Damodar Pujari

Fellow, Climate Change

Damodar has over a decade of experience working in the domain of environmental sustainability, natural resource management, climate change, and circular economy. His professional footprint lies at the intersection of equitable distribution of natural resources, climate justice, and livelihood development of communities from climate-stressed regions. Damodar has supported the development of the National Wildlife Action Plan (2017-31), Government of India, and the committee on Empowering the Office of Ombudsman, Government of Maharashtra. He has developed a roadmap for a group of Members of Parliament, Government of India, on reducing the distress migration of vulnerable groups from tribal areas. His past affiliations include positions at Observer Research Foundation (ORF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Aga Khan Agency for Habitat. During his professional stints, he led partnerships with the World Bank Group, Stockholm Environment Institute, Jal Jeevan Mission, and the Office of the Chief Minister, Government of Maharashtra. He holds a Master’s in Environmental Science and is currently working towards his Ph.D. at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, focusing on River Governance through a Public Policy approach. He tweets at @D_Pujari.

Expertise

Climate change, Sustainability, Circular economy, Climate-stressed communities

Last modified: February 2, 2023

Recent projects

nz cow Courtesy: DW & Avalon_Studio/iStock
24 November 2022 Gateway House

Ban crypto, not cows

Many western governments and pressure groups are now turning to agriculture to curb carbon emissions. Given the legitimate concerns about security of food, nutrition and livelihoods, they may be looking in the wrong direction. If these groups are serious about reducing emissions, activities such as crypto-mining, with no positive net contribution, should be targeted first.
6QB47446R5OTZIJ7UQHTVFWBUY Courtesy: Reuters/Amer Hussain
8 November 2022 Indian Council for World Affairs (ICWA)

G20 and Climate Change: Hegemony of Power to global support

India's G20 Presidency in 2023 will be the time of the global stocktake on climate change negotiations under the 2015 Paris Agreement and the upcoming COP28. It's an opportunity for the G20 troika of Indonesia, India and Brazil to move the needle on the key challenge of climate financing and turn the G-20 away from hegemonistic power control to being a global support mechanism.
COP Infographic Courtesy: Gateway House
3 November 2022 Gateway House

Climate conventions and CoPs

On November 6, Egypt will host the COP27, the 27th Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. This infographic shows the two types of multilateral approaches and agreements under which countries solve the shared global challenge of climate change: Conventions or treaties and CoPs or Conference of Parties.
SCO Climate Courtesy: Erkin Bolzhurov/World Bank
8 September 2022 Gateway House

SCO needs proactive climate action

The SCO climate change initiatives to mitigate soaring temperatures, recurring droughts, and floods, glacial melts, and desiccation of the Aral Sea, are inadequate. Large swathes of Central Asia are hotspots for human migration due to a lack of freshwater resulting in pressure in a few habitable regions.
cc 2 Courtesy: Shutterstock
27 July 2022 Gateway House

Climate Change, the convenient culprit

Unusual rains or snow? Flooding? Drought? It seems that climate change alone is to blame for any anomaly taking place anywhere in the world, be it hydrometeorological or anthropogenic. It’s a convenient culprit for besieged leaders seeking to escape responsibility towards their citizens, and it undermines the scientific evidence of climate change.
7396fefe-aba2-49fe-a3e5-33b8cea9ebf1 Courtesy: WWF
30 June 2022 Gateway House

Can the WTO Agreement Stop Unsustainable Fishing?

Hailed as historic, the new global rules to curb harmful fishing subsidies is a step towards sustainable fishery practices. The negotiated deal, however, is fraught with concerns over overcapacity in fisheries, deep-sea fishing legislations, and blue finance. It may be better for developing countries to formulate their own regulations and set up mechanisms to prevent illegal fishing within their territorial waters – and hold the WTO agreement to its word.

subnational action Courtesy: Hardik Joshi
16 June 2022 Hindustan Times

Activating sub-national climate plan in India

City-level climate action is gaining pace in India. This is crucial, given the country’s climate vulnerabilities and growing carbon footprint. Its success depends on mobilisation of climate finance, targeted devolution of central resources, inter-agency data-sharing and of course, public participation.
bimstec climate Courtesy: @BimstecInDhaka
12 May 2022 India Foundation Journal

Mainstreaming the climate agenda in BIMSTEC

The rejuvenated BIMSTEC, with a new charter in hand, is now expanding its ambition and mission. One such area is climate change, which needs greater attention as it will have implications for the Bay of Bengal and beyond. With their unique climate conditions and action plans can together create a model for regional cooperation.
indo-israel Courtesy: Press Information Bureau (PIB)
28 April 2022 Gateway House

Expanding India-Israel climate cooperation

India and Israel have completed three decades of diplomatic cooperation. Their bilateral partnership in the areas of defence and agriculture is successful. Now is a good opportunity to deepen their existing collaboration in defence and agriculture and identify ways to work together on water security, renewable energy and green healthcare.
Cial-Golf-Course-IN-2019-1-retouche-web-1000px Courtesy: Ciel et Terre
15 March 2022 Gateway House

India-France’s Atal le développement durable

India and France have been actively working together to solve various sustainability issues from renewable energy generation to the blue economy and biodiversity conservation. There is so much more to do bilaterally with climate finance and urban sustainability, and multilaterally with the G20. All the ingredients are in place for a robust climate partnership.