Dr. Srikanta K. Panigrahi is the Director General and Distinguished Research Fellow, at Indian Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD) and Carbon Minus India (CMI) - an IISD initiative at New Delhi, and a Leading Indian Sustainability Thought Leader, who is also a Statesman, Policy Maker, Technocrat, Strategist, Environmental City Planner, Sustainability Practitioner, Gandhian Ecologist, Editor, Author and the Poet. He has delivered Guest Lectures in 29 Prestigious Universities (Other than India) of the Globe.

By Qualification he is a Civil Engineer with Master Degrees in Environmental City Planning, Energy Technology and Conservations and Business Administration from Credible Universities of India and abroad such as School of Planning & Architecture (SPA), New Delhi, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi and Technical University of Dresden (TUD), Germany and a Doctorate in Science Policy from Centre for Studies in Science Policy (CSSP), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, followed by a Post Doctoral Research Fellowship from Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, USA., As an UNEP/ UNESCO Fellow, he got engaged in Research Assignments, where he also delivered Guest Lectures in five Universities of Europe at Humbug, Dresden, Prag, Vienna and Zurich. In fact, Eleven(11) Persons have influenced him and shaped his life at different points of time, which has impacted him, with the great vigour and vitality and gave him enough courage and conviction, ultimately putting him in a sustained path, which helped him in laying his foundation to emerge as an one of the profound sustainability thought leaders of the time, later. Moreover, he had the honour and the Opportunity of directly working with Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Former President of India, in preparing 2 historic publications, such as (1) India as a Knowledge Superpower : Strategies for Transformation and (2) India Vision 2020 at Planning Commission, with his complete guidance, where Dr Kalam used to lead 2 these Steering Committees, when he was Principal Scientific Adviser to Prime Minister; where he got hugely influenced, inspired and impacted by his value system, hardwork and to be very focused and with a strategically correct approach; at an early stage of his professional career as a Policy Maker.

He has worked for Government of India and the United Nations. In fact, He was the Member-Secretary of a prestigious Working Group at Planning Commission, to prepare the historic "National Action Plan for Operationalising Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in India", under the Kyoto Protocol, and Submitted the final report to Indian Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in December, 2003, based on which "Carbon Trading" got rolled in the Country. In addition, he was one of the Key Contributor and lead editors, in preparation of "National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)" for the PMO. He was a part of the organising team of Conference of Parties (COP) 8 to UNFCCC at New Delhi in November, 2002. Moreover, he has been representing the Country in the International Climate Change Negotiations, in COPs, where he specializes on "Climate Change & Development Issues". In addition, he has contributed to the preparation of India's national, "Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC)", which became NDC, after the acceptance at COP 21, at Paris in November-December, 2015.

Dr. Panigrahi is known as "Chief Architect of Indian Carbon Market"; who was instrumental to initiate Kyoto Protocol in India, to roll the entire UNFCCC COP Process, Climate Change Negotiations and Designated National Authority (DNA) formation at the Ministry Of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and Subsequently as its Member to implement the National Action Plan, which he formulated and Operationalized CDM and it is only because if his personal pursuance and Leadership initiatives; India was first starter of CDM, among Developing World and hence could emerge as Global CDM Leader.

His areas of expertise include Environmental Policy and Strategic Planning, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environment Management Plan (EMP) Preparation, Energy Policy and Planning, Climate Change Adaptation, Impact and Mitigation Policy and Modelling, Carbon Finance and Carbon Pricing, Climate Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction (CRDRR), CDM and Carbon Trading, Natural Resources Accounting, Green GDP and Blue Economy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, UN-GEF Portfolio Management, UN Multilateral Agreements on Environment (MEAs), Sustainable Water (and Sanitation (under WASH), including Waster Water), Forest and Minerals Conservation and Management Of Other Sustainable Natural Resources, Resource Modelling, Carrying Capacity Studies for Cities and Environmentally Sensitive Regions, Biodiversity and Wetlands Conservation (under UNCBD) and Combating Desertification (under UNCCD), Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Policy, Aviation Carbon Management, CORSIA Verifying and Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA), Business Sustainability Reporting for Industries, UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), Sustainable Consumption and Production Methods, Sustainable Fashion Standard Development and Leadership, Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and Circular Economy, Smart Cities, Village and Habitat/Human Settlement Planning, Designing Of Zero Carbon and Water Efficient Cities, Carbon and Water Foot-printing, Standard Development for Green Buildings and Sustainable Industrial Development for Cleaner Production.

He is a National Steering Committee (NSC) Member of Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) of the Government of India and is a Member to Prime Minister on National Strategic Knowledge Mission and Other few Missions on Climate Change. He was also a Member to Union Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of MoEF&CC and a 2 terms Member to State Expert Appraisal Committees (SEACs) of 3 States at different period of time. In addition, he was also Member to Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of MoEF&CC for the Forest Clearance Purposes and other Committees for Wildlife and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Clearances of Central Government Projects. In addition, he has advised the formulation of 10th and 11th Five Years Plans and played the pivotal key leading role in Planning Commission in its' implementation in the Environment & Forest Sector of the Nation. Dr Panigrahi was also the National Vice-President Indian Society of Remote Sensing (ISRS) & Chairman, Delhi Chapter. He was in the Governing Council Of the Solar Energy Society Of India (SESI). He is a Fellow Members of Institute of Engineer's (India) and Institute of Town Planner's (India). He is a Visiting Professor to teach Business Strategy, Business Sustainability, Technology & Innovation Management at Department Of Management Studies (DMS), IIT Delhi & Other Leading Public Management Schools (IIMs) of India; such as IIM Ahmadabad, IIM Calcutta, Indian Institute Of Foreign Trade (IIFT), IIM Lucknow, Noida Campus and Institute Of Charted Accountants (India) etc, to deliver Guest Lectures time to time.

Dr. Panigrahi is awarded National Science Popularization Award from hon'able Prime Minister of India in 2004-05; for his extraordinary Contribution and Commitment to popularize Science among Common Mass, who is working in the areas of Environment Protection, Energy Conservation, Renewable Energy, Climate Change and Sustainable Development for last more than 33 years.

United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) recognized Dr Panigrahi; on 5th June 2007, on the Occasion of World Environment Day, 2007 for his valuable contributions and Leadership in Catalyzing Environment Actions and again recognised once more, on 5th June, 2009, for his Outstanding Contributions to Billion Tree Campaign. He also achieved Eminent Engineer Award from Institute Of Engineers (India) in Engineer's Day in 15th September, 2016, apart from Eminent Personality in Public Policy Award in 2017 and so on. In addition, he is also a Winner Of Inter-College Vice Chancellor Cup Debate Competition twice, a Literary Champion, a silent Poet, who writes his poetry mainly on Nature and Human Sufferings, is also published by the prestigious national Sahitya Akademy (under Ministry Of Culture, Government Of India) Journal, Indian Literature and has been awarded by BBC World Service, London for his English Poetry.

Dr Panigrahi comes from a humble Spiritual family Background, Where his Father Late Sarata Chandra Panigrahi was a great Philanthropist, with rich in-depth Knowledge Of Vedas, Vedanta and Upanishads, Who was basically from Indian Army, Military Engineering Services (MES) and Mother was from a Rich Art & Cultural Family base. His Father was a Gandhian Socialist, who in the later part of his life got engaged in historic Land Reform Movement Of Odisha, Being inspired by Shri Vinoba Bhabe Ji's National "Bhudan Jagya" Movement, Where he was alone instrumental to distribute Jagir Land to approximate 1.9 to 2 Lakhs landless Harijans and Adivashis of Backward Gadjat Districts of Western Odisha. He built and restored many Premier Educational Institutions at Balangir, Such as Bidya Bhusan Sanskrit College, Aayurved College, Women's College, Science Block Of Rajendra College, Town Girl's High School, Town High School etc. He has restored historic 200 years Old Koshal Kala Mandal, a Premier Cultural Institution of the Western Odisha and Formerly Patna State, fighting a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) at Odisha High Court, with his personal expenses for more than 14 years to make it free from Land Mafias. He was President Of the first Environment Movement Of Odisha - "Gandhamardan Bachao"; where a Most Precious Forest and Natural Resources Could be Conserved for Ever, from Indiscriminate Mining and Ecosystem Exploitation. Now Dr Panigrahi, who is greatly inspired and proud to inheritate the wisdom from his beloved father, manages the responsibility of a Public Trust "Sanatan Mandir"; restored and built by his father, at his hometown Balangir, as the Managing Trustee Of "Sanatan Mandir Trust Board"; in addition to "Sarata Chandra Panigrahi Foundation", which he founded in the fond memory of his father, to respect and honour of his intense desire of continuing dedicated Public Service, in the interest of the weaker section of people, society and the planet.

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IISD is a leading national not-for-profit, Independent, Public Policy Think Tank and Scientific Research Organization, working for vulnerable communities such as Farmers, Fishermen, rural Artisans and Craftsmen of India at grass root level, round the clock, to ensure social, environmental and economic sustainability, to make Earth a better place to live in, since July 2007.