Climate Action-Based Policy Administration in India: Developments and Challenges

Abstract

Climate change and sustainable development are presently global buzzwords receiving the unbridled attention of policymakers and governments for deciding the action agenda of development. The concern over impacts of climate change is evident in the fact that Goal 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) focuses entirely on it. The present communication therefore attempts to highlight the status of Climate Action-related policies in India and their coherence with the SDGs. The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog has successfully established an initial framework through formulation of schemes and allocation of responsibilities. However, constraints in the form of crosssector policy coherence, absence of definitive national indicators against SDG targets, limited budgetary dispensation and deficiencies in data acquisition hinder the advent of climate smart governance in India. Attainment of a nexus in terms of policy mechanisms among the major drivers of climate change in the Indian context along with stimulation of research activities fostering development of clean technologies would help in effective tackling of climate change-mediated concerns.