Climate Change and India: A Look Through Our Lens | Indian Economy for UPSC CSE PDF Download

 Page 1


CHAPTER
13
CLIMATE CHANGE AND 
INDIA: WHY WE MUST 
LOOK AT THE PROBLEM 
THROUGH OUR LENS
Addressing anthropogenic climate change has emerged as the top global priority, with 
multilateral bodies, experts, and the media calling for nations worldwide to do their 
part in mitigating a ‘climate catastrophe’ before it’s too late. India, having partaken 
in the collective effort, has made major strides over the last decade, yet continues to 
be labelled as one of the largest polluters in the world and is frequently chastised for 
not doing enough. However, the criticisms of the Indian approach fail to recognise 
two critical points. One, India is faced with balancing economic development along 
with meaningful climate action akin to its developing peers, and second, the proposed 
solutions to climate change, which serve as the basis for criticising India, ignore how 
sustainable living is built into the Indian lifestyle. 
Rooted in the principles of sustenance, India’s ethos emphasises a harmonious 
relationship with nature, which is in sharp contrast to the overconsumption prevalent 
in other parts of the developed world. Solutions to address climate change are based 
on the principles of a market society, which seeks to substitute the means to achieve 
overconsumption rather than addressing overconsumption itself. Such an approach 
thus gives importance to the label under which their lifestyle can continue instead of 
bringing about a change in their lifestyle. 
Over the years, this has produced a slew of policies that have unintended consequences 
for the planet, resulting in little or no reduction in carbon emissions. If India, with its 
large population, chooses to go down this path, the climate consequences for the country 
and the world will be hugely negative. Therefore, India needs to follow its own path and 
look at the problem through its own lens if the nation is to empower its citizens through 
economic development while simultaneously addressing the issue of climate change.
These considerations served as the foundation for Mission LiFE, a unique initiative 
announced by the Hon’ble Prime Minister at the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference. 
Mission LiFE seeks to bring individual responsibility to the forefront of the fight against 
climate change. Deriving its principles from ancient Indian philosophy, the tenets of this 
approach are based on making pro-planet choices without compromising on quality of 
life. It is about making deliberate choices in the present while remaining conscious of 
the generations to come. Mission LiFE seeks to address the ‘wants’ of the people without 
letting them hurt Nature.
Page 2


CHAPTER
13
CLIMATE CHANGE AND 
INDIA: WHY WE MUST 
LOOK AT THE PROBLEM 
THROUGH OUR LENS
Addressing anthropogenic climate change has emerged as the top global priority, with 
multilateral bodies, experts, and the media calling for nations worldwide to do their 
part in mitigating a ‘climate catastrophe’ before it’s too late. India, having partaken 
in the collective effort, has made major strides over the last decade, yet continues to 
be labelled as one of the largest polluters in the world and is frequently chastised for 
not doing enough. However, the criticisms of the Indian approach fail to recognise 
two critical points. One, India is faced with balancing economic development along 
with meaningful climate action akin to its developing peers, and second, the proposed 
solutions to climate change, which serve as the basis for criticising India, ignore how 
sustainable living is built into the Indian lifestyle. 
Rooted in the principles of sustenance, India’s ethos emphasises a harmonious 
relationship with nature, which is in sharp contrast to the overconsumption prevalent 
in other parts of the developed world. Solutions to address climate change are based 
on the principles of a market society, which seeks to substitute the means to achieve 
overconsumption rather than addressing overconsumption itself. Such an approach 
thus gives importance to the label under which their lifestyle can continue instead of 
bringing about a change in their lifestyle. 
Over the years, this has produced a slew of policies that have unintended consequences 
for the planet, resulting in little or no reduction in carbon emissions. If India, with its 
large population, chooses to go down this path, the climate consequences for the country 
and the world will be hugely negative. Therefore, India needs to follow its own path and 
look at the problem through its own lens if the nation is to empower its citizens through 
economic development while simultaneously addressing the issue of climate change.
These considerations served as the foundation for Mission LiFE, a unique initiative 
announced by the Hon’ble Prime Minister at the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference. 
Mission LiFE seeks to bring individual responsibility to the forefront of the fight against 
climate change. Deriving its principles from ancient Indian philosophy, the tenets of this 
approach are based on making pro-planet choices without compromising on quality of 
life. It is about making deliberate choices in the present while remaining conscious of 
the generations to come. Mission LiFE seeks to address the ‘wants’ of the people without 
letting them hurt Nature.
Economic Survey 2023-24
448
INTRODUCTION
Mata Bhumi Putroham Prithivyah
Earth is my mother and I am her son
13.1. Sustenance is at the core of Indian ethos. This principle underlies our relationship with 
Nature, with other people, with materiality, and within ourselves. Recognising and buttressing 
such ethos is important in today’s world since India now comes face to face with it in a shiny 
new wrapper and a limited scope, ironically mandated from the part of the world that has 
otherwise relied on overconsumption as a pathway to growth.  As the clamour for sustainability 
resonates across the world, India finds itself surprised at the crossroads of having to address 
economically, what it has always believed and practised philosophically.
13.2. As the world’s most populous country, currently globally the 5th largest economy, India 
is headed to become the 3rd largest by 2030.  Naturally, this means that our energy needs are 
expected to grow - about 1.5 times faster than the global average in the next 30 years
1
. Instead 
of appreciating the task at hand and the achievements already made by the country (Box 1), 
India is being called one of the largest polluters
2
, and hectored to do more even as a significant 
portion of the world does less.
Box XIII.1: India’s achievements against targets for climate change
•  Successfully reduced the emission intensity vis-à-vis its GDP by 33% between 2005 and 
2019, thus achieving the initial NDC target for 2030, 11 years ahead of scheduled time.
•  Also achieved 40% of electric installed capacity through non-fossil fuel sources, nine 
years ahead of the target for 2030. Between 2017 and 2023, India has added around 100 
GW of installed electric capacity, of which around 80% is attributed to non-fossil fuel-
based resources.
•  India’s contribution to climate action is significant through its international efforts - 
International Solar Alliance (ISA), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), 
creation of LeadIT, Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS), and Big Cat Alliance.
13.3. With Climate Change as the new North Star for the world, it is now well-established 
that 196 countries must meet their individual commitments under ‘Nationally Determined 
Contributions’ towards reducing carbon emissions ‘to limit the global temperature increase to 
1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels’
3
. Since globally all efforts hover on channelling 
precious resources towards attaining this artificial golden mean, with little clear idea of what 
happens if it doesn’t, it naturally begets the question – ‘Is the strategy adopted, both optimum 
and in everyone’s interest?’
13.4. This essay purports to examine this peculiar situation under three sections – assessment 
of global pathways to achieve climate change goals, inherent dissonance in the global strategy, 
1   IEA
2    Why India is key to heading off climate catastrophe, Yale Climate Connections, May 2024 (https://tinyurl.com/
yfvvahws)
3   The Paris Agreement, adopted by 196 parties at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21), 
December 2015
Page 3


CHAPTER
13
CLIMATE CHANGE AND 
INDIA: WHY WE MUST 
LOOK AT THE PROBLEM 
THROUGH OUR LENS
Addressing anthropogenic climate change has emerged as the top global priority, with 
multilateral bodies, experts, and the media calling for nations worldwide to do their 
part in mitigating a ‘climate catastrophe’ before it’s too late. India, having partaken 
in the collective effort, has made major strides over the last decade, yet continues to 
be labelled as one of the largest polluters in the world and is frequently chastised for 
not doing enough. However, the criticisms of the Indian approach fail to recognise 
two critical points. One, India is faced with balancing economic development along 
with meaningful climate action akin to its developing peers, and second, the proposed 
solutions to climate change, which serve as the basis for criticising India, ignore how 
sustainable living is built into the Indian lifestyle. 
Rooted in the principles of sustenance, India’s ethos emphasises a harmonious 
relationship with nature, which is in sharp contrast to the overconsumption prevalent 
in other parts of the developed world. Solutions to address climate change are based 
on the principles of a market society, which seeks to substitute the means to achieve 
overconsumption rather than addressing overconsumption itself. Such an approach 
thus gives importance to the label under which their lifestyle can continue instead of 
bringing about a change in their lifestyle. 
Over the years, this has produced a slew of policies that have unintended consequences 
for the planet, resulting in little or no reduction in carbon emissions. If India, with its 
large population, chooses to go down this path, the climate consequences for the country 
and the world will be hugely negative. Therefore, India needs to follow its own path and 
look at the problem through its own lens if the nation is to empower its citizens through 
economic development while simultaneously addressing the issue of climate change.
These considerations served as the foundation for Mission LiFE, a unique initiative 
announced by the Hon’ble Prime Minister at the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference. 
Mission LiFE seeks to bring individual responsibility to the forefront of the fight against 
climate change. Deriving its principles from ancient Indian philosophy, the tenets of this 
approach are based on making pro-planet choices without compromising on quality of 
life. It is about making deliberate choices in the present while remaining conscious of 
the generations to come. Mission LiFE seeks to address the ‘wants’ of the people without 
letting them hurt Nature.
Economic Survey 2023-24
448
INTRODUCTION
Mata Bhumi Putroham Prithivyah
Earth is my mother and I am her son
13.1. Sustenance is at the core of Indian ethos. This principle underlies our relationship with 
Nature, with other people, with materiality, and within ourselves. Recognising and buttressing 
such ethos is important in today’s world since India now comes face to face with it in a shiny 
new wrapper and a limited scope, ironically mandated from the part of the world that has 
otherwise relied on overconsumption as a pathway to growth.  As the clamour for sustainability 
resonates across the world, India finds itself surprised at the crossroads of having to address 
economically, what it has always believed and practised philosophically.
13.2. As the world’s most populous country, currently globally the 5th largest economy, India 
is headed to become the 3rd largest by 2030.  Naturally, this means that our energy needs are 
expected to grow - about 1.5 times faster than the global average in the next 30 years
1
. Instead 
of appreciating the task at hand and the achievements already made by the country (Box 1), 
India is being called one of the largest polluters
2
, and hectored to do more even as a significant 
portion of the world does less.
Box XIII.1: India’s achievements against targets for climate change
•  Successfully reduced the emission intensity vis-à-vis its GDP by 33% between 2005 and 
2019, thus achieving the initial NDC target for 2030, 11 years ahead of scheduled time.
•  Also achieved 40% of electric installed capacity through non-fossil fuel sources, nine 
years ahead of the target for 2030. Between 2017 and 2023, India has added around 100 
GW of installed electric capacity, of which around 80% is attributed to non-fossil fuel-
based resources.
•  India’s contribution to climate action is significant through its international efforts - 
International Solar Alliance (ISA), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), 
creation of LeadIT, Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS), and Big Cat Alliance.
13.3. With Climate Change as the new North Star for the world, it is now well-established 
that 196 countries must meet their individual commitments under ‘Nationally Determined 
Contributions’ towards reducing carbon emissions ‘to limit the global temperature increase to 
1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels’
3
. Since globally all efforts hover on channelling 
precious resources towards attaining this artificial golden mean, with little clear idea of what 
happens if it doesn’t, it naturally begets the question – ‘Is the strategy adopted, both optimum 
and in everyone’s interest?’
13.4. This essay purports to examine this peculiar situation under three sections – assessment 
of global pathways to achieve climate change goals, inherent dissonance in the global strategy, 
1   IEA
2    Why India is key to heading off climate catastrophe, Yale Climate Connections, May 2024 (https://tinyurl.com/
yfvvahws)
3   The Paris Agreement, adopted by 196 parties at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21), 
December 2015
Climate Change and India
449
and the need for a complementary but more sustainable strategy centred on key tenets of 
existence (Mission LiFE).
CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE GLOBAL APPROACH
13.5. As the literature goes, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly carbon dioxide 
(CO2), primarily contribute to adverse climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on 
Climate Change (IPCC)
4
 paints a dire picture - emissions pose a serious threat since CO2, once 
released into the atmosphere, can hang for 300 to 1000 years
5
, causing global warming and 
environmental destruction such as the melting of polar ice caps.  
13.6. To achieve the stated objectives, the world has adopted a strategy that comprises a 
set of pathways, popularly called ‘climate adaptation’ and ‘climate mitigation’. Most of this 
includes shifting to energy sources other than fossil fuels, enhancing energy efficiency through 
innovative and environment-friendly design, adopting regenerative and environmentally 
sensitive agricultural practices, as well as protecting and restoring the natural ecosystems (See 
Box XIII.2).
Box XIII.2: WEO-2023 proposes a global strategy for getting the world on track by  2030
The Five Key Pillars to this proposal include:
•  Tripling global Renewable Energy Capacity.
• Doubling the rate of Energy Efficiency improvements.
• Slashing methane emissions from fossil fuel operations by 75 per cent.
•  Innovative, large-scale financing mechanisms to triple clean energy investments in 
emerging and developing economies. 
•  Measures to ensure an orderly decline in the use of fossil fuels, including an end to new 
approvals of unabated coal-fired power plants.
WHY IS THE CURRENT APPROACH FLAWED?
13.7. To inform the design of emission-limiting pathways, IPCC has quantified the remaining 
carbon space available as the “carbon budget.” As per their estimates, from the beginning of 
2020, the world has approximately 500 GtCO2 left for a target of 1.5°C and 1150 GtCO2 for 
a target of 2°C (with a likelihood of 50% and 67%, respectively). With each passing year, the 
budget gets smaller, and the time available to act slips away. Nations are then expected to 
commit to “accelerated and equitable mitigation pathways” while walking the tightrope of 
developmental demands. The alarmism sounds quite dreadful, with the IPCC stating, “there 
is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for 
4   The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report (IPCC AR6) states, “Human-caused 
climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes. This has led to widespread adverse 
impacts on food and water security, human health and on economies and society”. The half-life of CO2 and a stock 
of the damage already caused has thus given rise to a need for collective action if we are to limit temperature rises 
and the consequent environmental damage.   
5   The Atmosphere: Getting a Handle on Carbon Dioxide, Alan Buis, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, October 
2019 (https://tinyurl.com/4hjfzxev)
Page 4


CHAPTER
13
CLIMATE CHANGE AND 
INDIA: WHY WE MUST 
LOOK AT THE PROBLEM 
THROUGH OUR LENS
Addressing anthropogenic climate change has emerged as the top global priority, with 
multilateral bodies, experts, and the media calling for nations worldwide to do their 
part in mitigating a ‘climate catastrophe’ before it’s too late. India, having partaken 
in the collective effort, has made major strides over the last decade, yet continues to 
be labelled as one of the largest polluters in the world and is frequently chastised for 
not doing enough. However, the criticisms of the Indian approach fail to recognise 
two critical points. One, India is faced with balancing economic development along 
with meaningful climate action akin to its developing peers, and second, the proposed 
solutions to climate change, which serve as the basis for criticising India, ignore how 
sustainable living is built into the Indian lifestyle. 
Rooted in the principles of sustenance, India’s ethos emphasises a harmonious 
relationship with nature, which is in sharp contrast to the overconsumption prevalent 
in other parts of the developed world. Solutions to address climate change are based 
on the principles of a market society, which seeks to substitute the means to achieve 
overconsumption rather than addressing overconsumption itself. Such an approach 
thus gives importance to the label under which their lifestyle can continue instead of 
bringing about a change in their lifestyle. 
Over the years, this has produced a slew of policies that have unintended consequences 
for the planet, resulting in little or no reduction in carbon emissions. If India, with its 
large population, chooses to go down this path, the climate consequences for the country 
and the world will be hugely negative. Therefore, India needs to follow its own path and 
look at the problem through its own lens if the nation is to empower its citizens through 
economic development while simultaneously addressing the issue of climate change.
These considerations served as the foundation for Mission LiFE, a unique initiative 
announced by the Hon’ble Prime Minister at the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference. 
Mission LiFE seeks to bring individual responsibility to the forefront of the fight against 
climate change. Deriving its principles from ancient Indian philosophy, the tenets of this 
approach are based on making pro-planet choices without compromising on quality of 
life. It is about making deliberate choices in the present while remaining conscious of 
the generations to come. Mission LiFE seeks to address the ‘wants’ of the people without 
letting them hurt Nature.
Economic Survey 2023-24
448
INTRODUCTION
Mata Bhumi Putroham Prithivyah
Earth is my mother and I am her son
13.1. Sustenance is at the core of Indian ethos. This principle underlies our relationship with 
Nature, with other people, with materiality, and within ourselves. Recognising and buttressing 
such ethos is important in today’s world since India now comes face to face with it in a shiny 
new wrapper and a limited scope, ironically mandated from the part of the world that has 
otherwise relied on overconsumption as a pathway to growth.  As the clamour for sustainability 
resonates across the world, India finds itself surprised at the crossroads of having to address 
economically, what it has always believed and practised philosophically.
13.2. As the world’s most populous country, currently globally the 5th largest economy, India 
is headed to become the 3rd largest by 2030.  Naturally, this means that our energy needs are 
expected to grow - about 1.5 times faster than the global average in the next 30 years
1
. Instead 
of appreciating the task at hand and the achievements already made by the country (Box 1), 
India is being called one of the largest polluters
2
, and hectored to do more even as a significant 
portion of the world does less.
Box XIII.1: India’s achievements against targets for climate change
•  Successfully reduced the emission intensity vis-à-vis its GDP by 33% between 2005 and 
2019, thus achieving the initial NDC target for 2030, 11 years ahead of scheduled time.
•  Also achieved 40% of electric installed capacity through non-fossil fuel sources, nine 
years ahead of the target for 2030. Between 2017 and 2023, India has added around 100 
GW of installed electric capacity, of which around 80% is attributed to non-fossil fuel-
based resources.
•  India’s contribution to climate action is significant through its international efforts - 
International Solar Alliance (ISA), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), 
creation of LeadIT, Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS), and Big Cat Alliance.
13.3. With Climate Change as the new North Star for the world, it is now well-established 
that 196 countries must meet their individual commitments under ‘Nationally Determined 
Contributions’ towards reducing carbon emissions ‘to limit the global temperature increase to 
1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels’
3
. Since globally all efforts hover on channelling 
precious resources towards attaining this artificial golden mean, with little clear idea of what 
happens if it doesn’t, it naturally begets the question – ‘Is the strategy adopted, both optimum 
and in everyone’s interest?’
13.4. This essay purports to examine this peculiar situation under three sections – assessment 
of global pathways to achieve climate change goals, inherent dissonance in the global strategy, 
1   IEA
2    Why India is key to heading off climate catastrophe, Yale Climate Connections, May 2024 (https://tinyurl.com/
yfvvahws)
3   The Paris Agreement, adopted by 196 parties at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21), 
December 2015
Climate Change and India
449
and the need for a complementary but more sustainable strategy centred on key tenets of 
existence (Mission LiFE).
CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE GLOBAL APPROACH
13.5. As the literature goes, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly carbon dioxide 
(CO2), primarily contribute to adverse climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on 
Climate Change (IPCC)
4
 paints a dire picture - emissions pose a serious threat since CO2, once 
released into the atmosphere, can hang for 300 to 1000 years
5
, causing global warming and 
environmental destruction such as the melting of polar ice caps.  
13.6. To achieve the stated objectives, the world has adopted a strategy that comprises a 
set of pathways, popularly called ‘climate adaptation’ and ‘climate mitigation’. Most of this 
includes shifting to energy sources other than fossil fuels, enhancing energy efficiency through 
innovative and environment-friendly design, adopting regenerative and environmentally 
sensitive agricultural practices, as well as protecting and restoring the natural ecosystems (See 
Box XIII.2).
Box XIII.2: WEO-2023 proposes a global strategy for getting the world on track by  2030
The Five Key Pillars to this proposal include:
•  Tripling global Renewable Energy Capacity.
• Doubling the rate of Energy Efficiency improvements.
• Slashing methane emissions from fossil fuel operations by 75 per cent.
•  Innovative, large-scale financing mechanisms to triple clean energy investments in 
emerging and developing economies. 
•  Measures to ensure an orderly decline in the use of fossil fuels, including an end to new 
approvals of unabated coal-fired power plants.
WHY IS THE CURRENT APPROACH FLAWED?
13.7. To inform the design of emission-limiting pathways, IPCC has quantified the remaining 
carbon space available as the “carbon budget.” As per their estimates, from the beginning of 
2020, the world has approximately 500 GtCO2 left for a target of 1.5°C and 1150 GtCO2 for 
a target of 2°C (with a likelihood of 50% and 67%, respectively). With each passing year, the 
budget gets smaller, and the time available to act slips away. Nations are then expected to 
commit to “accelerated and equitable mitigation pathways” while walking the tightrope of 
developmental demands. The alarmism sounds quite dreadful, with the IPCC stating, “there 
is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for 
4   The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report (IPCC AR6) states, “Human-caused 
climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes. This has led to widespread adverse 
impacts on food and water security, human health and on economies and society”. The half-life of CO2 and a stock 
of the damage already caused has thus given rise to a need for collective action if we are to limit temperature rises 
and the consequent environmental damage.   
5   The Atmosphere: Getting a Handle on Carbon Dioxide, Alan Buis, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, October 
2019 (https://tinyurl.com/4hjfzxev)
Economic Survey 2023-24
450
all”.  Such forebodings notwithstanding, the purported climate solution has some fundamental 
issues.
Little principled understanding of laws of Life
13.8. Life exists only in the form as we know it today. Hence, any strategy that aims to confuse 
man-made actions as entire solutions by themselves is extremely short-sighted in nature. 
Ultimately, we cannot ignore the reality that we come from nature, and the systems required 
for life must necessarily be linked to the organic flow of nature and life. No artificial mechanism 
is a workable system in its entirety because as much as we can ingeniously tinker with 
manufacturing processes, two simple principles stand paramount- 1) Humans cannot create 
a new element, cannot change any law of nature, and cannot synthesise a process that doesn’t 
take or release to the environment. 2) Fundamentals of existence remain the same eternally. 
This means humans will continue to want oxygen, water, and food in the form we know it. Yet, 
we continue to disrupt the same for both us and other species. That’s why the adopted strategy 
for addressing climate change suffers from foundational issues. 
13.9. Climate change strategies continue to be prescriptive in the acceptable mandates for 
geographically, economically, and climatically different countries. Without cross-learning, 
many natural ideas relevant to sustainable development, such as consumption patterns, 
lifestyles, plant vs meat-based diet, etc., are not factored in. 
13.10. Globally, Power and Transport industries have the maximum contribution to GHG 
emissions, followed by Industrial combustion, Agriculture, and Waste industries. Of the latter, 
Beef production has the highest emissions per kilogram of food product as seen in Tab XIII.1. 
Despite this, there is not even a call for change, let alone a mandate.
Chart XIII.1: Greenhouse gas emissions across the supply 
chain for various food products (2018)
 
 
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Wheat & Rye
Maize
Oatmeal
Milk
Rice
Eggs
Olive Oil
Soybean Oil
Poultry Meat
Pig Meat
Fish (farmed)
Cheese
Coffee
Beef (dairy herd)
Lamb & Mutton
Dark Chocolate
Beef (beef herd)
GHG Emissions Per Kilogram of food produced (CO2 Equivalent)
Source: Poore, J., & Nemecek, T. (2018). Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and 
consumers. Science, 360(6392), 987-992.– processed by Our World in Data (https://tinyurl.com/3xja4ajs)
Page 5


CHAPTER
13
CLIMATE CHANGE AND 
INDIA: WHY WE MUST 
LOOK AT THE PROBLEM 
THROUGH OUR LENS
Addressing anthropogenic climate change has emerged as the top global priority, with 
multilateral bodies, experts, and the media calling for nations worldwide to do their 
part in mitigating a ‘climate catastrophe’ before it’s too late. India, having partaken 
in the collective effort, has made major strides over the last decade, yet continues to 
be labelled as one of the largest polluters in the world and is frequently chastised for 
not doing enough. However, the criticisms of the Indian approach fail to recognise 
two critical points. One, India is faced with balancing economic development along 
with meaningful climate action akin to its developing peers, and second, the proposed 
solutions to climate change, which serve as the basis for criticising India, ignore how 
sustainable living is built into the Indian lifestyle. 
Rooted in the principles of sustenance, India’s ethos emphasises a harmonious 
relationship with nature, which is in sharp contrast to the overconsumption prevalent 
in other parts of the developed world. Solutions to address climate change are based 
on the principles of a market society, which seeks to substitute the means to achieve 
overconsumption rather than addressing overconsumption itself. Such an approach 
thus gives importance to the label under which their lifestyle can continue instead of 
bringing about a change in their lifestyle. 
Over the years, this has produced a slew of policies that have unintended consequences 
for the planet, resulting in little or no reduction in carbon emissions. If India, with its 
large population, chooses to go down this path, the climate consequences for the country 
and the world will be hugely negative. Therefore, India needs to follow its own path and 
look at the problem through its own lens if the nation is to empower its citizens through 
economic development while simultaneously addressing the issue of climate change.
These considerations served as the foundation for Mission LiFE, a unique initiative 
announced by the Hon’ble Prime Minister at the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference. 
Mission LiFE seeks to bring individual responsibility to the forefront of the fight against 
climate change. Deriving its principles from ancient Indian philosophy, the tenets of this 
approach are based on making pro-planet choices without compromising on quality of 
life. It is about making deliberate choices in the present while remaining conscious of 
the generations to come. Mission LiFE seeks to address the ‘wants’ of the people without 
letting them hurt Nature.
Economic Survey 2023-24
448
INTRODUCTION
Mata Bhumi Putroham Prithivyah
Earth is my mother and I am her son
13.1. Sustenance is at the core of Indian ethos. This principle underlies our relationship with 
Nature, with other people, with materiality, and within ourselves. Recognising and buttressing 
such ethos is important in today’s world since India now comes face to face with it in a shiny 
new wrapper and a limited scope, ironically mandated from the part of the world that has 
otherwise relied on overconsumption as a pathway to growth.  As the clamour for sustainability 
resonates across the world, India finds itself surprised at the crossroads of having to address 
economically, what it has always believed and practised philosophically.
13.2. As the world’s most populous country, currently globally the 5th largest economy, India 
is headed to become the 3rd largest by 2030.  Naturally, this means that our energy needs are 
expected to grow - about 1.5 times faster than the global average in the next 30 years
1
. Instead 
of appreciating the task at hand and the achievements already made by the country (Box 1), 
India is being called one of the largest polluters
2
, and hectored to do more even as a significant 
portion of the world does less.
Box XIII.1: India’s achievements against targets for climate change
•  Successfully reduced the emission intensity vis-à-vis its GDP by 33% between 2005 and 
2019, thus achieving the initial NDC target for 2030, 11 years ahead of scheduled time.
•  Also achieved 40% of electric installed capacity through non-fossil fuel sources, nine 
years ahead of the target for 2030. Between 2017 and 2023, India has added around 100 
GW of installed electric capacity, of which around 80% is attributed to non-fossil fuel-
based resources.
•  India’s contribution to climate action is significant through its international efforts - 
International Solar Alliance (ISA), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), 
creation of LeadIT, Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS), and Big Cat Alliance.
13.3. With Climate Change as the new North Star for the world, it is now well-established 
that 196 countries must meet their individual commitments under ‘Nationally Determined 
Contributions’ towards reducing carbon emissions ‘to limit the global temperature increase to 
1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels’
3
. Since globally all efforts hover on channelling 
precious resources towards attaining this artificial golden mean, with little clear idea of what 
happens if it doesn’t, it naturally begets the question – ‘Is the strategy adopted, both optimum 
and in everyone’s interest?’
13.4. This essay purports to examine this peculiar situation under three sections – assessment 
of global pathways to achieve climate change goals, inherent dissonance in the global strategy, 
1   IEA
2    Why India is key to heading off climate catastrophe, Yale Climate Connections, May 2024 (https://tinyurl.com/
yfvvahws)
3   The Paris Agreement, adopted by 196 parties at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21), 
December 2015
Climate Change and India
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and the need for a complementary but more sustainable strategy centred on key tenets of 
existence (Mission LiFE).
CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE GLOBAL APPROACH
13.5. As the literature goes, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly carbon dioxide 
(CO2), primarily contribute to adverse climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on 
Climate Change (IPCC)
4
 paints a dire picture - emissions pose a serious threat since CO2, once 
released into the atmosphere, can hang for 300 to 1000 years
5
, causing global warming and 
environmental destruction such as the melting of polar ice caps.  
13.6. To achieve the stated objectives, the world has adopted a strategy that comprises a 
set of pathways, popularly called ‘climate adaptation’ and ‘climate mitigation’. Most of this 
includes shifting to energy sources other than fossil fuels, enhancing energy efficiency through 
innovative and environment-friendly design, adopting regenerative and environmentally 
sensitive agricultural practices, as well as protecting and restoring the natural ecosystems (See 
Box XIII.2).
Box XIII.2: WEO-2023 proposes a global strategy for getting the world on track by  2030
The Five Key Pillars to this proposal include:
•  Tripling global Renewable Energy Capacity.
• Doubling the rate of Energy Efficiency improvements.
• Slashing methane emissions from fossil fuel operations by 75 per cent.
•  Innovative, large-scale financing mechanisms to triple clean energy investments in 
emerging and developing economies. 
•  Measures to ensure an orderly decline in the use of fossil fuels, including an end to new 
approvals of unabated coal-fired power plants.
WHY IS THE CURRENT APPROACH FLAWED?
13.7. To inform the design of emission-limiting pathways, IPCC has quantified the remaining 
carbon space available as the “carbon budget.” As per their estimates, from the beginning of 
2020, the world has approximately 500 GtCO2 left for a target of 1.5°C and 1150 GtCO2 for 
a target of 2°C (with a likelihood of 50% and 67%, respectively). With each passing year, the 
budget gets smaller, and the time available to act slips away. Nations are then expected to 
commit to “accelerated and equitable mitigation pathways” while walking the tightrope of 
developmental demands. The alarmism sounds quite dreadful, with the IPCC stating, “there 
is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for 
4   The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report (IPCC AR6) states, “Human-caused 
climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes. This has led to widespread adverse 
impacts on food and water security, human health and on economies and society”. The half-life of CO2 and a stock 
of the damage already caused has thus given rise to a need for collective action if we are to limit temperature rises 
and the consequent environmental damage.   
5   The Atmosphere: Getting a Handle on Carbon Dioxide, Alan Buis, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, October 
2019 (https://tinyurl.com/4hjfzxev)
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all”.  Such forebodings notwithstanding, the purported climate solution has some fundamental 
issues.
Little principled understanding of laws of Life
13.8. Life exists only in the form as we know it today. Hence, any strategy that aims to confuse 
man-made actions as entire solutions by themselves is extremely short-sighted in nature. 
Ultimately, we cannot ignore the reality that we come from nature, and the systems required 
for life must necessarily be linked to the organic flow of nature and life. No artificial mechanism 
is a workable system in its entirety because as much as we can ingeniously tinker with 
manufacturing processes, two simple principles stand paramount- 1) Humans cannot create 
a new element, cannot change any law of nature, and cannot synthesise a process that doesn’t 
take or release to the environment. 2) Fundamentals of existence remain the same eternally. 
This means humans will continue to want oxygen, water, and food in the form we know it. Yet, 
we continue to disrupt the same for both us and other species. That’s why the adopted strategy 
for addressing climate change suffers from foundational issues. 
13.9. Climate change strategies continue to be prescriptive in the acceptable mandates for 
geographically, economically, and climatically different countries. Without cross-learning, 
many natural ideas relevant to sustainable development, such as consumption patterns, 
lifestyles, plant vs meat-based diet, etc., are not factored in. 
13.10. Globally, Power and Transport industries have the maximum contribution to GHG 
emissions, followed by Industrial combustion, Agriculture, and Waste industries. Of the latter, 
Beef production has the highest emissions per kilogram of food product as seen in Tab XIII.1. 
Despite this, there is not even a call for change, let alone a mandate.
Chart XIII.1: Greenhouse gas emissions across the supply 
chain for various food products (2018)
 
 
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Wheat & Rye
Maize
Oatmeal
Milk
Rice
Eggs
Olive Oil
Soybean Oil
Poultry Meat
Pig Meat
Fish (farmed)
Cheese
Coffee
Beef (dairy herd)
Lamb & Mutton
Dark Chocolate
Beef (beef herd)
GHG Emissions Per Kilogram of food produced (CO2 Equivalent)
Source: Poore, J., & Nemecek, T. (2018). Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and 
consumers. Science, 360(6392), 987-992.– processed by Our World in Data (https://tinyurl.com/3xja4ajs)
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13.11. The entire developed world uses toilet paper made of ‘virgin wood’ for the most regular 
body activity, every single day, multiple times over. One of the best global sustainability blogs 
‘TreeHugger’ states that ‘Making one single roll of toilet paper uses 1.5 pounds of wood
6
, 37 
gallons of water and 1.3 kWh of electricity. Many Asian countries provide valuable lessons 
around these, yet their non-capitalist strategies often remain excluded from mainstream discussions 
because Behavioural and Lifestyle Change seems to be more difficult than Climate Change.
13.12. Man, and Nature (gross forms of Purush and Prakriti in the Samkhya Tradition) are 
indestructible entities that interact to provide meaning to consciousness in the form of reality 
as we know it. Hence, any strategy that aims to alter things far beyond the comprehension or 
control of man, such as ensuring that the planet’s temperature doesn’t cross 2 degrees Celsius, 
must travel the journey inwards and not outwards.
Ignores the interconnected nature of existence
13.13. Climate is nature’s reality so inherently interconnected in ways that science hasn’t even 
discovered its nuances. Surprisingly, our accepted pathways seem to ignore this unmissable 
reality to focus on siloed solutions, unintegrated with natural value chains. A case in point is 
the substitution of energy – to renewables from fossil fuels.
13.14. There is hardly any inequivalence foundationally between extracting earth for one 
resource over another. Solar panels may generate renewable energy, but solar batteries are 
formed of materials extracted from the earth’s crust
7
, particularly Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, and 
some rare earth minerals
8
.  According to some estimates
9
, this not only leaves ‘large scars in 
the landscape’ but requires substantial water, releasing about 15 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of 
mineral
10
. Bringing the extracted ore to usable forms requires heat between 800-1000 degrees 
Celsius
11
, temperatures that can, ironically, be cost-effectively brought out by only burning 
fossil fuels (Chart XIII.2).
13.15. Cobalt and Copper, used extensively in Li-ion batteries, electric vehicles, and mobile 
phones, have a raging sustainability crisis at the heart of their extraction. About four-fifths of 
the world’s cobalt supply is buried deep within a single country that is also one of the world’s 
poorest – the Democratic Republic of Congo (hereafter referred to as Congo). About 80% of 
the country’s cobalt production is controlled by Chinese companies who refine in China, and 
subsequently sell to battery manufacturers globally. Siddharth Kara, a fellow at Harvard’s T.H 
Chan School of Public Health, states in his book ‘Cobalt Red’ that much of Congo’s Cobalt 
extraction is done by “artisanal miners’’ – a new-age euphemistic term for freelance workers 
6  Stop Using Toiler Paper; Get the Blue Bidet, Treehugger, October 2018 (https://tinyurl.com/3rmjz8kn)
7   Most of the minerals extracted are from hard rock mines or underground brine reservoirs through a process that 
requires energy generated from CO2-emitting fossil fuels. 
8   Some of the magnets used in their production comprise rare earth minerals like neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) 
and samarium cobalt (SmCo). They are not ‘rare’ in the actual sense of the word but abundant in the earth’s crust. 
However, since they occur in relatively low concentrations in the ores compared to other normally extractable 
metals, they pose significant difficulty in mining and refining, which again does huge damage to the environment.
9   The new ‘gold rush’ for green lithium, BBC, November 2020 (https://tinyurl.com/mrjsuw9w).
10  Analysis by raw materials experts Minviro for the lithium and geothermal energy firm Vulcan Energy Resources.
11   How much CO2 is emitted by manufacturing batteries?, MIT Climate Portal, March 2022 (https://tinyurl.com/
pvbxkx44).