Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment

Dr. Kamal Bawa, President and Founder Trustee, ATREE, has been requested to serve on a the newly formed Global Advisory Network Group in Environmental Science (GANGES) to the Minister of State for Environment and Forests. The aim of the group is to advise the Government of India on:

• The Environmental Sciences Agenda, areas of focus from short, medium and long term perspectives.
• How the government should engage on this issue, directly conduct research, support and fund outside research, set priority areas.
• Which Institutional collaborations to be taken in specific areas and in what way. How leading academic institutions and the private sector should engage in the environmental sciences agenda.
• Stimulate innovation, fast-track development, demonstration and dissemination of scientific research to produce results for societal needs.

GANGES will meet as a group at least twice a year. It would also stay connected as an ongoing virtual community to exchange ideas and discuss proposals. A report is to be given to the Prime Minister annually on the work of GANGES and the progress on the environmental sciences agenda.