Benedict Paramanand

Hot Book to Cool India Navroz Dubash’s new book India in a Warming World - Integrating Climate Change and Development,’ published by Oxford University Press, for release in January 2020, couldn’t have come sooner. It’s a comprehensive collection of fresh perspectives on how India could address the threat of climate change better. When almost everyone – both actively and remotely – associated with climate change in India is struggling to come to grips with complex terms such as climate mitigation, adaptation, policy, climate finance, this book can come to their rescue. India in a Warm World is more than a primer. It invites readers to conversations on topics that are usually messy and conflicted. An informed debate is possible only when practitioners have a platform to share their multiple perspectives and ideas in an accessible manner. The need for such platforms is urgent because they educate and embolden civil society players to apply informed pressure on policy makers. And given the complexity and enormousness of policies surrounding climate change policy makers too need better access to many sides of the debate. Navroz’s singular contribution through this book is bridging the knowledge gaps of all the players with data-driven and convincing arguments. Hopefully, this book will help faster decision-making and more efficient execution. Since sustainabilitynext.in focusses on business of sustainability, here’s a list of a few sharp observations on various related areas like policy and development vs justice etc. Some edited excerpts: “The past decade has witnessed a rise in climate institutions in India, but it has been a reactive and ad hoc. It has not led to the creation of stable, long-lasting, and well-coordinated institutions and governance processes that can appropriately respond to climate concerns.” “As climate actions are not always costly to development actions but sometimes complementary, a possible path forward exists for India to engage with both climate and development productively.” “The future success of Indian climate change activism depends on reclaiming the climate justice narrative from the government. Whether Indian CSOs (civil society organizations) will accomplish this through international networks or by building local power is yet to be seen.” One of the weak links in India is pathetic capacity of the 29 states in understanding the brief, leave alone their ability to execute them. States often mistake climate change projects for development projects. Clearly, the success of India’s climate change action in the coming years will depend on how soon it accepts the recommendations made by an influential body in 2018. It recommended the constitution of a ‘Mission Mode Authority’, consisting of representatives of all missions and headed by the prime minister, to review implementation efforts, and to ensure an integrated, rather than fragmented, approach to climate change.” It appears that in India only ‘mission modes’, like the space mission or Swachh Bharat, seem to work. Subscribe to sustainabilitynext.in newsletter