Policy Briefs/Reports

Discounting the Climate Future: Social Discount Rate for India's Climate Policy

27 Nov 2020
| Ms Saumya Malhotra

Climate change, from an economic perspective, can be understood as a market failure. The associated risks with this changing climate, as well as impacts on socio-economic systems in form of health, livelihood, food and water security, are projected to be higher with increasing global warming.

Understanding Perspectives: A Behavioural Study in the Indian Cooling Sector

02 Nov 2020
| Mr Manjeet Singh

The impact of climate change is manifesting itself in increasingly erratic weather patterns, and even these increasing in frequency and severity. Heat waves in the summer months across the hemispheres are becoming more the norm than the exception. The 2019 report by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimated that around 2.3 billion people could be both exposed and vulnerable to heatwave events due to 1.5°C of global warming.

G20's role in Marine Biodiversity

27 Oct 2020
| Ms Swati Ganeshan
| Dr Fraddry D Souza

Collectively, Group of Twenty (G20) countries are yet to reach the 10% target set under the 2020 Aichi biodiversity targets - including marine biodiversity - and SDGs. This policy brief explores policy options and best pratices for enhancing Marine Protected Areas (MPA).

Toward a Comprehensive Approach to Youth Empowerment for Climate Action

23 Sep 2020
| Dr Neha
| Dr Leila Dagher
| Dr Miranda A Schreurs

Download This brief focuses on empowering the youth to act on climate change and environmental protection by strengthening formal and informal environmental and sustainability education.

Discussion paper on National Inventory Management System (NIMS) in India - Issues, needs and implementation framework

22 Sep 2020
| Mr R R Rashmi

The paper discusses that a centralized National Inventory Management System (NIMS) in India is the need of the hour and its operational contours should be decided as expeditiously as possible. This is needed not only to compute India's emissions from various sources and sinks comprehensively and correctly, but also fulfill India’s international obligations to track the progress in respect of mitigation related commitments such as economy-wide goal to reduce emissions intensity and the sectoral goals as envisaged under India’s NDC.

Build Back Better: Revitalizing Clean Urbanization to Drive India's Post-Covid Economic Growth

22 Sep 2020
| Mr Thomas Spencer

The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the world economies in a unique and at an unprecedented scale. On the flipside, it has also given an opportunity to the economies, business and industries to rethink and respond on the type of recovery path they choose that essentially leads to minimal disruption and long-term stability. This report argues that sustainable urbanization should be front and centre of the recovery plan, in order to put the Indian economy back on a more equitable high growth pathway.

Unlocking the co-benefits of decarbonising India's power sector

18 Sep 2020
| Ms Neha Pahuja

India is in the midst of an energy transition, with important social and economic implications depending on the pathways that are chosen. India's energy pathway will define the basis for its future development, including economic prosperity, business and employment opportunities as well as health impacts. At the same time, current investment decisions in India's energy sector will have a substantial impact on combating global warming and securing the livelihoods of people in India and elsewhere.

Making Mission Possible: Delivering a Net-Zero Economy

16 Sep 2020
| ETC Commissioners

The primary route to decarbonisation will be clean electrification, complemented by hydrogen, sustainable biomass and fossil fuels combined with carbon capture, says the report

Guiding Framework for India's Long-Term Strategy: Adaptation

11 Sep 2020
| Kavya Michael
| Ms N R Mekhala Sastry
| Ms Swati Pillai
| Mr Saurabh Bhardwaj
| Ms Pankhuri Sekhon
| Mr Md. Irfan

Under the backdrop of the Paris Agreement, parties committed to developing mid-century or long-term low emission development strategies by 2020 (Long-Term Strategy or LTS). This strategy should be tailor-made, such that it aligns with the short-term as well as medium time climate action and, chalks out a climate-resilient development pathway. It is critical that such a pathway also embraces adaptation and mitigation choices that have the potential to offset as well as contribute to sustainable development.

Analysing the barriers to promote energy-efficient air conditioners in India

04 Aug 2020
| Mr Shanmuganathan K
| Mr Manjeet Singh
| Mr Gaurav Phore

The higher penetration of super energy-efficient 5-star ACs in India helps in achieving lower electricity consumption, lower peak demand, reduced energy bills, and lower carbon footprints.