To demystify the nexus between environment and development

The The debate between environmental protection and the human development is at the core of the debate on the contemporary social and economic order. Consequences of unsustainable patterns of the life styles have manifested into the impacts of Climate Change that we see, hear and feel. Though such debates are of major concerns for the civil society, they are the fringe concerns of politicians that the democratic world elects to govern the civil society. For example, climate change sits atop the list of global issues facing world leaders, but it gets marginally mentioned in the election manifesto and hardly in the speeches of those who ask for the votes in the developing countries. There is clear gap between expectations of the civil society and the intent of the governing leaders. TERRE contributes to close this gap.

To promote the shared understanding and political will to take action

The 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 the civil society.

TERRE is an honest broker in the complex and often controversial debate over unsustainable pattern of consumption including climate change. The message that TERRE as policy center spreads is: we can protect the climate and still make meaningful development.

To bring the like minded actors together

TERRE is non political group working as policy hub to shape the minds of the citizens and more importantly the politicians. It helps bring academics, parliamentarians and business corporations into a thought - alignment on the need for sustainable patterns of consumption including emissions of the Green house gases. The key corporations, blue chip companies that believe in corporate social responsibility are part of the alliance under TERRE. It is a bridge between academicians and business on environment and development issues.

To promote the policies that spark off the appropriate actions

The TERRE as policy center shuns away from pointing fingers but promotes holding hands to find the solutions and catalyze the action. TERRE offers citizens of earth – from every walk of life – a platform to explore new thoughts and new territory through consultations, studies, projects and online content. The paradigm of the good governance and the precincts of the best practices and definition of the sustainability are constantly shifting and even confusing. TERRE believes that it is only through the participatory process ‘by the people for the people and of the people’ would lead us to actions towards sustainable world.

What the center would do?

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

Networking with other NGOs, Business associations and financial institutions forms the key mechanisms to bring together the groups that think alike to achieve the goal of transforming the society towards sustainable life style. In this Endeavour TERRE :

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