Climate Challenge India is an independent, non-partisan, non-political educational effort designed to spread awareness and generate positive energy on climate issues in India.

The first effort of its type in India, Climate Challenge India, was initiated in early-2007 by CSM as a multi-year programme of activities. It seeks to build a new climate of hope and opportunity on climate change, as the global community begins to face up to the enormity of the challenge.

The initiative’s starting point is that countries such as India can no longer afford to sit back, but must take leadership on climate change out of enlightened self-interest.

In December 2007, Climate Challenge India was recognised as one of the world’s top five climate campaigns and profiled at the United Nations’ Climate Summit in Bali.

The rationale for this approach is explained in CSM's pamphlet: Climate Change: Why India must take leadership.
CSM prefers to work in partnership and collaboration with other like-minded organisations and individuals. Our agenda is ambitious and our approach is open.

If you would like to join us - or propose a specific activity for partnership - we would be happy to hear from you…
Please email us with your ideas at: <info@csmworld.org>

In 2007, CSM's focus will be on building a strong knowledge and communications platform on climate change in India deploying a range of media – including broadcast films and state of the art web technology. Our key constituency focus will be on city leadership, professional bodies and the business community.

By bringing dynamism, fresh perspectives and new constituencies, we hope to stimulate a more energetic, forward-looking policy dialogue on climate issues in India.

This will benefit from challenging research work to build a sound evidence base to our work and the climate debate in India.

In late-2007, we will engage in a number of processes to set in train more progressive dialogues on climate change with the US, the European Union, and leading emerging markets.

Activities in 2007 include the following initiatives:

• The City Dialogues – a set of televised dialogues on climate change featuring leading figures from 12 of India's cities and regions. For more information, please click on the city of interest to you: Kolkata; Bangalore; Pune; Mumbai; Chennai; Hyderabad; Lakshadweep; Patna; Bhubaneshwar; Jaipur and New Delhi.
• City Exchange – a series of seminars aimed at raising awareness and promoting cross-fertilisation of good practice at the municipal level on climate change in India.
• Climate Conversations with CEOs – short broadcast interviews with India's leading CEOs on what climate change means to them and their businesses.
• Climate Change: Stories from India's Frontlines – a film compilation of climate change stories from India's diverse regions
• “Climate Conversations” – a series of national events exploring climate change and its meaning for India with diverse constituencies (summaries available on DVD)
• Portal on Climate Change and India – a one-stop stop for information on climate change and India.
• 'Climate of Hope: The US-India Connection' – A US-India symposium on climate change in partnership with the Worldwatch Institute and the 11th Hour Project. 13 November 2007, San Francisco, USA.
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – Presentation of the Climate Challenge India initiative and screening of broadcast films. December 2007.
  

In 2008, CSM will deepen its engagement with cities and business by: (i) initiating a Port Cities Learning Network on climate change; and (ii) co-hosting a national conference on climate change and business opportunities with leading international partners.

It will also begin a dialogue on climate change with a number of European bodies, including the Europe India Foundation, in partnership with E3G, the Heinrich Boell Foundation and others.

Climate Challenge India will also begin a structured engagement with media, youth and the creative industries through the following programmes:

Activities in 2008 include:

• Executive Training Programme on Media and Climate Change – 6 February 2008, New Delhi. In partnership with the BBC's senior environment journalist, Roger Harrabin (tbc)
• Partnership with two key sectors of the media – Business & Finance, and Women's Media in India
• 'Climate Change' columns in vernacular press – Starting with Bangla newspapers.
• Climate Challenge India: Campus Cells – establishment of cells in campuses across the country.
• Climate Change Fellowships / Stipends – to support writers, film-makers and playwrights produce new material and provide indigenous artistic expression of climate change as experienced in India.

CSM will also undertake another unique initiative – India's first-ever Deliberative Poll – on Climate Change in India, in Autumn 2008, in partnership with Stanford University's Centre for Deliberative Polling.

This is not a comprehensive list. Further activities and events – including one-off ones such as photo exhibitions - will be added as the initiative unfolds.

YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED

Please support with your ideas and donations

Climate Challenge India is the first indigenous initiative of its type in India, mobilising Indians on an issue crucial to the future of our country. We aim to make a difference. Please join us.

If you would like to become involved, or propose ideas for activities or collaboration, we would like to hear from you:
Please contact us at: info@csmworld.org

Climate Challenge India is run as a voluntary effort. We urgently need funding support.

If you care about the issue, and would like to show your commitment, we urge you to consider funding this work.
If you, or your business or organisation, would like to make a donation to the initiative — or support it in some other way — please contact Dr. Tapati Ghosh (Director, Operations) at tapati@csmworld.org or +91-33-2465 5898 / 2465 5650.

Thank you