Aleena Thomas

Vasudha Foundation is an independent, not-for-profit policy research institution working in the areas of climate change and access to clean energy. Founded in 2010, the organization engages in policy research and policy advocacy by engaging with rural communities, central government, state governments, and several public and private institutions. The organization is also actively involved and engaged in the climate negotiations that take place under the aegis of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), The organization is accredited as an Observer organization to both the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change as well as the Green Climate Fund as a Civil Society Observer. The organization has undertaken wide range of projects and programs in the field of energy and climate change. Some of the important assignments undertaken so far include, facilitating the preparation of State Climate Action Plans of a few key states in India, preparation of District Energy Plans for a couple of important and diverse districts, analysis of policies of 29 states of India, from a climate lens, campaign aimed at empowering rural communities to approach the state electricity regulatory authority to seek “Universal Service Obligation” for energy services, amongst others. Recently, the organization has also embarked on a ambitious project aimed at creating a methodology to determine “Decent Standard of Living” for all Indians and arrive at a basket of possible solutions to achieve this, while following a low energy intensive pathway.