Panel Discussion

About Discussion

Climate change is no longer merely an environmental concern; it is a systemic challenge shaping every aspect of human and planetary well-being. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, ecosystem collapse, and intensifying disasters reverberate across health, livelihoods, food and water security, migration, and social equity. Equally, the everyday choices societies make—in food systems, energy policies, urban design, and consumption—loop back to define our climate trajectory.

At this critical juncture, the Earth Care Awards provide a timely platform to recognise innovations, amplify voices, and explore integrated solutions. This panel aims to move beyond treating climate as a “silo issue” and instead acknowledge it as a multi-dimensional societal challenge—one that demands convergence across governance, policy, community action, and innovation.

Key discussion points

Climate and health/nutrition

Heat stress, new disease burdens, vector-borne illnesses.
Threats to food diversity and nutrition security.
Opportunities in climate-smart agriculture, resilient local food systems, and shifts toward sustainable diets.

Climate and livelihoods/economy

Vulnerability of frontline workers in agriculture, fisheries, and informal sectors.
Circular economy, green jobs, and re-skilling as pathways for resilient livelihoods.

Cross-cutting discussion

Systems-thinking for climate action: moving beyond silos.
Policy integration: how can health, food, energy, and urban policies embed climate resilience.

Climate and biodiversity/ecosystems

Loss of biodiversity and eco-services as amplifiers of climate risks.
Nature-based solutions for adaptation and mitigation.

Climate and migration/urbanization

Internal displacement and climate-induced migration as social and political challenges.
Designing climate-resilient cities: infrastructure, waste, energy, and green mobility.

Climate and gender/social equity

Disproportionate impacts on women, youth, and marginalized communities.
The central role of inclusive, community-led solutions in adaptation and resilience.

Agenda

10.45 hrs – 11.00 hrs	Welcome Address	Rupa Dawane, Head – Water, Environment and Sanitation, JSW Foundation
11.00 hrs – 11.30 hrs		Dr. Arunabha Ghosh, CEO, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) In conversation with Ashutosh Sinha, Senior Editor, The Economic Times, TOI
11.30 hrs – 12.40 hrs	Panel Discussion: Climate Action at the Crossroads – Health, Livelihoods, and Equity for a Resilient Future	Bhuvaneswari Balasubramanian Country Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)- India Debolina Kundu Director, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) Anumita Roychowdhury Executive Director- Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Preeti Negandhi Professor & Chair, Center for Climate Change and Health, (PHFI) Moderator: Ajay Pandey, Co-founder-Partner, Thinkthrough Consulting Pvt. Ltd. Audience Q&A
12.40 hrs – 13.00 hrs	Role of Youth in Climate Action	Abhiir Bhalla, Youth Environmentalist & Sustainability Consultant
13:00 hrs onwards		Networking Lunch