Search Climate Insights Directory

The document identifies three primary policy areas for GHG mitigation in India's power sector: the adoption of supercritical and ultra-supercritical coal technologies, the replacement of inefficient agricultural pump sets, and the upgrade of distribution networks to High Voltage Distribution Systems (HVDS). It argues that while these options have large mitigation potential, implementation is hindered by resource constraints, poor financial health of utilities, and political challenges regarding metering. The author advocates for moving beyond the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) toward long-term North-South cooperation to facilitate technology transfer and financing.

The report argues that genetically modified (GM) crops provide no substantive environmental, social, or economic benefits. It highlights a significant increase in pesticide use, particularly glyphosate, due to the emergence of herbicide-resistant weeds in the US, Brazil, and Argentina. The document further contends that GM crops do not increase yields—citing evidence that Roundup Ready soy may actually suffer yield losses—and that they do not address global hunger, as most are used for animal feed or biofuels in wealthy nations. Additionally, it criticizes the concentration of seed control by a few multinational corporations, which increases costs and restricts farmers' ability to save seeds.

The report argues that GM crops provide no ecological, social, or economic benefits. It highlights that herbicide-tolerant (HT) varieties promote the development of resistant weeds, leading to increased pesticide application in the US, Brazil, and Argentina. The document further asserts that GM crops do not increase yields or food security, as most are used for animal feed or biofuels rather than human consumption, and that seed monopolies increase costs for farmers.

The document examines the vulnerability of India's 6.5 million handloom weavers to cotton yarn price volatility, which is driven by export-oriented policies, value chain collusion, and technological gaps. It analyzes macro-interventions like the Mill Gate Scheme and the Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme, as well as micro-interventions such as decentralized micro-spinning, concluding that an integrated approach across the entire value chain is necessary to protect the livelihoods of unorganized weavers.

The report critiques the 'agro-business revolution' of GM crops, specifically targeting Monsanto's influence on global agricultural policies and the misleading data provided by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA). It argues that GM crops have led to increased pesticide use, land concentration, and the erosion of farmers' rights through restrictive intellectual property regimes. The document concludes that the primary beneficiaries of this technology are biotechnology companies, while small-scale farmers and the environment suffer negative impacts.

The report examines adaptive policy-making in the agriculture and water sectors of India and Canada. It proposes a conceptual framework distinguishing between adaptability to anticipated conditions (using 'no-regrets' policies and automatic triggers) and unanticipated conditions (using structured learning and complex adaptive systems principles). Through case studies—including weather-indexed insurance and price policies in India, and the Crow Rate and Conservation Districts in Canada—the authors argue that devolved decision-making and alignment with ecological boundaries (such as watersheds) enhance a policy's ability to respond to unforeseen changes.

The document defines 'ecological debt' as the cumulative responsibility of industrialised countries for environmental destruction caused by their production and consumption patterns. It argues that the Global North has exceeded its 'environmental space' through looting, damaging natural environments, overusing greenhouse gas sinks, dumping toxic waste, and biopiracy. To address this, the text advocates for a 'popular education' approach—rooted in the work of Paulo Freire—to build solidarity between Scottish communities facing environmental injustice and those in the Global South. The handbook includes local Scottish examples of debt repayment (such as the Jubilee Scotland and Slow Food movements) and international case studies illustrating ecological debt in banana production, hydroelectric projects in Uganda, industrial agriculture in India, mining in Canada, and oil extraction in Ecuador. It concludes with a toolbox of interactive games designed to facilitate workshops on resource consumption and global inequality.

The document examines the evolution of India's power sector, highlighting the transition from state-run electricity boards (SEBs) to a restructured model involving independent power producers (IPPs) and privatization. It details the 'Orissa Model' promoted by the World Bank, the failures of the 1991 IPP policy, and the subsequent scaling of restructuring to other states like Andhra Pradesh. The authors argue that political expediency and financial crises often overrode social and environmental goals, leading to institutional 'lock-ins' such as agricultural subsidies and expensive long-term power purchase agreements.

The India-UK partnership focuses on making Indian cities climate-smart by integrating climate risk data into urban planning and infrastructure. Key initiatives include the 'Future Proofing Indian Cities' programme, which assessed 59 cities for environmental risks, and the 'Disaster Proofing Indian Smart Cities' project, which provides guidance on the resilience of Digital Information Technology (DIT). The partnership has delivered specific action plans and investment strategies for cities such as Mysore, Madurai, Bangalore, Aluva, and Kolkata, while also supporting the development of national Heat Action Plans to combat increasing extreme heat waves.

The India-UK Energy for Growth Partnership has focused on creating tools for energy scenario planning, reforming gas and power markets to reduce import dependence, and identifying climate finance mechanisms for Indian cities. Key initiatives include the 'India Energy Security Scenarios 2047' tool and the adoption of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) to align energy planning with social and green growth objectives.

The Raising Risk Awareness (RRA) project focused on applying extreme event attribution to understand the role of climate change in specific weather events in Ethiopia, India, and Kenya, while using the Surging Seas tool to assess coastal flooding risk in Bangladesh. The project sought to bridge the gap between science, communication, and policy to improve disaster risk management in developing countries.

India aims for net-zero emissions by 2070, with interim 2030 goals including 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity and 50% energy requirements from renewables. The transition faces significant hurdles, including a heavy reliance on coal (84% of power generation) and high import dependency for crude oil and solar components. Financial requirements are immense, estimated between USD 5.7 trillion by 2050 and USD 10.1 trillion by 2070. The report emphasizes the need for a 'just transition' to protect the livelihoods of approximately 13 million people dependent on coal mining and to address regional economic imbalances. Opportunities for acceleration include the green hydrogen policy, expansion of offshore wind, and the development of domestic energy storage manufacturing to reduce reliance on China.

The report identifies four priority sub-sectors for green investment in India: Green Hydrogen, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA), and Waste Management & Material Circularity. It highlights a significant investment gap, noting that India may face a shortfall of $3.5 trillion to achieve its net-zero target. For Green Hydrogen, the report emphasizes the need to reduce costs from above $4/kg to $2/kg to achieve economic viability. In the BESS sector, it projects annual battery demand between 106 GWh and 260 GWh by 2030. Climate Smart Agriculture is presented as a critical area for both mitigation and adaptation, though currently underfunded in upstream and on-farm solutions. Waste Management is highlighted as a $45 billion market opportunity by 2030, with a specific focus on the growing potential of lithium-ion battery recycling. The document also argues for the urgent scaling of private adaptation financing, noting that 80% of key adaptation markets in India are currently nascent or mid-level.

The document describes the methodology for the Indian States’ Electricity Transition analysis, which evaluates 16 states representing approximately 90% of India's annual power requirement. The analysis uses 17 parameters across four dimensions: Decarbonisation, Performance of the Power System, Readiness of the Power Ecosystem, and Policies and Political Commitments. Data for financial year 2021-22 was primarily sourced from government entities such as the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and NITI Aayog, then normalised and weighted by sectoral experts to produce state-wise scores.

The report evaluates 16 Indian states on their electricity transition across four dimensions: decarbonisation, power system performance, ecosystem readiness, and policy commitments. Karnataka is identified as the top performer across all dimensions, while states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal are urged to ramp up efforts. The analysis highlights that many renewable-rich states have significant untapped potential and recommends improving data transparency, strengthening transmission infrastructure, and expanding green market mechanisms to accelerate the transition.

The paper examines three state-level solar irrigation schemes in India to identify lessons for Tamil Nadu's implementation of PM KUSUM Component C. It highlights challenges in farmer financing, trust in solar technology, and the impact of feed-in tariffs on water conservation, while recommending robust monitoring and adequate tariff assessments.

The research examines renewable energy (RE) procurement among 101 corporate and 185 SME consumers across five Indian states. It finds a dominant preference for on-site solutions, with large corporations favoring open access off-site projects due to higher capital and energy needs. Green Tariffs (GTs) face low awareness—up to 82% of corporate consumers and 94% of SMEs are unaware of them—and poor acceptability, as 62% of corporate and 55% of SME consumers are unwilling to pay a premium for GTs. The paper recommends that state energy departments restructure GT models with lower premiums and fiscal incentives, while utilities should act as information disseminators to prevent C&I consumers from migrating from the grid.

The document examines the potential for Indian electricity distribution companies (discoms) to implement green tariffs to attract and retain commercial and industrial (C&I) consumers. It notes that current attempts in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have been ad hoc and unsuccessful, contrasting this with the success of tailor-made, consultative green tariff models in the United States. The author argues that for green tariffs to succeed in India, they must involve long-term contracts, regulatory certainty, and a design that accounts for the Indian context of cross-subsidization of residential and agricultural consumers.