Research in Environmental Economics @ MSE

Since inception, MSE has specialized in Environmental Economics. In addition to the academic research, the MSE has been conducting policy oriented research works with support from several Ministries of State and Central Governments.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, MSE executed The World Bank Aided: Environmental Management Capacity Building Technical Assistance Project implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). Following the successful completion of this project, the MoEF&CC has designated MSE as a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Environmental Economics under its CoE Scheme in 2002. The Centre’s activities have been supported by the Ministry over three successive five-year plan periods during 2002 to 2017. Over these years the Centre has provided policy inputs to the Ministry on a range of issues, carried out projects, and contributed to the capacity building activities for the practitioners as well as academicians in the field of environmental economics. Over these years, the Centre received funding support from the Ministry in project mode. MSE contributed towards designing of fiscal instruments for environmental management in India and in particular was instrumental in designing the coal-cess introduced by Government of India in 2010-11. MSE has also contributed extensively to research and policy on issues related to climate change and biodiversity. A brief summary of the Centre’s activities over the past few years is provided here.

MSE faculty has also been actively involved in the research and outreach activities related to ecosystem services, water management, global climate change etc. In particular, MSE has so far successfully completed academic projects funded by organizations such as British High Commission, the World Bank, UNDP, World Resources Institute, Global Development Network, GIZ, South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics, Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research, International Science Council of Asia and the Pacific Region, Department of Science and Technology, etc. MSE Faculty have served (and currently serving) as members of important committees at both Central and State governments, viz., Technical Advisory Committee for India’s 3rd National Communiction and Biennial Update Reports to the UNFCCC; Expert Committee on Climate Change, MoEF&CC; State Environmental Appraizal Committee, GoTN; Scientific and Technical Advisory Group for the Compilation of Environmental Accounts for India, MoSPI; Committee on National Coastal Marine Spatial Planning Framework, MoEF&CC; Expert Committee on Access and Benefit Sharing, Biodiversity Authority of India, MoEF&CC.