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India responded to the climate change policy by first formulating a National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) in July 2008 and becoming one of the top ten countries to have a national action plan. This is also a response to India's fragility in the Global Climate Risk Index 2021, ranked as the seventh most climate-affected country.
Illustration by The Geostrata
Despite the initial implementation challenges and time taken for full ministerial approval, a distinct pluralistic approach across several sectors was set, where a diversified mechanism of climate action could formally kick-start. Realizing the prospects of India's climate policies and development process also requires recognition that numerous difficulties still exist.
This article will explore three key areas of India's climate action plans: the solar energy transition, sustainable agriculture, and water management. By analyzing the shortcomings and areas of improvement in these sectors, the article aims to contribute to the evolution of India’s climate policies.
REVITALISING INDIA'S SOLAR ENERGY PROSPECTS
As a part of the strategy to achieve sustainable development and energy security, one of the critical avenues was the National Solar Mission. The mission aims to make India a world leader in solar energy policy and has set the ambitious target of 20,000 MW of power from solar by 2022. Yet, progress in the Rooftop Solar (RTS) program has been way below expectations.
The scheme, which was originally intended to result in 40 GW of rooftop solar capacity by December 2022, showed lacklustre participation (7.9 MW installed as of June) and had been extended until March 2026. This lack could be pegged to compliance problems, financial limitations, and waning confidence from the public. While RTS offers many benefits its adoption is slow which reveals the need for a strategy that can address all of these obstacles and put rooftop solar in India on a fast growth path.
Providing a common policy framework across states that involves structured laws and regulation to phase down trade barriers is essential in overcoming these challenges and supporting India's solar ambitions.
It is also critical to reconfigure economic incentives in helping avoid contrasting policies of provision of subsidies countered by increased GST on solar system equipment and parts. In order to better support the integration of solar, it is critical that we strengthen the finances of distribution companies.
This is supplemented by education campaigns to increase customer awareness, but most importantly, the long-term economic benefits that solar energy provides. This has to work parallel to the promotion of solar equipment manufacturers along with putting emphasis on technical challenges like grid integration and energy storage.
National-level implementation could take away some learning from successful state-level initiatives, as in the case of Gujarat's SURYA. Addressing these areas in a comprehensive manner can help India realign its solar program and work towards energy targets.
TRANSFORMING INDIAN AGRICULTURE TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY
The National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) began during 2014–15 in India, aiming to reorient national agriculture into an integrated, sustainable, and climate-ready system. The mission desired to achieve area-specific integrated farming systems, soil and moisture conservation, integrated nutrient recycling, and management for improving soil health and better water resource use.
However, the acclaimed objectives are still far away from being achieved, and India continues to face significant challenges that are partially rooted in the boom in agricultural activity following the Green Revolution.
Since then, the paradigm shift in agricultural practices, which is still embedded deeply into India's current agricultural practices, has resulted in the excessive application of chemicals leading to environmental pollution and prevailing poor water resource management, which is completely incidental to the objectives laid out under NMSA.
To address these, a number of policy changes could be made to recalibrate the vision for sustainable agriculture in India. These include plans for subsidies relating to organic farming and sustainability, improving the current state of soil health management into further holistic indicators, and strengthening support policies for multiple crop farming.
The focus should concurrently be on urgently addressing the depleting groundwater resources through technological integration into agriculture with policies supporting drip irrigation technology installations. Furthermore, enhancing the uptake and planting of crops like millet, which have low water intensity and higher nutrient levels, by including such provisions under sustainable agriculture schemes will not only enhance food security and optimal resource use but will simultaneously work towards achieving other intersection missions like optimal water management.
Research & development and other extension services on climate-responsive farming technologies, broad-based cost-effective coverage of economic insurance for the farmers, as well as massive awareness creation and social facilitation.
If these commitments are supported through a collaboration of the diverse stakeholders and are integrated into overarching agricultural policies at home, India can create one of the most sustainable agricultural practices with its ability to deliver food security as well as address the climate change agenda.
REVAMPING INDIA'S WATER RESOURCES
The National Water Mission endeavors to move forward towards management for water efficiency conservation through sustainable practices and the fair and reasonable distribution both interstate and intrastate. The mission mandate targeted a 20% reduction in water use through regulation to promote wastewater reuse for urban purposes and adopt new technologies such as low-temperature desalination for coastal cities, respectively.
Consequently, the identified targets fail to address the fundamental problems of water governance in India. The increasing trend that extends more and deeper is the use of water for domestic, agricultural, as well as industrial purposes, which caused the adversity of water throughout India. It is assumed that by 2050 half of the current population will be living in Indian cities, causing extreme stress on already limited water resources.
While there is no easy or one-size-fits-all solution, numerous approaches can be suggested that would align with the objectives laid out by the mission.
Increased investment in water recycling systems as part of wastewater management will help save fresh freshwater that would otherwise be wasted, and it could also produce a large output of treated water, which may then be reused.
However, much of this wastewater is being handled inadequately—India's sewage treatment capacity accounts for just 44% compared to all the waste produced in urban areas and actual treatment only at around 28%, which signifies a serious gap in our water management infrastructure. Clearly, closing the loop in water management through increased integration of wastewater treatment and reuse into ecosystem-based approaches is key.
In addition to the food-energy-water-linked challenges, there is a rising interest in promoting treated wastewater for agricultural purposes and reducing water demands from this sector that are expected to reach 68% of total demand by around 2050 on. It is also important to develop clear policy frameworks specifying the standards for treated wastewater reuse, its pricing incentives, and quality benchmarks.
Encouraging less water-intensive crops (for instance, millets) can promote resource efficiency. Public awareness and information are important for the promotion of water conservation and reuse—one such initiative is rainwater harvesting. Aligning with these approaches, India can move forward to solve the widespread water scarcity problem in the country.
CONCLUSION
Any sustainable trajectory for India's climate action requires a nuanced, multi-pronged strategy that reconciles ambitious emission reduction goals with the developmental imperatives of India. For India to reach its climate commitments, it needs a rapid shift from coal power to a diversified renewable energy supply.
This transition should focus on the growth of both solar and wind facilities while also involving investment in energy storage technologies and grid modernization adjustments. At the same time, strict energy efficiency standards in industry, buildings, and transportation could put a lot of emissions at bay.
India needs to focus on climate-smart agriculture practices, water conservation means, and ecosystem-based adaptation strategies for improved climate resilience. Developing low-carbon technologies appropriate to the unique needs of India must equally entail investing in and promoting green innovation using focused R&D coupled with enabling policies.
Ensuring concrete capacity-building programs accompany these efforts across all levels of governance is key to ensuring effective implementation. Global cooperation is instrumental in assisting India with climate action through technology transfer, financial aid, data exchange, and best practices of climate governance.
Through a comprehensive, inclusive, and concerted strategy for climate action, India can not just fulfill its national commitments but also lead from the front on sustainable development goals.
BY ADITYA MOHAN
CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE ACTION
TEAM GEOSTRATA
Well-written! Really shows the state of affairs in India's climate policy.