Search Climate Insights Directory

The report details CDKN's work in India to integrate climate change adaptation and mitigation into development planning. Key initiatives include the use of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) for energy and building sectors, the development of Heat Action Plans in cities like Ahmedabad, and the promotion of rural electrification through micro-franchising. The document emphasizes the importance of co-benefits, private sector engagement, and gender sensitivity in achieving resilient growth.

The report evaluates how to communicate the link between anthropogenic climate change and extreme weather events, testing various phrasings for probability, frequency, intensity, and uncertainty. Findings indicate that while high-level decision makers often prefer technical percentages and 'probability' terms, the general public finds these confusing, preferring simpler terms like 'worse' or 'more often'. The study highlights significant translation challenges in Swahili and Hindi and recommends that attribution information be downscaled to high spatial resolutions and co-developed with local communication experts and trusted sources, such as national meteorological agencies.

The document provides guidance on communicating extreme weather event attribution to different stakeholder groups in Kenya and India, focusing on phrasing for probability, frequency, intensity, and uncertainty, as well as the use of visual aids.

The proposal outlines a 25-year program to address financing gaps for off-grid energy (OGE) companies in India. It seeks US$31 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to create a first-loss capital pool and provide technical assistance, complementing a US$100 million revolving credit line anchored by the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA). The facility aims to reduce the high perceived risk of OGE lending, lower interest rates for companies, and replace kerosene use with clean energy in underserved rural and urban areas.

EarthSpark International has deployed a 93 kW solar microgrid in Les Anglais, Haiti, providing 24-hour clean power to approximately 2,000 people. The project demonstrates that microgrids can bridge the gap between small solar home systems and traditional grid extension, enabling industrial use and reducing household energy costs by 80%. To overcome technical gaps, EarthSpark developed 'SparkMeter' for customized tariffs and prepay services. Despite logistical hurdles and a lack of clear regulatory frameworks in Haiti, the model aims to scale to 80 microgrids serving 200,000 people over five years.

The research reviews the SDMPs of Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Odisha, and Uttarakhand, finding that while they provide a foundation for coordination, they overemphasize response and relief over prevention and risk reduction. The report recommends clarifying institutional responsibilities, innovating financing models, mainstreaming risk reduction across state departments, and better incorporating socioeconomic vulnerabilities and climate change risks into assessments.

The report reviews the SDMPs of Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Odisha, and Uttarakhand, finding that while they are sophisticated in disaster response, they lack sufficient focus on risk reduction, socioeconomic vulnerability, and climate change integration. It recommends clarifying institutional roles, operationalising risk-reduction funds, and aligning state plans more closely with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030.

The report examines how gender-sensitive programming in urban India can enhance climate resilience and people's empowerment. Using the ACCCRN project in Mahewa ward, Gorakhpur, as a case study, it finds that while the project began as gender-blind, its evolution toward a gender-sensitive implementation phase significantly improved the sustainability of interventions in water, sanitation, and agriculture. The study highlights that urban gender dynamics differ from rural ones due to weaker social cohesion and higher dependence on external services. It concludes that women's active participation as agents of change, rather than mere recipients, drives better outcomes, though deep-seated patriarchal structures and a lack of gender-disaggregated data in planning remain significant barriers.

The report argues that India's kerosene subsidy program is highly inefficient due to significant leakages and poor service quality. It proposes replacing these subsidies with targeted support for solar-based lighting in rural areas and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for urban-poor households, asserting that such a transition would be economically beneficial for both the government and the beneficiaries.

The report examines the distribution of centrally financed fuel subsidies in India, highlighting a significant disparity where Bihar, one of the poorest states, consistently receives the lowest per capita transfers for diesel, LPG, and kerosene compared to wealthier states like Haryana, Delhi, and Gujarat.

The event, organized by TERI in cooperation with the IPCC and CDKN, focused on India's vulnerability to climate change and the need for urgent adaptation and mitigation. Key discussions highlighted the risk of increased monsoon intensity and decreased rainy days, the threat of climate change as a 'threat multiplier' for India's poor rural population, and the potential for low-carbon economic growth. Speakers emphasized the importance of science, technology, and energy efficiency, while noting that the global carbon budget has already been halved.

The report examines how the removal of fossil-fuel subsidies for LPG, kerosene, diesel, and electricity affects men and women differently in India. It finds that current subsidies largely fail rural women, who rely heavily on biomass, and that shifting to cash transfers via bank accounts creates barriers for women due to lower financial inclusion. The author argues for gender-responsive budgeting and targeted interventions to prevent women from reverting to dirtier fuels while promoting their empowerment.

The report finds that India's LPG subsidy system is highly regressive, primarily benefiting wealthy urban households while the poorest fifth of the population receives less than 1% of the total direct subsidy. While an initial household cylinder cap of six in September 2012 temporarily limited subsidy growth and improved distribution, subsequent increases of the cap to nine and then 12 cylinders effectively reversed these gains. The Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) program is criticized for failing to decouple subsidy receipt from fuel consumption and for introducing administrative inefficiencies without improving equity or fiscal responsibility.

The SEI/WASHi project implemented five pilot sites in Bihar, India, to demonstrate sustainable, dry sanitation systems (ecosan) that treat human excreta for use as agricultural fertilizer. The project addressed flood-prone conditions, gender-specific hygiene needs—particularly menstruation management—and established the state's only nutrient-testing laboratory in Patna. Agricultural trials showed that urine-fertilized plots produced yields equal to or better than those using commercial NPK fertilizer. The initiative aimed to influence state policy and contribute to Millennium Development Goals by providing low-cost alternatives to agricultural chemicals and improving public health.

The project implemented urine-harvesting urinals at a school and administrative office in Bind Block, Bihar, and conducted field trials to compare treated urine with NPK chemical fertilizers. Results showed that urine provided similar or better crop yields for vegetables and fruits, while offering a free alternative that could save a family approximately 4,000 rupees annually. By framing urine as a valuable resource rather than waste, the project aimed to overcome social and caste-based barriers to sanitation adoption in rural India.

The Sustainable sanitation pilot project in Burmi Tola, Bihar, implemented urine-diverting dry toilets (UDDT) to address the health and environmental risks of open defecation in a flood-prone area. The project installed units for 31 of 37 households in Burmi Tola and 7 in Rupauliya, utilizing a cost-sharing model where the project funded waterproofed substructures and households provided labor and superstructures. Despite initial resistance, the project gained momentum through community mobilization, the support of local officials, and agricultural trials demonstrating the effectiveness of 'humanure'. Key outcomes include improved health, better menstrual hygiene management for women and girls, and interest from approximately 55 households in neighboring communities.

The pilot project in Mohaddipur, Bihar, introduced enclosed long-term composting (ELTC) technology to provide a community sanitation complex and produce 'humanure' fertilizer. The system was adapted for the Indian context by incorporating anal-cleansing water and replacing peat with coconut fibre. While the facility is widely used by the 21 local households and has attracted government interest for replication in Bihar Sharif, challenges remain regarding long-term funding for maintenance and community ownership.

The Shree Krishna Gyan Mandir Water and Nutrient Testing Laboratory and Research Centre was opened in August 2013 in Patna, Bihar, through a collaboration between the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Institute (WASHi). The non-profit facility provides high-standard analyses of water quality and the nutrient content of 'humanure' products—including treated urine, greywater, and liquid from composting toilets—to provide scientific credibility for ecological sanitation (ecosan) models. The laboratory follows National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) guidelines, can perform 30 analyses per day, and offers services to civil society, schools, and communities to support water conservation and public health. Initial findings from the lab have confirmed the presence of arsenic in wells across Bihar. To ensure long-term sustainability, the laboratory employs a cost-recovery tariff for operational expenses and offers training courses, while seeking statutory accreditation to increase its professional status and client base.

The pilot project at the Tarumitra Bio-reserve in Patna, Bihar, established an ecological sanitation (ecosan) complex featuring urine-diverting dry toilets (UDDTs) and waterless urinals. The facility separates waste into three streams—urine, greywater, and faeces—allowing for the safe reuse of human excreta as organic fertilizer and soil conditioner for crops such as mustard, onion, potato, cabbage, and chickpea. The complex incorporates sustainable design elements including solar panels for lighting, natural ventilation, and the use of campus materials for construction. By integrating the facility into an environmental education centre, the project uses visual materials and presentations to overcome user apprehension and promote the principles of closed-loop systems. Tarumitra has since become a local knowledge node, providing expert support for other initiatives, such as a pilot project at the nearby Prakash School.

The project installed urine-diverting dry toilets, waterless urinals, and a sanitary napkin incinerator at Prakash Elementary School to address inadequate sanitation and menstrual hygiene management. While the facilities improved school attendance for girls and increased student awareness of water saving, the project faced challenges regarding the maintenance of facilities and the acceptance of treated excreta for agricultural reuse.