The world has started to witness the penalty for unsustainable lifestyles and patterns of production and consumption. As the human population is exploding, resources are shrinking.

Concerns loom everywhere, from declining pollinators affecting food security to air and water pollution affecting the quality of life, and land shortage and degradation affecting both agriculture and biodiversity.

These are just some examples of the results of unsustainability. This is an important moment to find solutions for sustainable living, in harmony with Mother Earth.

India is home to one-sixth of the world’s people and it has the densest population. It also has the second-largest population after China, which it will surpass in less than a decade if current trends continue. India is a country full of diversity and contradictions. While per-capita emissions are amongst the lowest in the world, it is also the third biggest generator of emissions. Despite being the third-largest economy in the world, India also has the largest number of people living below the international poverty line. Because of this sheer size and rapid growth, sustainability is a challenge. In spite of these challenges, India is a conscious aspirant. It has shown leadership in combating climate change and meeting the Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs), as is reflected in many of its developmental schemes. India is one of the least wasteful economies. It has frequently been acknowledged by stakeholders for its cooperation and efforts to promote climate change mitigation, and environmental sustainability; this has been through policy measures, dialogue facilitation between nations, and taking decisive steps, especially after India emerged as a key player in shaping the Paris Agreement, along with adopting energy-efficiency measures. There is no alternative to sustainable development. While Indian culture has the ethos for sustainable management of natural resources– namely, reuse, reduce, and recycle. Sustainability has always been a core component of Indian culture. Its philosophy and values have underscored a sustainable way of life. Since India is committed to sustainable development as an agreed goal of the UN, every sector is trying to internalize the practice of sustainability. 

Youngsters should be involved because their future is critically at stake, with global warming and climate change knocking at the door.

India is strongly committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (2030), wherein most goals directly or indirectly are linked with natural resources and their sustainable management. In order to understand and implement these goals, there is an increasing need for experts in natural resources and sustainability. India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) has eight missions that can be implemented in a consultative manner by engaging multi-stakeholder groups such as experts from industry, academia, and civil society. With the introduction of CSR, corporates are involved in activities such as education, health, environmental sustainability, gender equality, and vocational skills development. Transition to a greener economy has tremendous employment Potential of creating millions of jobs directly & indirectly.

Hence, we need more experts and skilled professionals in environmental sustainability, particularly in sustainability reporting.  The skills mismatch is identified as the key obstacle to building an environmentally sustainable & low carbon economy. The right skills need to be incorporated into education to support an environmentally sustainable Economy. The education in the domain needs to be combined with hands-on experience. Symbiosis Skills & Professional University (SSPU), Pune, is Maharashtra’s first skill development university established with a vision to provide skill-based education in high-growth sectors.   SSPU has been enacted under the Government of Maharashtra Act in 2017. It is set up on a sprawling sustainable campus located near Pune.  The unique feature of this University is the Centre of Excellence and Learning factories established in collaboration with top industries.

Symbiosis Skills and Professional University established a School of Sustainability Studies to cater to the same need. The skilled professional of this school will have research and career opportunities in following domain

1. Renewable Energy
2. Climate change and Environmental science
3. Energy Conservation and Energy Audit
4. Energy Efficiency and Energy Management
5. Sustainable and Green Transport
6. Sustainable and Green Construction
7. Energy Storage
8. Smart and Eco-friendly Materials
9. Energy Economics and Finance
10. Energy Data Analytics
11. Energy Policy and Regulations
12. Smart Grids
13. Energy and Power Transmission
14. Entrepreneurship in Energy Sector