India, UK launch clean air initiative in Bengaluru

The Innovating for Clean Air (IfCA), a two-year UK-India joint initiative providing Indian and UK stakeholders opportunities to test interventions related to air quality and EV integration, was launched in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Speaking at the IfCA launch, British Deputy High Commissioner Dominic McAllister said such collaborative initiatives are an example of how the UK and India can work as a joint force for good on innovative solutions, and can bring the best of our research communities, academia and businesses together to address shared challenges, such as clean air.

"The initiative provides a unique measurement system for air quality by integrating satellite and sensor data, and helping to support Indias transition to electric vehicles", an official statement said. The programme is led by Innovate UK -- part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) -- and is funded by the Newton Fund with matched resources from various partners in Karnataka and India.

The key partners for the programme are the Indian Institute of Science, Enzen, Project Lithium, Confederation of Indian Industry, C40 Cities and Clean Air Platform, the statement said. Other partners include Citizens for Sustainability, World Resources Institute, International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore, Shakti Foundation, Shell Technology Centre, Global Business Inroads and India Smart Grid Forum, it was stated..