The Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) is one of South Asia’s leading not-for-profit policy research institutions. The Council uses data, integrated analysis, and strategic outreach to explain – and change – the use, reuse, and misuse of resources. The Council addresses pressing global challenges through an integrated and internationally focused approach. It prides itself on the independence of its high-quality research, develops partnerships with public and private institutions, and engages with the wider public.
In 2020, CEEW once again featured extensively across nine categories in the 2019 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report, including being ranked as South Asia’s top think tank (15th globally) with an annual operating budget of less than USD 5 million for the seventh year in a row. CEEW has also been ranked as South Asia’s top energy and resource policy think tank in these rankingsfor the second year running.
Further, it has consistently featured among the world’s best managed and independent think tanks.
In 2016, CEEW was ranked among the world’s 20 best climate think tanks.
In over nine years of operations, The Council has engaged in over 230 research projects, published over 160 peer-reviewed books, policy reports and papers, advised governments around the world nearly 530 times, promoted bilateral and multilateral initiatives between governments on 80 occasions, and organised nearly 300 seminars and conferences. In July 2019, the CEEW Centre for Energy Finance was launched by H.E. Mr Dharmendra Pradhan and H.E. Dr. Fatih Birol.
The Council’s major completed projects and contributions include the 584-page National Water Resources Framework Study for India’s 12th Five Year Plan; the first independent evaluation of the National Solar Mission; India’s first report on global governance, submitted to the National Security Adviser; irrigation reform for Bihar; the birth of the Clean Energy Access Network; policy briefs submitted to the PMO on accelerated targets for renewables, power sector reforms, environmental clearances, Swachh Bharat; pathbreaking work for the Paris Agreement, the HFC deal, the aviation emissions agreement, and international climate technology cooperation; developing the strategy for and supporting activities related to the International Solar Alliance (ISA); designing the Common Risk Mitigation Mechanism (CRMM); critical minerals crucial for Make in India; modelling 222 scenarios for India’s low-carbon pathways; India’s largest multidimensional energy access survey (ACCESS); geoengineering governance; circular economy of water and waste; and Energy Horizons.
The Council’s current research focus includes launching a go-to-market programme to promote decentralised renewable energy-powered livelihood appliances; examining country-wide residential energy consumption patterns; raising consumer awareness and engagement on power issues; piloting business models for solar rooftop adoption; developing a renewable energy project performance dashboard; green hydrogen for industry decarbonisation;state-level modelling for energy and climate policy; reallocating water for growth; creating a democratic demand for clean air; raising consumer awareness on best AC servicing practices; and supporting India’s electric vehicle ambitions.
The Council has a footprint in 19 Indian states, working extensively with state governments and grassroots NGOs. Their key ongoing research and engagements at the state-level include supporting power sector reforms in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, scaling up solar-powered irrigation in Chhattisgarh, supporting climate action plans in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, evaluating zero budget natural farming in Andhra Pradesh, examining crop residue burning in Punjab, and promoting solar rooftops in Delhi and Bihar.
The Council’s Board is currently chaired by Mr. Jamshyd Godrej. Some of their other illustrious board members include Mr. Tarun Das, Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Mr. S. Ramadorai, Mr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, and Dr. Naushad Forbes. The 60-member strong executive team is led by Dr. Arunabha Ghosh.