As a developing economy, India has numerous developmental aspirations. How India meets these goals without worsening the climate crisis is at the heart of CSTEP's work. Addressing climate change and enabling a secure and sustainable future for Indian citizens require an overhaul of previous paradigms on development and resource utilisation. This is reflected in our work on developing low-carbon trajectories for development with an emphasis on nature-based solutions.
We are working with state governments across India to build capacity on risk and vulnerability assessments to inform their respective action plans on climate change. The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is crucial to achieving a secure and sustainable future. CSTEP's studies explore the possibility of a greater integration of renewables in the energy sector.
A state of migration
Karnataka—the seventh most urbanised state in India—has witnessed significant urbanisation in recent decades. From 2001 to 2011, the proportion of the rural population shifted from 66% to 61%, and that of the urban population shifted from 34% to 39%.
India’s need to curb black carbon emissions
At the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow in November 2021, India pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070, positioning itself as a frontrunner in the race to carbon neutrality. According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, India had installed a renewable energy capacity of over 180 GW by 2023 and is expected to meet its target of 500 GW by 2030.
Growing the circular bioeconomy, with a focus on the Global South
Growing the bioeconomy in the Global South in a circular, sustainable way offers direct economic and environmental benefits, with the potential to capture the economic opportunity of bio-based products of bio-based products for food, feed waste products and energy estimated at USD 7.7 trillion (WBCSD 2020).
Agro-climatic zone-wise drought hazards in Karnataka under historical and future climate scenarios
This study performed the spatio-temporal analysis of drought hazards across the agro-climatic zones (ACZs) of Karnataka under historical and future climate scenarios. The India Meteorological Department’s high-resolution gridded data for1989-2019 was used for historical drought occurrence analysis. Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment ensemble data of the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios were used for analysing future drought hazards in the near (2031-2060) and end term (2061-2099) periods.
Advancing Circular Economy in India: Sustainable Resource Efficiency and Policy Imperatives in Solar Photovoltaics and Telecommunication
In an era of escalating environmental concerns and the pursuit of sustainable development, the circular economy emerges as a transformative solution. This paper examines India's Solar Photovoltaics and Telecommunication sectors, assessing their potential for circular economy practices, resource efficiency, and waste management. While solar photovoltaics contribute to a greener energy mix, the mounting concern of PV waste persists. Similarly, the telecommunications industry faces a surge in electronic waste due to rapid advancements.
Press Release: Pathways to Steer India's Buildings Sector Towards a Net Zero Future
New Delhi, 18 March 2024: ‘By 2030, India is expected to be home to 6 megacities with populations above 10 million. Currently, 17% of India’s urban population lives in slums.
Pathways to Steer India’s Buildings Sector Towards a Net-Zero Future
In the face of the global imperative to limit the rise in temperatures to 1.5 °C (above pre-industrial level), as outlined in the Paris Agreement, nations have been striving to transition towards a net-zero economy. This challenge is particularly pronounced for India, where the dual goals of fulfilling developmental aspirations and curbing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions pose a complex challenge.
Beyond shelter, dweller needs within the four walls
In the interim Budget 2024, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the construction of two crore additional houses over the next five years under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G) and the introduction of a new housing scheme for the middle class.
Unravelling India’s Changing Rural Migration Patterns Amidst Climate Change
The 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) in Dubai underscored the need for scaling up and strengthening adaptation and resilience activities to protect the vulnerable sections of society, such as farmers, from the adverse impacts of climate change. Escalating rural migration and diminishing local production in rural areas due to climate impacts markedly influence the Indian economy, which is essentially agrarian and predominantly rainfed.