What Centre for Science and Environment does

Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) is a non-profit public interest research and advocacy organization founded in 1981 in New Delhi, India. CSE conducts environmental research across air pollution, climate change, water and wastewater management, solid and hazardous waste, food safety and toxins, antimicrobial resistance, and biodiversity. Its core assets include an ISO 9001:2008 accredited Pollution Monitoring Laboratory, the Down To Earth fortnightly magazine (English and Hindi), the annual State of India's Environment report, and the Anil Agarwal Environment Training Institute (AAETI) at Nimli, Rajasthan offering residential and online courses.

The organization serves multiple customer segments: government agencies (pollution control boards, urban local bodies), educational institutions (7,407 schools in the Green Schools Programme), sanitation practitioners, researchers, and international partners across 15+ African countries (Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, Eswatini) and global bodies like WHO. CSE generates revenue through training programme fees (Rs 4,000–26,000 per participant), Down To Earth magazine subscriptions and publication sales, and donations/grants. Its operating geography spans India nationally with growing international presence through circular economy and water-wastewater capacity-building programmes.

CSE's go-to-market combines event-driven engagement (annual Anil Agarwal Dialogue, training programmes, webinars), content marketing through Down To Earth and the India Environment Portal, media briefings and fellowships, and direct engagement with government and institutional clients. The organization maintains active social media presence and partners with technology providers (Horiba for source apportionment instrumentation), government bodies (DPCC, IMD, DMRC), and civil society networks in Africa.

Name

Centre for Science and Environment

Legal name

Centre for Science and Environment

Website

https://cseindia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) is a non-profit research and advocacy organization conducting environmental research, pollution monitoring, policy advocacy, and capacity-building training for governments, schools, and civil society across India and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Training Programme Fees: CSE runs a structured training institute (AAETI) offering residential and online courses on environmental topics. Course fees range from Rs 4,000 for Indian participants in online environmental law courses to Rs 26,000 per participant for C&D waste management training, and Rs 5,000 for Indian participants in CBG courses (US $100 for international participants).
2. Publications and Magazine Subscriptions: CSE publishes the Down To Earth magazine (available in English and Hindi), books, and reports. Revenue generated through subscriptions and product sales.
3. Donations and Memberships: CSE accepts donations and maintains a volunteer programme with stipend payments (Rs 500 per working day for volunteers).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) is a public interest research and advocacy organisation that produces evidence-based environmental science, policy advocacy, and capacity-building programmes. Its core offerings include the Down To Earth magazine, the annual State of India's Environment report, residential and online training courses at the Anil Agarwal Environment Training Institute (AAETI), the Green Schools Programme (GSP) audit and awards, and laboratory-based pollution monitoring and research studies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Down To Earth: Flagship environmental magazine and media publication covering climate, environment, and development issues
• Young Environmentalist
• India Environment Portal
• Gobar Times
• Green Schools Programme (GSP)
• Anil Agarwal Environment Training Institute (AAETI)
• Anil Agarwal Dialogues
• Anil Agarwal Media Fellowships

Products and services

• Down To Earth Magazine Fortnightly environmental magazine published in English and Hindi covering climate, environment, pollution, food safety, biodiversity, and development for policymakers, researchers, journalists, and the public.
• Anil Agarwal Environment Training Institute (AAETI) Training Programmes Residential and online training programmes offered at AAETI (Nimli, Rajasthan) and online via Moodle, covering environmental law, C&D waste management, faecal sludge management, compressed biogas, and EIA for government officials, professionals, and civil society.
• Green Schools Programme (GSP) Audit and Awards Annual school environmental audit and award programme that engages schools across India on green campus practices, with state and national awards for greenest institutions.
• State of India's Environment Annual Report Annual flagship publication compiling official government data on climate, extreme weather, forests, biodiversity, water, air pollution, and public health trends across India.
• India Environment Portal Online portal providing access to environmental data, reports, and resources for researchers, policymakers, and civil society.
• CSE Pollution Monitoring Laboratory Services ISO 9001:2008 accredited laboratory conducting environmental testing and research on pollution, food toxins, antibiotics residues, and antimicrobial resistance for research and advocacy outputs.
• Young Environmentalist Programme Youth-focused environmental education programme engaging schools, colleges, and young citizens in environmental awareness and action.
• Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) Support CSE-hosted operations and convening support for the Supreme Court-appointed EPCA, which addresses air pollution and vehicular emissions in the National Capital Region.

Quantifiable outcome

• CSE's State of India's Environment 2026 report found India experienced extreme weather on 99% of days in 2025.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ethiopia's Environmental Protection AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026MoU signed between Ethiopia's Environmental Protection Authority and CSE to strengthen cooperation on circular economy initiatives and sustainable waste management. Ethiopia hosted the 8th International Forum on Cities and Circular Economy bringing together 15 African countries.
• Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2019CSE partnered with DPCC and Horiba, Ltd. for a pilot study on real-time source apportionment of PM2.5 in Delhi-NCR, monitoring 10-12 locations from January to April 2019.
• Down To Earth MagazinecoreOthersCSE publishes Down To Earth, a fortnightly magazine in English and Hindi (plus Gobar Times for children), which serves as its primary public communication platform and environmental journalism outlet.
• Kenya Water and Sanitation Civil Society NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSE and Kenya Water and Sanitation Civil Society Network co-organised a two-day meeting in Nairobi to share experiences on national roadmaps for water-wastewater circularity among Sub-Saharan African countries. Partner countries include Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, and Nigeria.
• World Health Organization (WHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSE collaborates with WHO on Sanitation Safety Planning (SSP) training programmes and antimicrobial resistance surveillance frameworks, including workshops in India and Africa.
• Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSE works with DMRC on construction dust control practices and sustainable urban mobility initiatives.
• TanzaniaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSE's Global Programme includes Tanzania partnerships for solid waste management and circular economy capacity building.
• EswatiniminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSE's Global Programme includes Eswatini for sustainable development and waste management cooperation.
• International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICAT conducted on-road emission testing of diesel and petrol vehicles in Delhi-NCR with CSE drawing attention to the findings on diesel SUV emissions.
• International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS-based ICCT partnered with ICAT on the joint study exposing real-world diesel emissions; CSE highlighted findings comparable to the Volkswagen scandal.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Earthjustice: Public-interest environmental law organisation using litigation and advocacy. Comparable to CSE's involvement in Supreme Court interventions via EPCA and BS-VI, sharing a science-and-law advocacy model with similar operating scale.
• The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI): India's largest environmental research and policy think tank, with comparable activities in sustainability research, training, policy advisory, and publishing. Direct peer given shared Indian environmental advocacy mandate, similar non-profit structure, and overlapping work in air quality, climate, and energy.
• Environmental Defense Fund (EDF): Environmental advocacy NGO that converts scientific research into market-based and policy solutions across climate, air, water, and health. Directly comparable to CSE in its science-plus-advocacy model and focus on translating evidence into regulatory change.
• The Nature Conservancy: Global environmental NGO combining science, field programmes, and policy advocacy across land, water, and climate. Directly comparable in mission and non-profit advocacy structure, though with stronger field-conservation orientation than CSE's urban-pollution focus.
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): US-based environmental advocacy organisation combining scientific research, policy advocacy, and litigation. Direct peer given its analogous research-to-advocacy model, lab-based science programme, and global influence on environmental regulation.
• International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD): Policy research organisation focused on sustainable development, with comparable activities in policy analysis, training, and publications. Direct peer because of similar non-profit structure, applied research output, and policy advisory model targeting developing-country governments.
• Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI): Independent research organisation working on environment and development with a similar policy-and-science model. Direct peer due to comparable size, focus on air, water, and climate policy, and reliance on grant-funded applied research.

Regional players

• Centre for Policy Research (CPR): Indian policy think tank conducting research across governance, economy, and environment. Regional peer with comparable Indian think-tank positioning, but broader policy remit versus CSE's environmental specialisation.

Emerging players

• Climate Action Tracker (CAT): Independent scientific consortium tracking government climate pledges and emissions. Emerging peer with overlapping climate-policy research output, narrower in scope but with similar global thought-leadership ambitions in climate advocacy.

Broad incumbents

• World Resources Institute (WRI): Global environmental research organisation operating across climate, energy, food, water, and cities with significantly larger budget and staff. Broad incumbent because it overlaps with CSE's air quality, climate, and sustainable cities programmes but at a much larger scale and geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cseindia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCIB_MLJZL0T_s5OUuqhmbVA
• Facebookfacebook.com/cseindia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1310961
• Instagraminstagram.com/cseindia/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Centre for Science and Environment