The Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) and NITI Aayog on Friday (7 July) organized the National Conference on Air and Water Pollution which included multiple sessions revolving around the various facets of innovations in regulation, abatement, and monitoring air and water pollution. Anil Jain, Advisor-Energy, NITI Aayog, said, “EPIC bridges the gap between academics and research, which is new to the Indian discourse.”

“In the Indian context, there are limited studies on the environmental impact on life expectancy, health and climate change“, said Jain, and he flagged the Prime Minister’s vision towards renewable energy and how NITI Aayog’s new energy policy is in concordance with it.

Justice Swantanter Kumar, Chairperson of the National Green Tribunal, he highlighted the importance of environmental consensus. “Nature doesn’t need us, we need nature”, said Kumar, further adding that there is “a need for incentive based implementation of environmental law”. “The NGT has always involved government consultation to structurally solve environmental problems”, said Kumar, citing the case of Yamuna river as an example.

Michael Greenstone, Milton Friedman Professor in Economics and the College, University of Chicago, and Director of EPIC, he highlighted the three tools of the global energy challenge, which include, “access to energy, powering living standards and lifestyle”, “ensuring environment safety and health effects” and “protection from disruptive climate change, reducing the probability of the same”. He further went on to explain the work of EPIC with the government of Gujarat and Maharashtra to help them monitor and regulate industrial pollution….