WeGovernance

🌍 Insights from the 16th India Coal Summit: Balancing Energy Security, Sustainability, and Innovation 🌍 WeGovernance participated in the 16th India Coal Summit (organised by Indian Chamber of Commerce), where industry leaders discussed key challenges and innovations for the future of coal. Chief Guest, Ms. Rupinder Brar (Additional Secretary Ministry of Coal - Official , Govt of India) highlighted India's geopolitical role, advocating for industry-government partnerships, technological reforms, and incentives for coal gasification. Mr Animesh Jain (CEO, NTPC MINING LTD) emphasized sector liberalization, infrastructure development, and setting up a coal exchange. Mr Pankaj Satija (Chairperson, ICC National Expert Committee on Minerals & Metals and EIC, FAMD, Tata Steel) stressed the growing dependency on coal for energy security, focusing on greening the supply chain, deep decarbonization, just transition, and restorative justice in the mining regions. Mr Kapil Dhagat (Jindal Steel & Power Ltd.) called for underground mining, domestic equipment manufacturing, and coking coal production to reduce imports. Mr Praveen Mishra (LSI Group), Mr Gautam Senapati (JSW), Mr Karansinh Bhavsinh Chauhan (GSECL), Mr D Kundu (Eastern Coalfields Limited), and Sanjay Jha (Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd) discussed coal production challenges, coking coal availability, and the impact of import trends. Mr Kundu also raised concerns over the LARR Act, land acquisition, and socio-environmental impact issues. Dr. Arunendra K Tiwari (TERI - The Energy and Resources Institute), Tushar Chakraborty (Deloitte), and Navneet Kumar (Skill Council for Mining Sector) led a session on environmental impact, the renewable energy transition, skills for green coal, and automation in mining. Chinmay Chhatbar (WeGovernance) highlighted the sharp increase in coal business value since 2021. He stressed the need for sustainability in coal, outlining key principles, Global Policy Shifts, and Price-Related Policies for emissions reduction. He discussed Mining Innovations for ESG, emerging coal applications with technology and costs overview, Ministry of Coal's governance initiatives, including Critical Mineral Policies and NITI Aayog Official programs. We also emphasized the importance of mainstreaming Governance and Support Systems for Landscape Restoration as a practical sustainability strategy to address long-standing conflicts and socio-environmental impacts in mining regions. #CoalSummit #EnergySecurity #Sustainability #ESG #GreenCoal #Innovation #JustTransition #LandscapeRestoration #MiningReforms #WeGovernance

How a permanent Citizens' Assembly in Paris passed a bill into law 🏛️ On July 10, for the first time in history, the Paris City Council took up major legislation written by a permanent Citizens’ Assembly, composed of 100 regular people, and passed it directly into law. To understand how this happened, I spoke (in French) to Elian Belon, the General Secretary of the Paris Citizens’ Assembly. “For this to be a success, you need a strong political will,” Belon told us. “The executive was really involved. The mayor was very supportive and has followed really closely. The politicians were very impressed by the capacity of the citizens.” The assembly worked from September 2023 to April 2024 in two working groups. One group would work to develop a Citizen Bill on one of three issues suggested by the mayor and executive (either policing, homelessness, or advertising in public spaces), while the other group would develop policy recommendations on an issue decided from the bottom-up. The assembly deliberated and voted to work on the issue of homelessness and on greening the city. Assembly members were free to choose which working group they wanted to be part of, knowing there was going to be more time involved in developing the Citizen Bill. ... In total, there are 20 measures in the Citizen Bill that were adopted. The entire process comprised 4 plenary sessions, 16 half-day workshop sessions, 7 site visits, plus 3 co-creation sessions to finalise the bill. Over 30 witnesses presented evidence. Assembly members were remunerated 50 euros per half day of work. This marks the first time a political body—the government of Paris, a city of 11 million—has taken up and passed legislation written by citizens from all walks of life who were selected by sortition and who deliberated in an assembly. Learn more in the full interview in this week's DemocracyNext's newsletter: https://lnkd.in/dJiHjtgn #democraticinnovation #democracy #deliberation #sortition #citizensassemblies

⭐ Highlights from the 13th India Minerals & Metals Forum ⭐ We were deeply honored to participate in the 13th India Minerals & Metals Forum, organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce. The event brought together esteemed leaders to discuss India's journey towards self-reliance in critical minerals and sustainability in metals. Chief guest Mr. Nagendra Nath Sinha (Secretary, Ministry of Steel, Government of India) and key speakers Mr. Pankaj Satija (Chairperson, ICC National Expert Committee on Minerals & Metals and EIC, FAMD, Tata Steel), Mr. Abhyuday Jindal (MD, Jindal Stainless), Mr. Brij Bhushan Agarwal (MD, SHYAM METALICS AND ENERGY LIMITED), Mr. Kapil Dhagat (Jindal Steel & Power Ltd.), graciously shared their insights on range of issues such as importance of critical minerals for decarbonization and just transition, technical capacities and skilling needs, technological advances, co-production, urban mining, auctions and incentivization, ESG challenges, diversification and risk distribution, and policies. Dr. David Whittle (Co-Founder, Critical Minerals Consortium), Mr. Kamal Chatterjee (A & B Global Mining), Mr. RAMANANDA ADHIKARI (Hindustan Copper Limited), Mr. Minesh Chandra Dwivedi (Amalgam Steel), Mr. ANKIT JAIN (Altmin), and Mr. Arindam Mukherjee (Dalmia Bharat Group) thoughtfully discussed global competition and cooperation, dependence on imported raw materials and policies to enhance domestic production. Mr. Dhruv Goel (Shyam Steel Industries Limited), Mr. Vishal Wadhwa (Jindal Stainless), Mr. Rajib Maitra (Partner, Deloitte), and Mr. Prasanta Saha (Dassault Systèmes) shared their perspectives on infrastructure requirements, digitization, automation, AI, and recycling of scrap for sustainability. Chinmay Chhatbar (WeGovernance) had the opportunity to present challenges, solutions, and pathways for policy, program, finance, capacities, and innovation in governance ecosystems to develop robust circularity in steel in India. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the speakers and participants for their invaluable contributions and inspiring discussions. Together, we strive for a sustainable and self-reliant future for India's minerals and metals industry.

🙋♀️ 🙋♀️ Bridging the Gender Gap: Women’s Participation in Development Planning 🙋♀️ 🙋♀️ Empowering women through active participation in development planning is crucial for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and building climate-resilient communities in India. Despite progress, women face significant challenges in accessing education and employment, leading to lower GDP contributions and income levels, even as they bear more than half of the burden. Climate change exacerbates their vulnerabilities, increasing caregiving responsibilities, economic strain, and social isolation. Women's involvement in planning processes ensures their voices are heard and their unique perspectives are integrated into policies and programs. Women bring specific skill sets and strengths to participatory planning, including community engagement, empathy, multitasking, and detail-oriented problem-solving. Capacity building and skilling can bridge the gender gap by providing essential skills for employment and financial independence, fostering dignity, confidence, and leadership capacities, and enhancing managerial and digital skills. Addressing cultural barriers, resource access, and persistent gender biases requires a comprehensive approach, including community-based initiatives, social and legal protection, access to education, and gender-sensitive policies and programs. A multidimensional intervention framework engaging all stakeholders is crucial for fostering an inclusive environment where women can thrive, enhancing gender equality and community resilience.

⭐ A Multi-Framework Strategy for Climate Resilient Development! ⭐ Integrating multiple frameworks is essential for robust climate risk assessments. United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) defines risk as a product of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability. European Commission’s Disaster Risk Management Knowledge Centre (DRMKC) refines this by combining hazard and exposure into one dimension and introducing coping capacity: Risk = (Hazard & Exposure)1/3 × Vulnerability1/3 × Lack of Coping Capacity1/3. District disaster management authorities (DDMA) focus on vulnerability as: Vulnerability = Probability × Impact. A comprehensive approach involves participatory planning through stakeholder engagement, GIS, and climate modelling. This considers disaster recency, loss of life and livestock, economic impacts, critical infrastructure, socio-economic effects, geographic prevalence, natural resource impacts, and DRM capacity needs. Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) programs are conceptualised and developed based on SWOT, I/O analysis, and SRoI, with strategies for information systems, project management, partnerships, upscaling, and monitoring and evaluation through #SDGs and #SENDAI framework. By adopting such multifaceted methodologies, we can better prepare for and mitigate the impacts of climate-related risks, ensuring resilience and sustainability for communities.

We are pleased to share that Chinmay Chhatbar recently had the honor of presenting at the inaugural conference of the International Association for Regulatory Governance (IARG) 2024, where he discussed computational techniques for regulatory effectiveness. We are deeply grateful for this incredible opportunity. A heartfelt thank you to Cary Coglianese for the invitation and Alessia D., Daniel Walters, and Nir Kosti for the opportunity and invaluable insights. Kudos to the organizers, especially Andrew Coopersmith and the entire team, for hosting such a remarkable event at the Penn Program for Regulation, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. A special thanks to Sachin Warghade, Regulatory Policy & Governance - TISS Mumbai, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, for supporting the study. We extend our best wishes to all the panel members and participants, including Seung-Hun Hong, PhD, Ha Hwang, Devin Judge-Lord, Fabio Franchino, Giovanni Pagano, Marta Migliorati for their insightful contributions. We are also thankful to all regulatory agencies, regulators, and ex-regulators in India who generously shared their time, cooperation, and support for this important study. We, at WeGovernance, are committed to fostering #collaboration and #innovation in the field of #regulatorygovernance. Here's to continued progress and impactful work!

🌟 Exciting Collaboration Alert! 🌟 WeGovernance recently led a stimulating session at UNICEF India, exploring the intersection of Environmental, Social, and Governance (#ESG) principles with their mission. A heartfelt thank you to Sarbjit Sahota and Madhumita Sarkar for orchestrating the session. We delved into the imperative for UNICEF's deep engagement with ESG, discussed global trends driving ESG actions, and strategized on maximizing positive outcomes for children, including #SDGfinancing. Our team members Chinmay Chhatbar, Purva Gupta, and Shruti Roy Chowdhury shared insightful perspectives on #sustainablefinance, #SDGfinancing, #childrights issues, and #responsiblebusiness. Special appreciation to Veena Bandyopadhyay, Koushik Kumar Nag, Shubhrajyoti Bhowmik, Divashri Mathur, Radhika Nagu, and Rajeev Kumar for their invaluable insights on #childrights, #childprotection, and #programstrategy. We're grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with UNICEF and extend our appreciation to all participants.

"Strengthening Resilience: The Supreme Court’s Recent Verdict and the Role of Independent Regulators" The Supreme Court’s recent landmark judgment recognizing rights against adverse climate impacts and urging regulatory action is a significant step towards building resilience in critical infrastructure and services. Did you know that between 2015 - 2021, natural disasters in India affected 450 million people, causing economic damage of US $67 billion? It's time we prioritize #disasterresilience and #readyforallemergencies infrastructure that's people-centric, technologically sound, and equitable. Independent regulators play a crucial role in fostering #resilience within various critical infrastructures and services such as #electricity, #gas, #water, and #telecommunications. Let's acknowledge and work towards enhancing #regulatorycapacity to address #resiliencechallenges effectively. Dive deeper into our slides for valuable insights! #DisasterResilience #ClimateResilience #IndependentRegulators #CriticalInfrastructures #RegulatoryFramework #LinkedIn #WeGovernance #SupremeCourt #righttolife #righttoequality #resilientinfrastructure #regulation #regulatorypolicy #infrastructurepolicy #governance #climatechange #justtransition #energypolicy #DRR #climatejustice #enviornment We'd love to hear your thoughts! How do you think regulatory frameworks can be strengthened to address resilience challenges? Share your insights in the comments below and let's continue the conversation.