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The paper identifies parametric insurance as a critical tool for strengthening the financial resilience of cities in EMDEs, where less than 10% of climate-related losses are currently insured. It highlights a structural collaboration gap between municipalities and insurers, noting that only 5 of 16 mapped programs engage directly with municipal governments. To address this, the authors propose three priority actions: supporting affordable premiums through national and international funding, strengthening municipal capacity for risk-layering, and improving legal and regulatory enabling environments. The document argues that parametric insurance is a particularly effective entry point due to its ability to provide rapid liquidity and simpler product structures compared to traditional indemnity insurance.

The paper introduces the Climate Risk Assessment Framework (CRAF), a structured approach to quantify physical climate risks for India's power infrastructure. It addresses gaps in existing literature by moving from qualitative risk ratings to energy-denominated impact estimates, specifically Expected Annual Loss (EAL) and Energy Not Served (ENS). The methodology distinguishes between chronic stressors (causing performance derating) and acute events (causing sudden failure), providing a pathway for cost-benefit analysis of resilience investments to avoid stranded assets and unplanned retrofitting costs.

The SET 2026 report assesses 21 Indian states on their electricity transition, finding that progress is fragmented and that leadership in one area, such as decarbonisation, does not automatically ensure system-wide readiness. While states like Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh lead in decarbonisation, and Delhi and Haryana excel in power ecosystem readiness, most states face structural gaps in areas like smart metering, energy storage, and DISCOM financial health. The report emphasizes the need for coordinated state-level interventions to align capacity additions with grid readiness and market-enabling policies.

The document outlines a framework for Indian businesses to transition to clean energy solutions over a two-to-five-year horizon. It emphasizes three core principles: prioritizing the reduction of energy demand, acting immediately while improving performance over time, and continuously improving data quality. The guide provides detailed action plans for measuring annual energy consumption through audits and benchmarking, optimizing logistics via supply chain redesign and modal shifts, and transitioning vehicle fleets to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) through baseline assessments and pilot projects. It also details various central and state-level government incentives available to support these transitions.

India's transition to electric mobility requires significant technology upgrades for automotive component MSMEs, who face structural barriers to affordable capital. CPI estimates that these MSMEs need INR 55,000 crore (USD 6.6 billion) in investment between FY2026 and FY2035 to maintain their industry share. To bridge this gap, the report proposes AC-TUFF, a blended-finance special purpose vehicle utilizing a tiered capital stack (first-loss, concessional, and commercial capital) and an integrated technical assistance wing. The facility aims to mobilize a total corpus of INR 5,000 crore to support the localization of EV components, which has a projected annual market potential of INR 3.86 lakh crore by FY2035.

The document analyzes the impact of generative AI on the spread of misinformation in India, highlighting a 550% increase in deepfake-related cybercrimes since 2019. It details the weaponization of AI for political campaigns and gendered disinformation, while evaluating the effectiveness of digital media literacy programs and AI detection tools in building community resilience.

The report analyzes green hydrogen production in India, finding that state-level transmission waivers and capital subsidies are critical for cost competitiveness. It compares on-site, ISTS-connected, and STU-connected project models, highlighting that while on-site projects avoid transmission costs, they face land and demand constraints. The study identifies Odisha as a leader in cost competitiveness due to aggressive incentive packages and emphasizes that off-site projects require at least a 50% cost reduction to compete with grey hydrogen.

The report examines how six Indian ports can transition into green hydrogen hubs by integrating hydrogen into their value chains and leveraging Common User Infrastructure (CUI). It identifies key challenges such as high production costs and land acquisition, while emphasizing the role of storage infrastructure and the repurposing of natural gas pipelines and LNG terminals to reduce capital expenditures.

The report finds that sustainable agriculture finance in India averaged INR 22,393 billion annually between FY 2020-21 and FY 2021-22, with a heavy reliance on domestic private finance (67%) and commercial financial institutions. While public funding remains significant, international flows are negligible at 0.5%. The study highlights a concentration of funds in farming practices and storage/markets, while critical areas like research, natural capital, and alternative supply chains are severely underfunded. It recommends the creation of a sustainable agriculture taxonomy, improved granular data reporting, the diversification of financial instruments beyond debt, and expanded capacity building to foster a more resilient agricultural ecosystem.

India's power grid is facing increased strain from record-breaking heatwaves and power demand, as seen in May 2024 when nationwide demand hit 250 GW. While battery energy storage systems (BESS) costs in India have dropped 65 percent over the last two years, investment is hindered by market rules that only recognize 'energy only' dispatch strategies. The document asserts that if regulators recognize a 'full value stack'—including resource adequacy, ancillary services, and transmission and distribution (T+D) deferral—BESS profit margins could range from 24 to 70 percent. To unlock this market, the document recommends that the Forum of Regulators provide valuation guidance, state regulators incorporate BESS into long-term resource adequacy planning, and the Central Electricity Authority (CERC) increase transparency and access to ancillary service markets.

The briefing examines how distributed solar, particularly through schemes like PM Surya Ghar and PM-KUSUM, can mitigate the financial distress of Indian Discoms by reducing the cost of supplying subsidized consumers and lowering power procurement costs. It highlights the potential for distributed solar to contribute significantly to India's 2030 renewable energy purchase obligations (RPO) and suggests that the adoption of virtual power plants (VPPs) and battery storage could further modernize the grid and manage peak demand.

India faces significant climate vulnerability, with adaptation investment needs estimated between USD 14 billion and USD 67 billion annually for 2015-2030. While the government utilizes a 'co-benefits' approach—integrating adaptation into broader development goals—this makes it difficult to track specific adaptation funding. Analysis of six states' updated State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs) reveals a collective annual investment need of INR 444.7 billion (USD 5.5 billion) for 2021-30. State governments are the primary drivers of adaptation finance, but their capacity is constrained by high debt levels and strict borrowing limits under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act. The report recommends that the 16th Finance Commission include adaptation variables in fund devolution and suggests using Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and blended finance to attract private capital, which is currently limited by data gaps and uncertain returns.

The 2024 Indian States’ Electricity Transition (SET) report identifies Gujarat and Karnataka as consistent top performers in decarbonising their power sectors and preparing their market ecosystems. While some states like Delhi and Odisha show high readiness or strong market enablers, they struggle with actual decarbonisation. Conversely, states such as Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh exhibit structural challenges and slow progress across all dimensions. The report recommends strengthening state-level regulatory frameworks and developing specific subnational transition plans to address these uneven disparities.

The report examines India's transition to electric mobility, highlighting the success of demand-side incentives like FAME II for two- and three-wheelers. It identifies critical investment gaps in charging infrastructure and battery manufacturing, while discussing the potential of battery swapping and the risks posed by global supply chain dependencies on China and other mineral-rich nations. The analysis emphasizes the need for binding targets, improved consumer financing, and workforce retraining to ensure a competitive and just transition.

The document identifies fuel subsidies as the most significant form of government support for India's marine fisheries, accounting for an estimated 32% of total support in FY 2019. These subsidies, provided exclusively by state governments, primarily benefit larger-scale operations and risk increasing fishing efforts beyond sustainable levels. The brief highlights regional variations among focus states—Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu—and suggests that India's experience with broader fossil fuel subsidy reforms, such as phased price hikes and providing clean alternatives, can inform the transition toward more sustainable support for small-scale fishers.

The report assesses the gender landscape in India's urban transport and e-mobility sectors to identify barriers for women, such as safety concerns and limited workforce participation. It proposes a Gender Action Plan for a financing platform, focusing on increasing female employment, improving safety infrastructure (like lighting and CCTV), and collecting sex-disaggregated data to mitigate gender-blindness in project design.

The report documents a 43% increase in Indian government support for marine fisheries between FY 2016 and FY 2019, totaling at least INR 2,225 crore. It identifies fuel support, income support, and support for deep-sea fishing, mariculture, and vessel modernization as priority areas for impact assessment to prevent overexploitation and ensure sustainable development.

The report identifies a 43% increase in government support for Indian marine fisheries between FY 2016 and FY 2019, reaching at least INR 2,225 crore (USD 316 million). It highlights that fuel subsidies are the most significant support measure, growing 142% in the same period. The analysis emphasizes that while income support is vital for the high percentage of fishers living below the poverty line, input-based subsidies for fuel and vessel modernization risk encouraging overcapacity and overfishing. The report recommends a comprehensive evaluation of these high-risk measures and improved data transparency to align support with the National Fisheries Policy 2020 and Sustainable Development Goal 14.

The document argues that the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis share analytical similarities as global shocks that exacerbate existing inequalities. It identifies six key lessons for South Africa: the necessity of accessible social protection, the need to value care work, the requirement for a strong and proactive state, the importance of localising industrial processes, the necessity of international cooperation, and the need to center justice in responses to mitigate worsening inequalities.

The author, Nils Petter Gleditsch, reviews two 1966 NRK television broadcasts that served as a major public introduction to the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). The programs featured Johan Galtung and various researchers presenting early peace research projects, including studies on children's perceptions of peace, international airline patterns, and diplomatic simulations. The text documents the institutional growth of PRIO, its early use of electronic data processing, and the specific academic contributions of its early staff and students.