CM explores collaboration with Swedish institute for sustainable development

The high-level delegation of the Jharkhand govt, under chief minister Hemant Soren, visited the head office of IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute (IVL) in Stockholm on the last day of its nine-day European tour. They held discussions for mutual cooperation in the fields of water and waste management, environmental technologies, e-mobility, and waste-to-energy initiatives, among others.

Apart from the CM, the Indian delegation included his wife and Gandey MLA Kalpana Soren, Jharkhand chief secretary Alka Tiwary, additional chief secretary to the CM, Avinash Kumar, secretary Industries Arava Rajkamal, and director industries Sushant Gaurav. They met the top brass of IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, including CEO John Rune Nielsen, chief financial officer Thomas Nilsson, and head of International Projects and CEO of IVL's India R&D Unit.

IVL is a research organisation dedicated to promoting sustainable development across ecological, economic, and social dimensions. The institute combines research activities with commissioned work, each representing approximately half of its operations. The organisation employs a diverse team of professionals, including engineers, environmental scientists, behavioural scientists, economists, and social scientists, enabling it to address sustainability challenges from multiple perspectives. Their work spans traditional environmental science to economics and social sciences.

A unique aspect of IVL's operation is its co-financed research model, where projects are funded jointly by state funds (through agencies like Formas and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency) and private businesses or industry organisations. This arrangement ensures practical relevance while maintaining scientific rigour. Key criteria for research projects include relevance to industry or society at large, focus on environmental problems or development potential, equal funding from state and business partners, and public availability of results through IVL's report series or other open channels. The institute maintains transparency through annual reporting to its board and govt agencies, ensuring accountability in both research outcomes and financial management.

The delegation also met the Indian diaspora at a dinner hosted by the Indian Embassy in Sweden. Soren urged the Indian business representatives to act as ambassadors for India in the Nordics and invited them to explore investment opportunities in Jharkhand.