CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE (COE) FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

NEWS – The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) has launched a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Sustainability and Climate Change aimed at building India’s preparedness against the growing climate crisis. Developed in partnership with Ashraya Hasta Trust, the initiative focuses on innovations in agriculture, environmental systems, and healthcare.

KEY OBJECTIVES OF THE COE

• Climate-readiness and resilience across critical sectors
• Eco-friendly and bioscience-driven solutions
• Strengthening India’s capacity to respond to climate-linked challenges

IMPACT ON HEALTHCARE

Rising Disease Burden

• Climate change expected to escalate vector-borne diseases
  • Chikungunya
  • Zika virus
  • Malaria

Why Healthcare Needs Upgrading

• Increased pathogen spread due to:
  • Rising temperatures
  • Humidity variations
  • Changing rainfall patterns
  • Floods and droughts
• Current systems lack:
  • Early detection mechanisms
  • Strong surveillance infrastructure
  • Climate-resilient therapeutic capabilities

AGRICULTURAL PRIORITIES

Sustainable Farming Solutions

• Reduce methane emissions from crops like paddy
• Develop new crop strains for enhanced food security
• Promote shift away from fossil-based fertilisers and pesticides

Long-term Goals

• Improve yields while lowering environmental impact
• Large-scale adoption of climate-resilient agricultural practices

COLLABORATIVE APPROACH

• CoE will work with:
  • Government bodies
  • Private industries
  • Scientific experts
• Aim: Identify priority problem areas and develop targeted innovations

TARGETS & FUTURE PLANS

• 10 solution-based innovations in the first year (climate–agri & climate–health)
• Scale the programme over 3 years with global support
• Vision to deliver 30 transformative solutions for climate adaptation