NRDC: The Power of Technology
Q&A with Anjali Jaiswal, senior attorney in NRDC’s San Francisco office, spearheading the organization’s India initiative.
What are the main challenges right now for NRDC in India?
The scope of change in India is enormous. The economic boom and the intensifying demand for energy are worsening pollution levels and other environmental stresses. To meet these challenges, we’re working with our Indian partners on many fronts. For example, in the fast-growing city of Ahmedabad, our public health work aims to protect residents from the extreme effects of climate change, particularly by strengthening their ability to cope with increasingly deadly heat waves. In the realm of energy, we’re focused on speeding up efficient building construction, bolstering the government’s solar initiative, and increasing U.S.–India cooperation on clean energy and climate change.
Like most of the developing world, India is urbanizing rapidly. What role can its cities play in addressing climate change?
Cities are the front lines where people deal with the worst environmental problems, from air pollution and rising energy demand to extreme weather brought on by climate change. We’ve seen how effective it can be to work directly with local community leaders to tackle these issues head-on. In Hyderabad, for example, we have partnered with city officials to adopt an efficient building code and accelerated smart-building design through a network of leading real estate developers. These local projects can provide a road map for other cities to adopt. We’re also exploring ways to reduce dirty diesel pollution by strengthening emissions standards and public awareness as the Indian market for diesel cars explodes.
This story describes the environmental potential of cell phones and other new technologies. Have you seen examples of that?
The cell phone market has transformed how India works and shows the dynamic role technology can play in building a sustainable energy future. Our work in Ahmedabad offers one exciting example. We and our local partners are working with city officials to develop an emergency SMS text system to warn residents of heat waves and provide practical advice that will help prevent fatalities from extreme heat. Off-grid solar lighting systems are another innovative technology, promising to provide clean, affordable energy to a rural population that currently lacks access to conventional power. We will keep looking for opportunities like these to use technology to protect human health and the environment.