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The hidden cost of a plastic planet

Jeswin Varughese

Plastic pollution is one of the significant contributors of air pollution. This is mainly due to the extraction of raw materials, its burning, and inadequate waste disposal. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, burning plastics is the worst possible end-of-life management approach for plastics from a climate perspective. Nowadays, Particulate Matter (PM) is the most common and prominent air pollutant. It is found that air pollution from PM takes 2.2 years off the global average life expectancy. Exposure to even low levels of PM has the potential to cause serious harm to humans, the natural and built environment, and is also one of the leading causes of climate change.

In India, more than 63 percent of the population lives in areas with PM concentration that exceeds the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. To deal with this, the Government of India launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019. The programme aims to reduce PM concentration by 20-30 percent by implementing innovative city-level air pollution control strategies. As part of NCAP, IPE Global was appointed by GIZ for developing Viable Technical Solutions for Planning a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) at Lingaraj Temple Area (EkamraKshetra Heritage Zone) in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha.(A Low Emission Zone (LEZ) is a specified area within which certain pollution-causing activities are regulated to improve air quality) The LEZ is seen as a potential solution to reducing air pollution levels within acceptable standards. The proposed measures will help in improving the overall air environment of the EkamraKshetra Heritage Zone. LEZ will also act as a model for similar interventions across the city, laying the groundwork for overall air pollution reduction across Bhubaneswar. The project aims to fast-track India’s net-zero aspirations and would also help achieve SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Image Courtesy – https://www.ecolife.zone/reducing-single-use-plastics/

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Anandroop Bahadur

Group Head – Human Resources

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Human Resource Expertise, HR Strategy, Oragnisational Design, Talent & Leadership Development, Policy Governance

Anandroop Bahadur is a seasoned HR leader and strategic advisor with nearly two decades of experience across the development, consulting, and social impact ecosystem. She brings a strong blend of deep technical HR expertise, organizational design acumen, and a people-centric ethos to her work.

At IPE Global, Anandroop leads the Group Human Resources function across IPE Global and its associated entities, including Triple Line Consulting and IPE Africa. Her focus is on strengthening organizational foundations, enabling leadership effectiveness, and building scalable people systems aligned with the organisation’s global growth ambitions. Her remit spans HR strategy, organizational design, talent and leadership development, compensation and performance frameworks, policy governance, safeguarding, and culture integration across geographies.

Over the course of her career, Anandroop has held senior HR leadership and consulting roles with organisations such as Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Ford Foundation, NASSCOM Foundation, Central Square Foundation, Amity Education Group, and other international institutions. She has advised leadership teams and boards through periods of scale, transition, and transformation, and has led HR operations in high-growth, high-complexity environments.

She holds an Executive Degree in Human Resources from XLRI Jamshedpur and is a SHRM–SCP (Senior Certified Professional), reflecting her grounding in global HR standards and best practices. She has also completed advanced executive and leadership programmes, including training in coaching and organisational transformation, and is an ICF-trained executive coach, currently working towards her ACC credential.

 

Nikos Papachristodoulou

Nikos Papachristodoulou

Director

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Urban, Infrastructure, Disaster and Climate Resilience, Inclusive Growth

Nikos has expertise in urban and regional economic development, infrastructure, disaster and climate resilience, and inclusive growth. He oversees and manages projects for Triple Line’s cities and infrastructure portfolio.

Nikos is an urban specialist, with principal areas of expertise in urban and regional economic development, infrastructure, disaster and climate resilience, and inclusive growth. Over the past 12 years he has worked for a range of clients including the World Bank, FCDO, EU, USAID, Cities Alliance, Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), and local authorities.

Nikos’s work has incorporated the full spectrum of the project cycle, from analytics and programme scoping and design, through implementation, and evaluation and learning.

He has a high level of familiarity with HMG business cases and ODA eligibility criteria having led and supported the development of FCDO’s urbanisation strategy and options for future investments in Somalia’s cities, Prosperity Fund Global Future Cities Programme (GFCP) scoping in Nigeria, and the development of the business case for an urban resilience programme in Tanzania.

Nikos also brings excellent understanding of World Bank latest trends and procedures as a result of his involvement in a number of analytics and technical assistance projects, including on informal settlements upgrading in Mogadishu, climate change adaptation planning in Latin American and Caribbean cities, assessment of the climate resilience of Dar es Salaam’s transport infrastructure, spatial development in Nigeria, and preparation of a handbook on integrated urban flood risk management.

Nikos holds a BSc in Economics from the University of Piraeus and an MSc in Social Development Practice from the Development Planning Unit at University College London (UCL).

 

Ricardo Pinto

Ricardo Pinto

Associate Director

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Private Sector Development, Regulatory Reform, Regional and Local Economy

Ricardo has 35 years´ experience in private sector development, regulatory reform, regional and local economic development in the European Union, Western Balkans, Easter Partnership Countries, Middle East, Africa, etc. He is tasked with developing our strategic operations in continental Europe and Ukraine.

Ricardo is a seasoned international development professional with over 30 years of experience designing and delivering Private Sector Development and economic growth initiatives across more than 50 countries spanning Central, Eastern and Southeast Europe, the CIS, Africa, MEDA, and Asia. He holds both a bachelor’s degree and PhD from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC).

Ricardo brings a unique combination of strategic insight and practical implementation expertise. He has led high-impact assignments for key development institutions, including the European Commission, OECD, GIZ, FCDO/DFID, UNDP, UNCTAD, EBRD, ILO, ADB, World Bank, USAID, and Danida.

With a deep and practical understanding of institutional architecture, policy environment, and post-conflict recovery dynamics, and a career spanning over 30 years across transition economies, Ricardo brings not only technical depth but also a trusted reputation among donors, policymakers and peers.He is leading Triple Line’s strategic expansion into continental Europe, including Ukraine, while strengthening our credibility across the broader region and beyond. Proven Expertise Across Our Core Pillars. Ricardo’s work focuses on the areas central to Triple Line’s evolving service offering: Governance & Institutional Reform: advising public institutions on regulatory impact, policy reform, and donor coordination, Private Sector Development: strategy development for SME ecosystems, innovation, and competitiveness, Infrastructure Enabling Conditions: support for investment climate improvement and regional/local economic development and Cross-cutting themes, including green transition, women’s economic empowerment, and inclusive growth

 
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