Local Education Programmes and Campaigns on Climate Change at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (2024)
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham has established a comprehensive framework for climate change education, spanning climate risk awareness, mitigation strategies, adaptation mechanisms, impact reduction initiatives, and advanced early warning systems. The university’s programmes reach over 9,500 participants across diverse communities, with particular emphasis on building resilience among vulnerable populations.
Climate Change Education and Awareness Programmes
4-Day Certificate Course on Building Disaster Resilience and Social Responsibility
Launched in 2025 (with 2024 groundwork), this programme represents Amrita’s flagship climate education initiative. The Train-the-Trainer model equips 27 participants—including school teachers, college students, and research scholars—with practical knowledge to become climate action champions in their communities.
Curriculum Coverage:
Introduction to climate change, disasters, and their societal impacts
Key terminologies: Hazard, Vulnerability, Risk, and Capacity (HRVC)
Analysis of India’s hazard and vulnerability profiles
Disaster types prevalent in India and regional climate impacts
First aid techniques and real-time monitoring systems
National and state disaster management policies and climate action plans
Participants & Reach: 27 participants from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka in the first batch
Multi-Level Training Sessions on Sustainable Development and Climate Resilience
The Civil 20 India Working Group, in collaboration with Amrita’s UNESCO Chair on Experiential Learning, organized parallel training sessions addressing three pillars:
Topics: Sustainable Development, Disaster Resilience, and Energy Literacy Reach: Over 200 participants, ranging from school students to university faculty Outcome: All participants received certificates and recognition
Disaster Resilience Training in Sikkim (2024)
A two-day certificate workshop was conducted in Gangtok, Sikkim, in partnership with state and international disaster management agencies:
Partners: Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA), International Consortium on Landslides (ICL), and International Program on Landslides (IPL) Participants: 85 participants from educational institutions
Nar Bahadur Bhandari Government College (55 participants)
Deorali Government Girls’ Senior Secondary School (15 participants)
Tadong Senior Secondary School (15 participants)
Focus: Building civilian and community resilience against landslides and other disasters
Sustainable Development Workshop—Sikkim (2024)
A complementary two-day workshop on “Sustainable Development: Concepts, Frameworks, and Tools” was conducted at Janata Bhavan Hall in Gangtok:
Curriculum:
Evolution of sustainable development concepts
Understanding ecology and ecosystems
SDG formulation and alignment
Community sustainability and resilience assessments using Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA)
Demonstration of the SREE platform for real-time sustainability and resilience monitoring
Participants: 34 teachers from prominent schools including Modern Senior Secondary School, West Point Senior Secondary School, and Sir Tashi Namgyal Senior Secondary School, representing disciplines including Science, Mathematics, Environmental Studies, and Social Studies
Key Outcome: One participant, Mrs. Ranjana Lama (TGT, Arts) from Modern Senior Secondary School, subsequently conducted awareness sessions on Sustainable Development for her own school, emphasizing lifestyle changes for sustainability
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s Local Education Programmes on Climate Change (2024)
Climate Adaptation and Community Empowerment Initiatives
Wave of Change: Water for a Sustainable Future (March-April 2024)
Launched on World Water Day 2024 (March 22 – April 21), this month-long initiative combined climate adaptation with water security:
Locations: Kallikkadu, Alapuzha, Kerala (launched at Ward 14 in Kallikkadu on March 22, 2024) Participants: 150 women residents actively engaged in water conservation training
Programme Components:
Awareness Sessions: Topics covered rainwater harvesting, water reuse, waterway conservation, and daily household water usage monitoring
Water Champions Identification: Community members identified and trained as “water champions” to lead local water sustainability efforts
Expert Lectures: Distinguished lecture series featuring global experts like Dr. Prof. Miroslav Cernik, Director of CXI, Technical University of Liberec, Czech Republic
Planned Expansion: Similar awareness sessions and certification programmes planned for 108 communities across India
Focus Areas: Climate adaptation to water scarcity, impact reduction through conservation, and community empowerment
Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy Awareness Campaigns
Amrita’s students conduct extensive community outreach programmes in villages to promote energy efficiency and clean energy adoption:
Community Awareness Workshops: Interactive sessions on energy efficiency benefits and renewable energy adoption
Practical Demonstrations: Solar-powered streetlights, energy-efficient appliances, and biogas plants for cooking and waste management
School Campaigns: Awareness drives in nearby schools educating younger generations about energy sustainability
Energy Conservation Week (November 2023): Drawing competitions for students aged 5-17 years, flashmobs promoting energy awareness, and community engagement
Partnerships: Collaborations with local government, NGOs, and industry partners for scalable impact
Focus: Climate mitigation through energy transition and impact reduction via efficiency
Amala Bharatam Environmental Cleanup Campaign
The university’s long-standing environmental initiative has expanded significantly:
Coverage: 30+ square kilometers across India Methodology: 18 major cleanup drives with systematic waste segregation and disposal Annual Participation: Average 2,000 volunteers per drive collecting approximately 400 truckloads of waste Notable Achievements:
Sasthamkotta Lake Restoration: Cleaned 4 sq km around the lake, recovering 20 years of accumulated waste
Sabarimala-Pampa Pilgrimage Sites: Cleared thousands of bags of waste over three-day intensive operations
Regular Collection System: Bins placed every 2 km with twice-weekly collection to prevent waste accumulation
Climate Impact: Waste reduction as impact mitigation and community engagement on plastic pollution[8]
Early Warning and Disaster Risk Reduction Systems
Landslide Early Warning System Implementation
Amrita’s pioneering AI-integrated IoT system for landslide detection represents a critical early warning mechanism:
Deployment Locations:
Munnar, Kerala: World’s first wireless sensor network system (2009), later upgraded to AI-IoT integration
Sikkim, Northeast Himalayas: Deployed at government request (2015), co-funded by India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences, in partnership with Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority
Odisha: Strategic implementation underway with state government collaboration (2024)
System Capabilities:
Real-time monitoring of slope stability and rainfall patterns
Advanced warning 24 hours before events (can reduce damage by 30%)
Low-cost technology adaptable to all landslide-prone regions
Community Training: Emphasis on participatory emergency preparedness and evacuation measures in target communities
International Conference on Tsunami Risk Reduction and Resilience (December 13-15, 2024)
Organized to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami:
Partners: UNESCO Chair on Experiential Learning, Amrita School for Sustainable Futures, Centre for Wireless Networks and Applications Objectives: Advance disaster preparedness, risk management, and community resilience Focus Areas: Coastal disaster early warning and adaptation strategies
Tsunami Ready Programme
Launched in collaboration with INCOIS in June 2022, this initiative enhances coastal community preparedness:
Scope: Public engagement, community leadership training, and coordination with emergency management agencies Focus: Tsunami preparedness and community-led resilience building
Research-Integrated Educational Programmes
SREE Platform for Sustainability Assessment
The SREE (Sustainability and Resilience Monitoring Platform) integrates real-time data with educational components:
Applications:
Community-scale sustainability assessments
Real-time monitoring and risk analysis using geo-enabled software
Bottom-up decision-making for climate resilience
Implementation across multiple countries for localized action
Sustainable Ecosystem and Environmental Resilience (SEER) Lab
Launched in November 2024 at Amritapuri, this Kerala’s first integrated multi-lab system includes five specialized facilities:
Labs:
Water Sustainability Lab
Soil Ecosystem Lab
Microbiology Lab
Climate Change & Water Resilience Lab
Marine Ecosystem Lab
Educational Function: Provides research-backed training and analytical services, fostering environmental stewardship among students and community members
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham students participate in a community cleanup drive, promoting environmental awareness and climate change impact reduction.
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s community campaign ‘Water for a Sustainable Future’ promotes water sustainability and climate awareness in 2024.
The “Wave of Change” banner image (from World Water Day 2024) exemplifies Amrita’s community-centered climate adaptation campaigns, featuring the university’s UNESCO partnerships and commitment to water sustainability. Student-led cleanup initiatives showcase hands-on environmental education and impact reduction practices.
Programme Reach and Impact Summary
Overall Statistics (2024):
Total Participants Trained: 9,500+
Major Programmes: 10 initiatives
Geographic Coverage: Multi-campus, state-level (Sikkim, Kerala, Odisha), and pan-India reach
Planned Expansion: 108+ communities across India targeted for water sustainability training
Partnership Models: UNESCO, government disaster management agencies, NGOs, and international organizations
Audience Breakdown:
Students and faculty: 5 programmes
Educators and school teachers: 2 programmes
Local and rural communities: 4 programmes
Government and disaster management agencies: 2 programmes
Focus Distribution:
Climate change risks and impacts awareness: 3 programmes
Climate mitigation strategies: 3 programmes
Climate adaptation and impact reduction: 3 programmes
Early warning systems and disaster preparedness: 1 programme
Scaling and Future Initiatives
Amrita’s climate education programmes operate on a Train-the-Trainer model, enabling exponential scaling of impact. By equipping educators, community leaders, and youth with comprehensive climate science knowledge, first aid skills, and disaster preparedness tools, the university creates multiplier effects throughout communities. The planned expansion to 108 communities, coupled with ongoing deployment of early warning systems in multiple states, positions Amrita as a national leader in climate change education for resilience and adaptation.
