To demystify the nexus between environment and development

Environmental protection and human development are at the core of the debate on contemporary social and economic order. Our unsustainable life styles are impacting our global climate. Though such debates are of major concerns for civil society, they are a fringe concern of the politicians that the democratic world elects to govern civil society. For example, climate change sits atop the list of global issues facing world leaders, but it is only mentioned marginally in election manifestos and hardly at all in the speeches of those who ask for votes in developing countries. There is clear gap between expectations of civil society and the intentions of governing leaders. TERRE aims to contribute to closing this gap.

To promote the shared understanding and political will to take action

TERRE serves as a platform and turning point for generating the political will necessary for action, both globally and domestically, by enhancing the knowledge of civil society.

TERRE is an honest broker in the complex and often controversial debate over unsustainable patterns of consumption, including those patterns related to climate change. The message that TERRE promotes is ‘We can protect the environment and still achieve meaningful development.’

To bring actors together

TERRE is a non-political group working as policy hub to shape the minds of the citizens and more importantly the politicians. It helps align the thinking of academics, parliamentarians and business corporations on the need for sustainable patterns of consumption, including emissions of the greenhouse gases. Corporations and blue chip companies that believe in corporate social responsibility are part of TERRE’s alliance. TERRE acts as a bridge between academicians and business people on environment and development issues.

To promote policies that spark off appropriate actions

TERRE shuns from pointing fingers, but promotes holding hands, to find solutions and catalyze action.

TERRE offers citizens – from every walk of life – a platform to explore new thoughts and new common ground (?) through consultations, studies, projects and online content. The paradigm of good governance and precincts of best practices and definitions of sustainability are constantly shifting and often confusing. TERRE believes that it is only the participatory process, ‘by the people for the people and of the people’, that can lead us to actions towards a sustainable world.

What the centre would do?

While India is the starting point, TERRE’s initiatives know no geographic limitations. Environmental impacts cross regions and political boundaries.

TERRE networks with NGOs, governements, business associations and financial institutions internationally to enable sharing of ideas that can advance the goal of transforming society to a more sustainable lifestyle model. In this Endeavour TERRE :

• Produces in simple, straightforward and demystifying language, analyses of key climate issues and promotes actions for sustainability
• Works to keep decision makers in the government and business informed on how to shape the solutions
• Reaches out to educate key audiences like media, youth and NGOs