We are pleased to invite you to an engaging seminar on “Quantifying Wellbeing in Sustainability Research”, to be delivered by Dr. Narasimha D. Rao, Professor of Energy Systems, Yale University.Seminar

Details:
Date: 26th November 2025
Time: 15:00 – 16:30 pm
Venue: LH 318, Lecture hall complex, IIT Delhi

Abstract:
Several frameworks have been proposed to represent the environmental limits of human activity—such as _planetary boundaries_, _safe operating space_, _sufficiency_, and _consumption corridors_—all aimed at safeguarding the wellbeing of current and future generations.
However, these frameworks often lack the theoretical and analytical foundations necessary to effectively inform policy. Despite its well-known limitations, income continues to serve as the dominant metric of human progress.
In this talk, the speaker will outline emerging analytical approaches to quantifying human wellbeing. He will discuss the concept of _decent living standards_ and its application within the climate research community to establish a minimum threshold for resource use and greenhouse gas emissions pathways. The talk will also highlight new research on self-assessed wellbeing and its relationship with consumption, offering insights into how these perspectives can help operationalize the notion of sufficiency. Finally, the speaker will share thoughts on future research directions that link wellbeing frameworks to feedbacks between environmental impacts and human wellbeing.

About the Speaker:
Narasimha D. Rao is a Professor of Energy Systems at the Yale School of the Environment. His research examines the relationship between energy systems, human wellbeing and climate change. His project Decent Living Energy quantifies the energy needs and climate impacts of eradicating poverty around the world by blending economics and engineering with ethical analysis. His current focus is on investigating the barriers to household electrification and clean technology adoption in energy transitions. He is a lead author on the IPCC’s Seventh Assessment Report and on the UN Emissions Gap Report 2023. He has testified at a US Congressional House Sub-Committee hearing and served on multi-stakeholder panels at the UN Social and Economic Council. His work has been supported by the European Research Council, National Science Foundation, Environmental Protection Agency and other organizations.
He is also a Senior Research Scholar at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). He received his PhD from Stanford University E-IPER program in Environment and Resources, and Masters in Technology Policy and Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
We warmly encourage all students and faculty members to attend and participate in the discussion.For any queries, please contact: Ashwini Mudgal 9289532680 or Ekta Baranwal 9236022138Warm regards, Prof. Kaveri Iychettira and Prof. Ambuj Sagar School of Public Policy IIT Delhi