Environment Support Group (ESG) is an independent not-for-profit non-governmental organisation, founded in 1996 and registered as a Public Charitable Trust in 1998. Its main functions involve research, training, campaign support, and advocacy on a variety of environmental and social justice issues. ESG is amongst the foremost proponents in India for the reform of environmental decision making proc
esses urging that the same be made more participatory and environmentally and socially just. ESG initiated or supported campaigns have been largely successful despite the nature of the issues being highly controversial and politically sensitive with national-level implications. In acknowledgement of its influencing role, ESG's services have been sought by a variety of regional, national and international agencies. The experience of ESG's staff, supporters and advisors ranges from environmental science, policy and law, environmental engineering, biological and ecological sciences, legal activism, urban planning and development, democratisation and decentralisation of processes, community organising, education and training. Environment Support Group is an openly structured organisation that has achieved high levels of participation in its activities from its Full Time Staff, Trustees, Volunteers and Advisory Panel. ESG has worked with a wide range of organisations and coalitions at the local, regional, national and international levels in a variety of collaborations. ESG functions mainly in the following areas:
Research functions include a range of activities from broad-based research initiatives such as monitoring and identifying major policy and investment decisions and their impacts, to conducting specific research into individual projects to understand their socio-economic and environmental impacts. We continuously update such information and feed-forward to a various civil society organisations in order to influence various decision making levels of the Government. Documentation and Publication involves specific focus on issues of law and policy relating to Environment and Conservation. We monitor developments, investments and policies by sourcing of a variety of literature (newspaper and magazines, scientific journals, company profiles, government orders, policy statements, etc.) and make it available to campaigns, training initiatives, media advocacy, lobbying, public interest litigation's (PILs), publications, etc. Legal Support to local communities and campaign networks to access various legally mandated avenues in ensuring social and environmental justice concerns are not compromised in decisions affecting their life and livelihood. When need arises this relationship advances to supporting Public Interest Litigation by enabling the affected communities to represent their cause by litigation documentation and providing public interest lawyering support. ESG has independently initiated or intervened with PILs on certain issues when needed. Training involves development of training modules and conducting of workshops on a range of topics such as environment and social justice issues, legislation and policies, perspectives of development, alternatives, campaign strategies, etc. Campaign activities involve addressing environmental and social justice concerns with local communities, the media, administration, legislature, judiciary, business community and the public.
