Socio-Economic Transformation

Economies around the world, including India, are struggling to remain viable in an era of cut-throat competition by adapting to increasing automation, use of technology, reorganization of value chains, increased protectionism, and selective participation in purely nationally motivated trade alliances. Environmental concerns usually take a back seat in the bid to accelerate economic growth, which rides on energy intensive activities. With such a situation at hand, focussing on climate action and establishing the interconnection between environmental and social problems becomes a challenge.

The current digital revolution presents an opportunity to develop a transparent, inclusive and people- centric Future of Work that is able to address the increased shift towards digital technologies and issues of inclusion and equity specifically in the post-COVID era. FES India and its partners aim to build knowledge products and networks on digital inclusion especially from the perspective of informal sector workers (particularly women) and identify elements for socially and ecologically sustainable value chains. With these efforts, the idea is to push for policy advocacy on including social and economic rights agenda into the current digital transformation. This should also inform covid recovery policies and make them green and inclusive.

International commitments such as the SDGs, the Paris Agreement, and India's own ambition to be the environmental steward provide the framework for social-ecological transformation. FES India aims to develop knowledge products and networks on sustainable urban development with environmental sustainability, economic stability and equity as its core. Crafting narratives and common practices that link climate action to just energy transition is another objective pursued by FES and its partners. Protections of jobs and interest of workers, climate justice, intergenerational justice, gender justice and sustainable development for all form the backbone of the just energy transition work of FES.