Climate Change, Energy and Natural Resources

In Bhubaneswar's scorching summers, Mamata, a vegetable vendor, restructures her entire day around the heat - working longer hours both at her cart and at home and absorbing the income loss that follows. Her story reveals what's missing from how we talk about informal work and heat: the type of occupation matters. The worksite, the task, and the stability of employment all shape how vulnerable a worker really is - and current heat action plans fail to capture this nuance.

India's rapid transition toward electric vehicles (EVs) is reshaping the country's industrial landscape and workforce dynamics. Yet we know surprisingly little about the broader impact of this shift on labour markets. JustJobs Network is seeking to address this knowledge gap through its leadership of the FutureWORKS Collective, an initiative funded by the International Development Research Centre. Our first project under the banner of decarbonization and jobs examines how this transition will affect regional economies and labour markets.

As global labour markets continue to undergo transition induced by rapid technological advancement and climate change, there is not enough research that captures the diverse experiences of the Global South. The FutureWORKS Collective, funded by IDRC Canada, is a consortium of research organisations that will fill this lacuna. The JustJobs Network is proud to be the coordinator of this initiative that underscores the urgency of adapting research and policies to the realities of the Global South.

A government initiative to promote conservation and build climate resilience, the GREEN Meghalaya scheme is based on the payment for ecosystems model (PES). This article introduces the PES model and poses inquiries about its operation and implementation, especially against the changing landscape of forest conservation in India.

This report, part of Jal Kaushal, a research project undertaken in partnership with Arghyam, explores the jobs-tasks-skills nexus of water management in rural Meghalaya. Building on the understanding that community involvement is critical for water management, this report seeks to illuminate the nature of this involvement and the barriers that need to be overcome to ensure sustained water management and achieve water security.

In the wake of the ongoing climate crises, what would energy transition mean for economies and labour markets around the world? Sabina Dewan discusses how developing countries like India, with large and growing youth populations, are facing immense pressure to manage energy transition which will restructure labour markets and have significant economic, political and social ramifications. She presents the interlinkages and ripple effects of a transition to geener energy alternates on migration patterns, household income structures, skilling requirements and job creation.

This report, part of Jal Kaushal, a research project undertaken in partnership with Arghyam, explores the jobs-tasks-skills nexus of water management in rural Karnataka. Building on the understanding that community involvement is critical for water management, this report seeks to illuminate the nature of this involvement and the barriers that need to be overcome to ensure sustained water management and achieve water security.

This report, part of Jal Kaushal, a research project undertaken in partnership with Arghyam, explores the jobs-tasks-skills nexus of water management in rural Bihar. Building on the understanding that community involvement is critical for water management, this report seeks to illuminate the nature of this involvement and the barriers that need to be overcome to ensure sustained water management and achieve water security.

This report, part of Jal Kaushal, a research project undertaken in partnership with Arghyam, explores the jobs-tasks-skills nexus of water management in rural Odisha. Building on the understanding that community involvement is critical for water management, this report seeks to illuminate the nature of this involvement and the barriers that need to be overcome to ensure sustained water management and achieve water security.

This report, part of Jal Kaushal, a research project undertaken in partnership with Arghyam, explores the jobs-tasks-skills nexus of water management in rural Maharashtra. Building on the understanding that community involvement is critical for water management, this report seeks to illuminate the nature of this involvement and the barriers that need to be overcome to ensure sustained water management and achieve water security.