to learn and share best practices with Indian MPs and join them in accelerating positive change for citizens across India.”

During this edition of the Legislators Program, the  Indian Members of Parliament will interact with the University of Chicago faculty and experts on wide-ranging policy areas, including climate policy, carbon markets, air pollution, and water quality. The visit will also facilitate interaction with young minds studying at the University of Chicago.

Sidhartha Vermani, EPIC India’s Executive Director, added, “This is the third edition of the legislator’s program, and as we learn from the experiences of our MP’s, we are also trying to share EPIC’s global and India-specific research findings to co-identify priorities and solutions that may be implemented in individual constituencies. The goal is also to carry out groundbreaking research that addresses global and local challenges.”

Previously in 2017 and 2018, EPIC India has hosted several MPs from different parties and facilitated similar knowledge exchange sessions at the University of Chicago. Like previous editions, this year, the multiparty group of legislators has also been selected based on their work and interests in energy and the environment.

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Read the highlights from the visit here.