IRADe

Integrated Research for Action and Development, commonly known as IRADe, is a advanced research institute based in New Delhi that focuses on energy, climate change and environment, urban development, poverty, gender equity, agriculture and food security with a goal of developing effective policies. IRADe was established under the Society’s Act, in 2002 at New Delhi, India.

Introduction

About IRADe

IRADe is an independent advanced research institute which aims to conduct research and policy analysis to engage stakeholders such as government, non-governmental organizations, corporations, academic and financial institutions. Energy, climate change, urban development, poverty, gender equity, agriculture and food security are some of the challenges faced in the 21st century. Therefore, IRADe research covers these, as well as policies that affect them. IRADe’s focus is effective action through multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder research to arrive at implementable solutions for sustainable development and policy research that accounts for the effective governance of techno-economic and socio-cultural issues. Based on research for effective action and implementation, IRADe is a ‘think tank’ that works with ‘action tanks’. IRADe was established under the Society’s Act, in 2002 at New Delhi, India. It is certified as a Research & Development Organization by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST). It has also been selected as a Centre of Excellence (CoE) by the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) for urban development and climate change. In addition, it provides expertise to other ministries, national and international institutions and partners with other reputed organizations.

Thematic Areas

1. Energy and Power System (EPS)
2. Sustainable Urban Development (SUD)
3. Climate Change and Environment (CCE)
4. Poverty Alleviation and Gender (PAG)
5. Agriculture and Food Security (AFS)

Cross Cutting Themes

IRADe activities in the above areas have cross-cutting themes such as technology assessment and policy reforms. The key activities are:

• Inclusive Development
• Technology Assessment
• Modelling and Systems Analysis
• Sustainability and Resource Efficiency
• Socio-Economic Impact

Key Activities

• Research and Analysis for Decision Support
• Action and Implementation at Local Level
• Training and Capacity Building
• Policy Advocacy and Dissemination
• Monitoring and Evaluations of Projects

Staff

IRADe has about 40 employees, with research professionals from various disciplines pertaining to issues of environment, energy, and economics.^[1] The Executive Director of IRADe, Dr. Jyoti Kirit Parikh, is a Member of the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change – India and contributed to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which was a co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.^[2] The chairman of IRADe, Dr. Kirit Parikh is a Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India and Fellow of the World Economic Forum, Davos.^[3]

Activities

The Key Programme Areas of IRADe are:^[4]

Thematic Areas of IRADe:

1. Energy and Power System
2. Sustainable Urban Development
3. Climate Change and Environment
4. Poverty Alleviation and Gender
5. Agriculture and Food Program

Awards and achievements

• The Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR) organized a Birthday Honor Conference in honor of IRADe Chairman Dr. Kirit Parikh's 75th birthday on October 26–27, 2010.^[5]
• IRADe co-hosted the international conference "A Global Green New Deal? Towards Green Energy Policies for Sustainable Development" with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.^[6]
• In cooperation with the Partnership for Clean Indoor Air (PCIA), IRADe has published several papers relating to indoor air pollution, cooking with biofuels, and the health impact on rural women.^[7]

See also

• Kirit Parikh
• Jyoti Kirit Parikh
• Staff

References

External links

• Official site