The Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company, and the Environment, Climate Change & Forest Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, in collaboration with Vasudha Foundation, organised a convening on “Exploring the Integration of Social Dimensions into Sub-National Energy Transition Planning” on Tuesday, 16 September 2025 from 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
The workshop brought together stakeholders representing the government, industry, research and civil society to discuss and explore pathways for positive social and ecological outcomes for a Net Zero future. The convening aimed to explore how risks and challenges emerging out of energy transitions can be harnessed as opportunities for inclusive development. The discussions highlighted initiatives advancing equitable energy transition planning across key sectors such as mobility and land-use.
Plenary Session on ‘Accelerating an Inclusive Energy Transition in India’
The session witnessed high-level addresses from Ms. Supriya Sahu, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Forests, Government of Tamil Nadu, Ms. Soumya Swaminathan, Chairman, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Ms. Nirmala Raja, Chairperson, Ramco Community Services, and Mr. Srinivas Krishnaswamy, CEO, Vasudha Foundation.
The women-led plenary brought together policy, science, and industry for a people-owned transition. Speakers stressed the need for robust social indicators to ensure decarbonisation in sectors like agriculture and transport remains equitable, and called for building a State Energy Transition Fund that can bring investments towards reskilling, building safety nets, and municipal capacity building.
This was followed by three panel discussions on the following themes.
Panel Discussion 1: State Panel on People-centric Transition and Climate Risks
Policymakers highlighted the state government’s role in people-centric transitions through community engagement, collective learning, and cross-department coordination to align objectives toward a common goal.
This panel was moderated by Mr. Srinivas Krishnaswamy, CEO, Vasudha Foundation with representation from the following esteemed panelists:
- Mr. Srinivasulu, IFS, Principal Secretary of Forest, Ecology, and Environment, Government of Karnataka
- Mr. Viswanathan Srinivasan, Chief Executive Officer, Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company
- Mr. Gopalakrishnan VC, Director Automotive and EV, Government of Telangana
Panel Session 2: Enabling a data driven and community engagement approach for land restoration and ecological preservation
The session stressed that land restoration efforts work best when grounded in quality data, technologies like GIS mapping, and context specific recommendations using a blend of traditional knowledge and conventional scientific evidence for a lasting impact. Panelists called for a central institution to connect departments, align policies, and develop integrated land-use plans that work towards a common goal.
This panel was moderated by Ms. Vrinda Gupta, Associate Director, Vasudha Foundation with representation from the following esteemed panelists:
- Ms. Manjula Arumugam, Botanical Services Auroville
- Ms. Sudha Ramen S, IFS, Member Secretary, Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission
- Mr. G. Sundarrajan, Member, Tamil Nadu Governing Council on Climate Change
- Mr. Nambi Appadurai, Director – Climate Resilience Practice, WRI
- Mr. Pratim Roy, Founder Director, Keystone Foundation
Panel Session 3: Future Proofing TN’s Automobile sector
Panellists stressed that the shift must prioritise equipping workers with practical training and dignified work opportunities. Towards this, identification of training needs and skill sets, investments in formal training channels and government support for developing dedicated skilling programmes for vulnerable work groups like rural women and mothers re-entering the workforce are crucial. Overall, EV adoption must be complemented by workforce development, grid readiness and enhanced EV charging infrastructure.
This panel was moderated by Mr. Jaideep Saraswat, Associate Director, Vasudha Foundation with representation from the following esteemed panelists:
- Mr. Aneesh Sekhar, IAS, Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation
- Mr. Joymalya Bose, Assistant Vice President, Propel Industries Private Limited
- Ms. Sivasankari Panneer, Founder, AR4Tech
