THRIVE Project is incredibly grateful to Mr. Irteza Rashid, Dr. Maryam Rustaee, and Dr. Soumyajit Bhar for their inspirational presentations during the August 2025 Thrivability Matters Webinar. This webinar focused on THRIVE Project’s August theme – Life on Earth: Human Impacts. Our presenters captivated us as they shared their extensive knowledge regarding this theme, as they discussed life on earth, from the waterways and skies, to the lands we live on, and explored how we can preserve our natural ecosystems, including the plants, animals, and other creatures that live among them.
Here are the highlights from our webinar!
About the August 2025 Speakers
Irteza Rashid is a research assistant at the THRIVE Project. He conducts research on reducing inequalities, with a focus on gender and climate change-related issues.
Having been a research assistant at eSheBee Enterprises, he has written research and project proposals as part of their organisation, with a notable project focusing on low-cost renewable energy sources for cooking. He has also played a vital role in developing research designs for projects and managed ongoing research projects within the organisation.
He has also written communication strategy documents and logical frameworks for projects, emphasising strategies for climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Dr. Maryam Rustaee holds a PhD in Agricultural Development and has extensive experience in environmental research, focusing on sustainability, climate change, and rural development.
Her work spans roles as a researcher, consultant, and educator, where she has led projects on climate-smart agriculture, low-emission technologies, and sustainable practices.
Her work aims to bridge the gap between research and practical solutions, ensuring that communities are equipped to adapt to and mitigate climate change while improving their resilience and livelihoods.
Dr. Soumyajit Bhar is the Assistant Dean and a founding faculty member at BML Munjal University’s School of Liberal Studies, based in India.
With over 15 years of experience in environmental issues, he holds a Ph.D. in Sustainability Studies from the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment.
His research focuses on the socio-psychological factors of conspicuous consumption in India and its environmental impacts, integrating Environmental Studies and Psychology in teaching.
Summary of the August 2025 Webinar
As an organisation, THRIVE Project endeavours to guide humanity towards a more thrivable future. We had the privilege of hosting these speakers as guest presenters for our webinar.
Irteza Rashid –
“Thrivability Matters: Life on Earth: Human Impacts”
In a compelling presentation, Irteza Rashid introduced the theme and how human impacts affect the Earth, including biodiversity losses, overuse of natural resources, and the social and other issues which stem from these.
To this end, he provided an overview of these issues, and some steps that can be taken to resolve them now and into the future, including what individuals can do to reduce their impacts in their own lives.
Dr Maryam Rustaee –
“Elephant Extinction: Life on Earth: Human Impacts”
The second speaker, Dr. Maryam Rustaee discussed the plight of elephants, key creatures in many ecosystems including grassands, deserts, highlands, and swamps.
Specifically, she explored threats to their continued surival, including disease, drought, and the threat of poaching, among others, and outlines methods of ensuring their preservation.
Dr Soumyajit Bhar –
“Sustainable Consumption in the Global South: Developmental Aspirations and Collective Action”
Following our first two compelling speakers, Dr. Soumyajit Bhar described the socio-psychological underpinnings of developmental aspirations in the Global South, and their implications for sustainable consumption, highlighting how consumption patterns can cause impacts to ecosystems and the world.
The presentation demonstrated how aspirational consumer cultures can worsen structural inequalities and environmental harms, showing how a just transition towards a thrivable future must acknowledge, rather than bypass, the aspirations that shape how individuals imagine a better life.
Moving Forward from August 2025
The August 2025 Thrivability Matters Webinar showcased insights from Irteza Rashid, Dr. Maryam Rustaee, and Dr. Soumyajit Bhar. If you missed the live event or the Q&A session, you can view the recordings on our YouTube channel.
If you’re interested in joining us after the August 2025 Thrivability Matters Webinar, there are plenty of ways to get involved. You can follow us on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. Additionally, you could subscribe to our YouTube, listen to our podcasts, join our workshops, sign up for our newsletter, stay up to date with our articles, attend our free webinars, or even join us as a volunteer to make an even greater impact on the world.
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