The urgency to address rising temperatures and climate change was visible at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi where the G20 nations committed to urgently accelerate their actions to address environmental crises and challenges of climate change
In the 20th century, the German sociologist Max Weber identified ‘institutionalisation’ as an important safeguard for political actions. It not only ensures clear demarcation of state actors and their responsibilities, but also provides a formal mechanism of public accountability and feedback. Governments all over the world have historically demonstrated the effectiveness of institutionalisation as a basic step in systematically resolving larger problems related to education, health, housing, poverty, and other issues.
Among such global challenges, climate change has emerged as a problem that has the potential to worsen other developmental vulnerabilities drastically. India is uniquely positioned in this context. On one hand, as a rapidly growing economy, the country continues to depend on fossil fuels to achieve its full development potential, while on the other hand, India’s population is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to development impacts. Thus, the effectiveness of climate action in India is likely to determine its development for the present as well as future generations.
The Government of India has taken strides towards low carbon and climate-resilient development. At the national level, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has spearheaded India’s efforts towards climate action by formulating a comprehensive National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC). At the sub-national level, State Action Plans for Climate Change (SAPCC) have been instituted to ensure climate-sensitive governance that is attuned to the geographical and social needs of each state. The private sector is demonstrating its commitment to sustainability by investing in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) as well as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The academia is extensively involved in generating research-based evidence, recognising the complex scientific and societal dimensions of this phenomenon. The larger public is also engaged in diverse ways, from activist movements to art competitions in schools. These collective initiatives within the country allow the Indian government to confidently commit itself at the international level to Net Zero goals under the Paris Agreement.
During the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Delhi this year, the G20 nations reiterated their commitment to achieving global net zero Greenhous Gas (GHG) emissions/carbon neutrality by or around mid-century, while taking into account the latest scientific developments and in line with different national circumstances, considering different approaches including a circular carbon economy, socio-economic, technological, and market development, as well as promoting the most efficient solutions.
It is obvious that a complex problem like climate change in a complex country like India demands cooperation amongst multiple actors. However, several efforts lose their effectiveness due to their isolated nature. Any measures in this regard are often ad hoc in nature and may not adequately address the need for capacity development of actors on the ground. It is difficult to imagine how the fulfilment of climate commitments, from NAPCC to Net Zero goals, can take place without an effective coordination structure that allows for the long-term institutionalisation of such actions.
Dimensions of Institutionalisation
Climate governance in India has already dedicated political institutions at the national and sub-national levels, including nodal agencies, knowledge centres, and centres of excellence. However, due to the different focal ministries, there is always a possibility of either duplication of efforts or incompletion of actions. A potential approach for institutionalisation could be the establishment of a secretariat that solely functions as a coordinating, knowledge exchange and capacity development platform. This structure could be centrally or regionally located depending on whether a top-bottom or bottom-up approach is more viable. It should hold collaborative meetings and workshops for climate change departments and report the progress made at various levels.
Climate governance also requires efforts to conduct extensive research by think tanks and academic institutions which may then be made accessible to policy makers for making evidence-backed policy decisions. It is therefore imperative, that this secretariat must provide a platform for knowledge sharing and deliberation between national and international experts as well as decision-makers and the larger public.
Integrating climate sensitivity into policies must take place deliberately and consciously, leading to re-evaluation of existing policies. Apart from academic soundness, the drafting or revision of policies also needs to account for the concerns of those affected. Thus, this coordinating structure needs to also facilitate several rounds of consultations, workshops and dialogues involving government bodies, academic experts, and other relevant stakeholders. This will ensure a more participatory and accountable approach towards policy implementation.
Given the novelty of climate change as a political concern, government officials assigned to different roles might lack the expertise needed to incorporate its nuances in policy execution. Therefore, the divide between scientific understanding and policy enactment can be narrowed through this coordinating structure that provides targeted training to government officials. This can take place in various innovative formats, such as online and offline workshops, e-learning modules, manuals, and guidebooks. This, in turn, will also contribute towards the digitalisation and long-term accessibility of such capacity development programmes to wider audiences.
To pave the way for this institutionalisation, the Indo-German development cooperation project ‘Supporting the Institutionalisation of Capacities for Climate Change Studies and Actions’ commissioned by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in close cooperation with the MoEFCC in India from 2016 to 2023. The project has underscored that to achieve institutionalisation, engagement in three interconnected spheres, namely science, policy and practice, is key.
Importance of Change
Climate change is a challenge that will stay with us for a very long time. However, how long it should be considered as a challenge is entirely dependent on how governments choose to tackle it. The involvement of myriad actors in the climate action space in India is a strength, if streamlined appropriately. It is important to note that institutionalisation does not require the reinvention of the wheel, rather it demands convergence of various existing wheels to construct a cohesive vehicle for progress.
Institutionalisation of climate governance can ensure horizontal coordination across various ministries involved in this process while also allowing vertical coordination between central and federal ministries, as well as their representatives at the international level. Furthermore, it would facilitate better radial coordination by bringing together academic experts, sectoral practitioners, and the larger public. Thus, institutionalisation would provide a platform for integrating diverse perspectives on an equal footing.
Most importantly, such activities will be limited to mere documents and signatures, unless people take up climate action as their individual as well as collective problem. Once the government formally undertakes political institutionalisation, it is likely that the sustainability concerns will gradually evolve into a culture that is adopted by people, akin to the recently launched initiative by the Government of India called ‘Mission Lifestyle for Environment’. Thus, the institutionalisation of climate change studies and actions in India is one small step for the country, but one giant leap for the planet.
Authors:
Meghana Kshirsagar, Senior Advisor for Climate Change and Circular Economy, GIZ India
Gayathri Rajesh, Junior Consultant for Climate Change and Circular Economy, GIZ India
