Shifting Sands: India’s New Approach to the Politics of Climate Change

The document analyzes India's transition from a rigid negotiating stance based on historical emissions equity to a more pragmatic engagement integrated with its broader foreign policy goals. While domestic action under the 2008 National Action Plan on Climate Change is driven by energy security and development, India's international diplomacy is increasingly influenced by its strategic relationships with the United States and China. However, structural economic barriers and domestic ideological norms continue to limit the extent of international emission commitments India can make.

• India is increasing its strategic importance in global climate negotiations, characterized by higher engagement from its representatives and rising geopolitical influence.
• Domestic climate actions under the 2008 National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) are primarily motivated by development, energy access, and energy security. These policies may result in greater GHG emission constraints than the international pledge made in early 2010 to reduce GDP emission intensity by 20-25% by 2020 relative to 2005 levels.
• Since 2009, India has shifted toward more constructive international climate diplomacy, moving away from a period of stasis. This change is driven by new leadership, specifically Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh, who view climate diplomacy as a tool for broader foreign policy objectives and international status.
• India's ability to commit to international emission reductions is constrained by domestic ideological norms regarding equity and structural economic factors, such as a heavy reliance on coal and an industrial sector dominated by small and medium enterprises that are difficult to regulate.
• India has adopted a more flexible approach to equity, with Prime Minister Singh pledging that India's per capita emissions will not exceed those of industrialised countries, representing a break from previous refusals to accept emission constraints.
• The formation of the BASIC group in late 2009 (comprising Brazil, South Africa, India, and China) provides a new forum for dialogue and aligns with India's goals of enhancing international status and economic relationships, despite the risk of being treated similarly to China in future agreements.

APA

Atteridge, A. (2010). Shifting Sands: India’s New Approach to the Politics of Climate Change. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate-mitigation-adaptation/Atteridge - India PB 101122c web.pdf

Chicago

Atteridge, Aaron. Shifting Sands: India’s New Approach to the Politics of Climate Change. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2010. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate-mitigation-adaptation/Atteridge - India PB 101122c web.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Atteridge |first1=Aaron |title=Shifting Sands: India’s New Approach to the Politics of Climate Change |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2010 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate-mitigation-adaptation/Atteridge - India PB 101122c web.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{atteridge2010shifting, author = {Atteridge, Aaron}, title = {{Shifting Sands: India’s New Approach to the Politics of Climate Change}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2010}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate-mitigation-adaptation/Atteridge - India PB 101122c web.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }