Shape of India’s Climate Agenda

• Context (TH): In the next five years, GoI must accelerate and show the world that economic development can be sustainable. India should follow the mantra of ‘go higher, go wider, go deeper’ to align its climate leadership with economic prowess.

The Plan Sheet for India

Go Higher

• ‘Go higher’ relates to India’s global leadership.
• India could, sooner or later, host important international climate summits. So, India must stitch alliances and allay concerns from now on only to achieve a consensus on contentious issues.
• India should emphasise equity in international forums and secure leadership roles in global institutions that deliver climate finance.

Go Wider

• ‘Go wider’ means India must adopt and communicate emission reduction targets beyond the power sector. India has made significant progress in the power sector and will continue to meet international non-fossil share and domestic renewable energy targets.
• The next step is to target other sectors, such as setting clear targets for zero-carbon two- and four-wheelers in private mobility.
• This initiative will also benefit rural India by enhancing mobility, creating jobs in clean energy, and promoting economic growth.

Going Deeper

• ‘Go deeper’ means prioritising sub-national climate action and resilience.
• The government should establish a Centre-State coordination group, incentivise State-level climate actions, integrate scientific modelling into policymaking, and facilitate a unified data measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) architecture at the State level.

India’s Transformation

• In the last decade, India has progressed from a hesitant participant to a bold leader in global climate discourse, shaping narratives and institutions.
• First, India has established global institutions like the International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, and Global Biofuels Alliance and shaped the Green Development Pact under its G-20 presidency.
• Second, India has set bolder emission targets, including a 2070 net-zero goal and ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). This shift emphasises absolute emission reductions over relative targets
• Third, sustainability-linked economic policies are now central, exemplified by creating a long-term Indian emissions carbon trading scheme.