Charith Konda represented Climate Policy Initiative’s India team at the 13th UIC (International Union of Railways) conference on Sustainability in October 2016 in Vienna, Austria. The conference was jointly organized by the UIC and Austrian Federal Railways (OBB). The audience included officials from Railway companies worldwide, United Nations, the World Bank, EU transport institutions, Austrian Government, and various railway supplier companies. The overall theme of the conference was focused on examining the contribution of rail networks globally toward achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Charith participated in a panel discussion on the Strategy day and presented the perspectives from India on sustainable rail transport. Drawing from the findings of the recent CPI India study – Decarbonization of Indian Railways – Charith spoke on issues surrounding the following:
- Policy interventions required for improving the environmental sustainability of Indian Railways;
- The economic case for electrification; and
- Financing low-carbon initiatives of Indian Railways.
