Climate Action Agenda for India

• India’s climate action efforts are critical for meeting its ambitious 2030 targets.
• Key environmental issues include reducing heat stress, improving air quality, managing waste, and enhancing energy efficiency.
• Businesses should view climate action as an opportunity rather than a challenge.
Mitigating Pollutants
• India is vulnerable to heat stress and may face heat waves beyond human survival limits.
• Mitigating both CO2 emissions and short-lived super pollutants is crucial.
• Tailor-made treaties can be integrated into the Paris Agreement for accountability.
• The Montreal Protocol provides a successful blueprint for tackling climate problems.
Importance of Carbon Markets
• Carbon markets incentivize reductions in GHGs by offering financial rewards for cutting emissions.
• India aims to launch the ‘India Carbon Market’ in 2026.
• A well-developed carbon market in India could avoid $35 trillion in climate-related costs over the next 50 years.
Missed Opportunity
• The 2024 Lok Sabha election largely ignored the escalating climate crisis.
• Party commitments to climate action were grossly inadequate.
• Climate-progressive leadership needs to push beyond mere tokenism and integrate climate action into the core of political agendas.