Request all to join in the initiative of thought leadership platform and in my endeavour of sincere efforts of contributing towards science and society.

1. ―Wake Up Call‖ – ―Are we buying time‖? —Beyond boundaries deluge
connecting the dots across cities world over—Series I
WORLD OZONE
DAY
16th September
2017
 Phase out and
controlled use of
ozone depleting
substances.
 M o n t r e a l
protocol aims to
phase out HCFCs
by 2030.
 India’s status:
M i n i s t r y o f
E n v i r o n m e n t ,
Forests and Cli-
mate Change has
launched stage II
of HCFCs Phase
out Management
Plan (HPMP) for
2017-23.
 Under Kigali
Amendment, 197
countries including
India have agreed
to a timeline to
reduce use of HFCs
by roughly 85 % of
their baselines by
2045.
Inside this Issue
Infrastructure
-Blue,Green & 2
Trees for Climate
Proofingofour
Cities
2
InSpotlight—NITI
Ayog’sDraft
EnergyPolicy
2
InSpotlight—SDG
-I:India’sStatus—
EndPoverty
3
GRI 303: Water
& Effluents :Draft
Review—Spotlight
3
OurBeginning,
Vision&Themes
4
Haveyour Say 4
18th September, 2017
Volume 1, Issue 1
Our Planet –Common Future
Let’s Strive Together
This year across the World, many cities
faced the burnt of floods, storms and
hurricanes in severity, though such
events have happened earlier as well.
Floods seems to represent a major
paradox, though geographies differ,
nature and man– made influence per
se has brought these cities across the
world on a common platform. The
flooding problem has become a year
after year problem—yet we fail to take
it as a wake up call. Is it a apathy on
the part of Government, municipal and
administrative bodies? lack of citizen
participation? climate change?
urbanization? Whom to blame? Nature
or human induced interventions?
Are we not the creators and sufferers
of our problems? Nature does not pro-
vide a buy in time, the more we try to
disturb the web of nature, beyond its
carrying capacity the current reflec-
tions are bound to occur. The flood
adversity and deluge have connected
the dots for the world to come up with
tangible solutions at the earliest.
When will the developing coun-
tries work out flood risks for coastal
regions—even before the disaster
strikes? Why haven't we positioned
ourselves in safeguarding the lives with
proper forecasting and information
outreach during peak hours and days
for flood prone areas?
Be it the storm Harvey in Texas,
Hurricane Irma in Caribbean, Mumbai
floods of this August , floods in North
East of India which affected Assam,
Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and
Manipur and at few other places of South
Asia, what is critical is beyond boundaries
even with developed economies and
emerging economies, compounding
effects are seen at all places irrespective
of infrastructure and urban planning
investments that have been done—
problems does persist be it in the form of
surge in ocean flooding, terrestrial
flooding. Over the years climate change—
rise in sea levels and increased heat island
effects, lesser vegetation and more of
concrete and asphalt in urban areas have
made cities vulnerable to flood risks.
Urban ecosystems in the form of
wetlands, marshlands attenuate flooding,
have been deteriorated. According to a
UN report India's average annual
economic loss due to disasters is
estimated to be $9.8 billion, out of which
more than $7 billion loss is due to floods .
Water logged areas, traffic snarls, impact
on the public transport and commuters
woes are a common situation to view
every year. Climate change is being
considered as the main driver for the
deluge in various cities across the world,
however encroachment of catchment
areas, wastes blocking the channels and
sewers, lack of efficient drainage system
that can allow easy flow through of
rainwater during intense period of rain-
fall in short period are the key drivers.
The forthcoming newsletter will cover one
by one all the causes, implications of
flooding, lessons to be learnt and what
positive interventions can be applied with
example scenarios.
Eco Endeavourers Network
...Striving for the planet in peril
Welcome to the First Issue of Our Newsletter
A warm “welcome” to the first issue of our newsletter. The weekly
newsletter will be published every Saturday and shared across online plat-
form. We sincerely hope it will keep you updated with our progress in aware-
ness, research outputs, events and campaigns. We welcome contributions in
the form of write-ups, articles and other relevant information from your side
as well and all the shared information shall be duly acknowledged. We request
you to regularly follow our newsletter and join us in our endeavour towards
capacity building and knowledge dissemination through our thought leader-
ship platform. The content coverage in this newsletter with series -I repre-
sents the content section will be continued in the forthcoming newsletter.
Source : Hindustan
Times
Source : Washington
Post
Source : New Indian
Express
Source : CNN.com
Wake Up Call - Are we buying time? Beyond Boundaries –Deluge connecting the
dots in the cities across the world —Series I

2. ambitious targets being in the
energy sector. A per the report
the current draft policy chal-
lenges the existing energy con-
duit & offers a unique opportu-
nity towards a sustainable en-
ergy infrastructure through de-
centralization. Indian Energy
Security Scenarios (IESS) has
been used to generate multiple
scenarios of the likely energy
demand we may require by
2040 on a 5 yearly basis. Areas
of supply & demand sector inter-
vention under governance and
regulation framework is also
emphasized in the report. What
is more challenging & opportu-
In June this year, India’s NITI
Ayog (National Institution for
T r a n s f o r m i n g I n d i a )
published the draft energy
policy and made it available
for public comments. In wake
of growing energy needs,
energy security and increased
focus on mainstreaming
renewable energy, transition
from the 2006 Integrated
Energy Policy to 2017
National Energy Policy has
placed the onus on India’s
commitment on energy clar-
ity, trajectory growth and pro-
jection scenario and way
forward to meet the recent
nity driven is improving energy effi-
ciency, expansion of PAT (Perform,
Achieve and Trade) and adoption of
BAT (Best Available Technologies) for
reducing energy consumption. As per
the report PAT must cover 80% of
all industrial consumption, including
the unorganized sector by 2020. The
primer which is of much relevance for
way forward is increasing energy effi-
ciency penetration through BAT, in
the processes not covered under PAT
scheme. The next edition of newsletter
will focus on if BAT is being consid-
ered as a way forward for strong en-
ergy policy? Since it’s a yes, then how
and to what extent it can be applied
across different sector?
I n t h e q u e s t t o w a r d s
infrastructure development,
cities over a period of time have
been transitioning from being
sustainable cities to progressing
towards being smart cities.
However a critical attribute which
are we perceiving is blue, green
and grey space? And are these
attributes equally weighted
while planning and development?
Are we perceiving it as integrated
planning for multifunctional land
use? Some of the perceived
benefits of Blue, Green and Grey
urban spaces include :
 Nature and biodiversity
 Water retention
 Water quality & quantity
improvement
 Health and well-being
 Green spots
 Climate adaptation
 Increased connectivity
 Ecosystem services
 High energy efficiency devices
and retrofits
 Urban flood risk management
How do we perceive?
We perceive all the three
attributes as different
components and each attribute
gets weightage based upon
requirement. However each of
the attribute is interdependent
upon one another to fulfill the
goal of being a livable, clean,
healthy and safe cities.
Unlocking the Blocks
- Challenges
Grey infrastructure has a asset
life and value and return on
investment (ROI), however the
challenge is never ending
demand of the requirement,
m a i n t e n a n c e a n d
urbanization.
 Blue infrastructure include
equal weightage to planned
maintenance, efficient water
supply and treatment system.
 Green Infrastructure —
Strategically planned tree
plantation, reviving and
restoring the urban greens,
greener building codes and
standards—challenge is risk
management, effectiveness
and decision making.
Another notable & critical challenge
is lack of open spaces— cities look
more fragmented and open spaces
are most undervalued—Integration
of the three attributes is required
for “unlocking the blocks.”
Infrastructure : How do we perceive the Blue, Green and Grey Space ?
“ Unlocking the Blocks “ - Series I
In Spotlight Review : NITI Ayog’s Draft National Energy Policy 2017 - Series : I
“He who plants
a tree, plants
a hope”
- Lucy Larcom
Page 2 Our Planet –Common Future
mitigation. This 3 series content
coverage will draw parallels with
regard to trees as climate proofing
tool with a background of carbon
sequestration and a practical
assessment sheet to showcase the
results with example scenario in
the forthcoming newsletter
edition on a scale of health, build-
ings, industry, energy, water
urban tourism, transport and
urban biodiversity.
Are Trees the viable solution towards climate proofing of our Cities…? Series - I
Sector wise Best
Available
Technology
— Can they be
way forward
towards Strong
National Energy
Policy
Trees as Viable
solution?
- For Climate
Proofing of Our
Cities
Health Buildings Industry Energy Water
Urban
Tourism Transport
Urban
Biodiversity
↓ Low ↓ Low ↓ Low ↓ Low ↓ Low ↓ Low ↓ Low ↓ Low
₌ Medium ₌ Medium ₌ Medium ₌ Medium ₌ Medium ₌ Medium ₌ Medium ₌ Medium
↑High ↑High ↑High ↑High ↑High ↑High ↑High ↑High
Table : Climate Proofing Assessment Sheet
Low indicates lesser benefits towards climate proofing
Medium indicates balanced /benchmarking for future planning towards climate proofing
High indicates maximum benefits towards climate proofing
“Cities
Infrastructure”
in a carbon driven
economy require
sound science
based, technical
and structural
solutions in a
“Predictable
World” + Social
and institutional
solutions in a
“World
of Uncertainty”
Cities are nodes of intense energy,
material consumption and waste
production. Climate change does
impact cities at large at local scale
and no matter what policy
initiatives and strategic modelling,
forecasting is planned for
implementation, even the most
carefully designed and well articu-
lated approach will fail if ground
capacities are not enough to meet
policy demands, requirements and
way forward. So it is here that
climate proofing through trees
can be a key tool in our cities.
8-10 years back carbon
sequestration was and is still a
key tool for benchmarking &
reducing GHG emissions. Carbon
sequestration is one of the
important clause of Kyoto
protocol and has provided a
special purpose vehicle for the
role it plays in climate change
Source : Google

3. In September 2015, the United Nations
General Assembly formally adopted the
2030 Agenda aiming for global action
consisting of 17 Sustainable Develop-
ment Goals (SDGs) and 169 associated
targets. The implementation of SDGs
initiated since 2016 needs every country
to meticulously plan, prioritize, and
adapt the goals and targets in accordance
with the local challenges, capacities and
resources availability.
This newsletter features how India is
implementing the SDG No.1 : End
poverty in all its form everywhere. India
has made tremendous strides by reduc-
ing its extreme poverty head count ratio
by half in 2011-12, however as per the
Asian Development Bank statistics 21.9
% of the population still lives below the
national poverty line. Poverty does not in
itself reflect lack of income or having
access to resources, it also includes lack
of opportunities for education, inequality
and social discrimination. Though Gov-
ernment of India has come with progres-
sive schemes such as Pradhan Mantri
Garib Kalyan Yojana, skill India, Deen
Dayal Upadhaya Grameen Kaushalya
Yojana, Atal mission for rejuvenation
and urban transformation, the challenge
is time—to say to what extent we would
be able to achieve target set up as per
2030 agenda.
The anti-poverty programme
ie: The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act, for
instance, has generated over 2 billion
person-days of employment during
2016-17 alone for the disadvantaged sec-
tions of society. In July this year, India
presented its first voluntary national report on the imple-
mentation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the
UN High Level Political Forum. India aimed to leverage this
submission as a perfect opportunity to reassure its global
commitment, target set and extent of implementation since
the adoption of SDGs in 2015. If we as a nation have to
progress and meet the 2030 agenda, action in all fronts of
areas : water, energy, food security, livelihoods creation,
resource conservation, reducing vulnerabilities, and climate
change, ensuring equality, affordable housing and health
and well being is needed. The Government of India has
affirmed that its national development goals are synced to
meet the SDGs 2030 agenda, time as mentioned earlier is
the critical challenge and to add on implementing nationally
appropriate actions emphasizing the poor, marginalized and
vulnerable and ensuring efficient mobilization of resources
is required to reach the target set.
current focus and to what extent
the best practices will be agreed
and reported. Reporting water
consumption in addition to water
withdrawal is the new require-
ment of the standard with
emphasis on water stress areas.
In this context, reporting organi-
zations from developing coun-
tries are the one to be looked for
the approach they would apply in
disclosing the information with
transparency. Another criteria
added is effluents and waste con-
tent—so information with regard
to withdrawal, consumption and
discharge will be made available
by reporting entities. More em-
phasis on water discharge—will
strengthen treatment decision
making. Water related manage-
ment approach and what value at
The GRI revised draft standards
for water impacts i.e. GRI 303:
Water and Effluents used by
organizations to report on
impacts related to water is open
for public review and feedback.
These GRI standards developed
through robust multi-stakeholder
process and being set in across 50
countries and varied stock ex-
changes.
Its commendable that standards
have move a step ahead from
considering water as a commod-
ity by the corporate entities ear-
lier to a much needed resource
consideration with water proofing
as a main criteria for entities per
se. How organizations will
report water impacts with these
new set of standards is the
local level and as a shared
resource is another criteria to
look for. The most benchmark-
ing criteria added is reporting
on water impacts in the supply
chain with regard to its prod-
ucts and services. This addi-
tional criteria has further
leveraged an opportunity for
o r g a n i z at i o n s t o wa r ds
restrengthening water proof-
ing and benchmarking their
impacts and transparency in
disclosure.
Hope to see a more account-
able and transparent reporting.
Also how companies will
perceive water and their im-
pacts gets implemented with
these new set of standards
added for disclosure .
UN Sustainable Development Goals : In Spotlight SDG -I India’s Status : End poverty in all
forms Everywhere
GRI 303 : Water and Effluents : Draft Review - Spotlight
Page 3Volume 1, Issue 1
“We make the
future
sustainable
when we
invest in the
poor, not
when we
insist on their
suffering”
- Mahatma
Gandhi
Image Source :
UN SDGs
“We forget
that the water
cycle and the
life cycle are
one”
- Jacques
Cousteau
UN SDGS
Focus
Themes
People
Planet
Prosperity
Peace
Partnership
Source : ADB and World Bank

4. E-mail:
You can email at
ecoendeavourers@gmail.com
Alternate Email :
prachiugle@gmail.com
Our facebook page :
http://fb.me/
ecoendeavourers
Our LinkedIn page :
https://www.linkedin.com/
company/eco-endeavourers-
network
Our Beginning
The ―Eco Endeavourers Network‖ (EEN) was started in June 2009 as
an awareness and research network with the aim to foster environ-
mental issues at the forefront and to sensitize school children, college
students about it. It also aimed to involve researchers, scientists and
faculty in the domain of Environmental Science to contribute through
though leadership concepts, research and development in the subject
matter of – Sustainability, Climate Change, Environmental Impact
Assessment, Environmental Education & Training, Greenhouse gases
quantification, Remote Sensing & GIS applications, Environmental
Management, Clean Development Mechanism, Corporate Sustainability
Reporting, Ecosystem & Forestry Services - Research & Development,
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), PIL and RTI, Urban Greening,
Urban Forestry and Biodiversity.
Vision
To create awareness, carry out research, disseminate knowledge and
capacity building as a team to promote environmental friendly and sus-
tainable policies and channelize the outcomes through this thought
leadership platform.
“Let’s Learn, Grow and Strive together for the planet in
peril”
Eco Endeavourers Network
 Sustainability
 Infrastructure– Blue, green and
grey
 Urban Greening, Urban Forestry
and TOF (Trees Outside Forests)
 Biodiversity
 Climate Change
 Transportation – Greener routes
 Circular Economy
 Planet in Peril – Risks &
Opportunities
 Energy Constraint World – Focus
on Renewable Energy
 Focus on Sustainable Develop-
mental Goals
 Environmental Impact
Assessment
 Water - ―The Elixir of Life‖
 Lotic and Lentic ecosystems -
Restoration and conservation
efforts
 Environmental Education &
Training
 Greenhouse gases quantification/
inventory
Themes—
Striving for the Planet in Peril
Contact Focal Point :
Dr. Prachi Ugle Pimpalkhute,
Founder, Citizen Outreach,
EEN
Mr. Sachin Pimpalkhute,
Co-Founder
We welcome your feedback
and suggestions, it will help us
improve and strengthen our
newsletter coverage, content
and features. Feel free to write
to us comments, feedback and
suggestions, if any at :
ecoendeavouers@gmail.com
 Remote Sensing & GIS applications
 Environmental Management
 Waste Management
 Life Cycle Assessment
 Corporate Sustainability Reporting
 Ecosystem & Forestry Services -
Research & Development
 Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR)
 PIL and RTI
 Analytics Application in varied Envi-
ronmental sector
 Health and Wellbeing
 Global connect, Cities, communities
and societies
 Why value resources use
 Land Use and Land Cover, Sustain-
able Agriculture
 Disclosure towards Responsible
Business Stewardship
 Low Carbon Economy
Have your
Say :
Our Focus - Our Themes
@ Disclaimer
The content of the newslet-
ter cannot be copied,
reproduced, republished and
uploaded in any form
thereof.
Page 4 OUR PLANET—COMMON FUTURE