The partnership was announced here on Wednesday by CSE Director-General Sunita Narain and Country Head, HSBC, India and Director HSBC Asia-Pacific, Naina Lal Kidwai.

The institute will offer short and long-term courses on environmental governance for regulators and decision-makers, a CSE release said.

These will cover multiple research disciplines such as air pollution, water and waste-water management, climate change, sustainable industrialisation and urbanisation, renewable energy, public transport and mobility and environment impact assessment. The institute will also be developed as an incubation, development and demonstration centre for green technologies.

At a panel discussion on ‘Strengthening environmental governance for sustainable development in India’, Narain said, ‘the institution that we are visualising will fulfil a much needed requirement for a centre of learning that will bring the best in environmental education and training under one roof and help drive change.”

Kidwai said, "The institute will play the critical role of imparting holistic knowledge and skill sets to managers and public administrators to help address the emerging environment and development challenges."

Stuart P. Milne, CEO India HSBC, said, "The setting up of the institute couldn't have been more timely given that the Government and industry are gearing up to face one of the critical challenges of this century — climate change. There is also increased realisation of the need for public-private partnerships."