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The report investigates the 51°C record temperature in Phalodi, Rajasthan, on 19 May 2016. While annual mean temperatures in India are increasing, the analysis found that human-induced climate change did not play a statistically significant role in this specific event or a similar 2015 event in Andhra Pradesh. The authors suggest that the warming effect of greenhouse gases may be masked by the cooling effects of aerosols and increased irrigation. However, the report warns that as energy policies shift away from fossil fuels, the diminishing cooling effect of aerosols could increase the intensity of future heat waves.

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 analysis found that while human-induced climate change slightly increased the probability of the 2016 record-breaking heat in Rajasthan, the effect was not statistically significant. The study suggests that the warming effect of greenhouse gases in India is being partially offset by the cooling effects of aerosols and increased irrigation. Despite the lack of a strong temperature trend, the combination of high heat, pollution, and humidity is increasing the health risks and mortality associated with heat waves.

The report assesses the modified DBTL (PAHAL) scheme in India, finding it largely successful in reducing the diversion of subsidized LPG and improving delivery regularity. While consumer enrolment was high and satisfaction generally positive, the study identifies critical gaps in financial inclusion for rural households and a lack of awareness regarding grievance redressal and subsidy transfer status. The authors highlight that while DBTL is a mechanism for disbursement rather than a conventional subsidy reform, it enables future targeted reforms by establishing a common market price.

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 report analyzes the energy-irrigation nexus in Haryana, India, where heavily subsidized electricity has led to the over-extraction of groundwater and financial distress for distribution companies (DISCOMs). It quantifies subsidies for wheat, paddy, and sugarcane, finding that electricity subsidies account for approximately 46% of total subsidies. The study recommends spatial targeting of reforms, the adoption of energy-efficient and solar pumps, and a transition toward output-driven subsidy regimes to ensure long-term environmental and economic sustainability.

The document details the creation of the first comprehensive Heat Action Plan in South Asia, implemented by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) in 2013. The plan focuses on an early warning system, public awareness, and healthcare capacity building to protect vulnerable populations from heat-related morbidity and mortality.

A 2011 survey in Ahmedabad, India, investigated heat vulnerability among slum dwellers using randomized cluster sampling. The study identified that self-reported heat illness was associated with age, preexisting medical conditions, work location, and access to health information and resources.

The document details the development of Ahmedabad's Heat Action Plan, a pilot initiative led by a coalition of academic, health, and environmental groups including the NRDC and IIPH. Triggered by a deadly heat wave in May 2010, the plan focuses on early warning systems, community outreach, and capacity building for health workers. Key successes include strong municipal leadership and the use of scientific research to identify vulnerable groups, such as slum dwellers and outdoor workers. The document highlights the importance of interagency coordination and the need to treat heat waves as natural disasters to secure political will and funding.

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 evaluation of the Kotkasim pilot project reveals that while direct cash transfers effectively reduced kerosene leakages to the black market, they also led to a dramatic decline in household kerosene consumption due to higher upfront costs and poor banking access. The study highlights significant implementation gaps, including inadequate information dissemination and the financial burden placed on Fair Price Shop (FPS) dealers. Recommendations include improving financial literacy, digitizing records, and ensuring better coordination between district authorities and beneficiaries.

The report evaluates India's 'Green Industrial Policy' as a blend of market-failure corrections and traditional industrial development goals. While the 'green' objectives—energy access, security, and GHG abatement—have seen success, the industrial policy goals of creating a competitive domestic manufacturing base and fostering R&D have fared poorly. The solar sector has struggled against cheap imports, while the wind sector, though more mature, has seen a decline in global competitiveness and a recent drop in installations following the withdrawal of tax incentives.

The document examines the institutionalization and impacts of subsidized agricultural electricity in India, noting that while intended for food security, it has led to economic inefficiencies, groundwater depletion, and financial distress for utilities. It critiques the 'get the price right' approach as politically infeasible and socially regressive. Instead, it proposes a 'bundling' strategy that combines price rationalization with improved surface irrigation, groundwater recharge, the adoption of water-efficient technologies like drip irrigation, crop diversification, and the realignment of food procurement and fertilizer subsidies to encourage resource-efficient farming.

The report examines India's energy subsidy regime, highlighting the significant fiscal burden of fuel subsidies, which cost an average of 1.4 per cent of GDP since FY 2008. It details policy shifts in diesel, LPG, kerosene, and natural gas markets, noting that while the government has pursued incremental price increases for diesel and consumption caps for LPG, currency depreciation and high international oil prices have maintained high under-recoveries. The document also analyzes the regressive nature of these subsidies, their impact on the trucking industry, and the inefficiencies of subsidized agricultural electricity, which encourages groundwater depletion. It recommends transitioning toward market-based pricing, targeted cash transfers, and structural improvements in transport and irrigation management.

The report argues that while India has robust legal frameworks for environmental and social safeguards in infrastructure procurement, poor implementation and a narrow definition of 'value for money' (VfM) lead to significant ecological losses and financial risks. It examines four key safeguards—Environmental, Forest, Wildlife, and Land Acquisition clearances—finding a disconnect between pre-concession approvals and post-signing monitoring. The authors propose shifting to a 'whole-life value' approach to VfM, integrating sustainability criteria into tender documents, and reforming financial risk models like the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) to better account for long-term green infrastructure gains.

The workshop brought together 60 participants from India and Nepal to evaluate the shortcomings of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and explore the potential of Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs). Participants emphasized the need to integrate human rights and robust safeguards into the 2015 Paris climate agreement and the Indian national policy framework. Key outcomes included the agreement to form a civil society working group to coordinate demands for the Indian government and the decision to write an open letter to Prime Minister Modi ahead of COP 20.

The report analyzes 11 CDM projects across five Indian states, concluding that sustainable development through these projects is largely a 'myth'. It finds severe discrepancies between PDD promises and actual impacts, noting that industrial projects often use CER revenue to expand production, leading to increased pollution. Most projects failed to provide promised local employment, healthcare, or education, and some caused significant harm through illegal land acquisition and environmental degradation. Only the Muni Seva Ashram solar community kitchen project was identified as successfully contributing to social, economic, environmental, and technological well-being.

The report documents systemic failures in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) across seven projects in five countries. It highlights consistent patterns of inadequate stakeholder consultation, violations of indigenous rights, and environmental degradation. Specific examples include coal power plants in India causing pollution and displacement, hydroelectric projects in Panama, Honduras, and Guatemala ignoring indigenous consent and destroying ecosystems, and a waste incinerator in China causing local pollution. The document argues that CDM safeguards are insufficient to protect local populations and ensure genuine sustainable development.