Climate Change

In the post-Paris agreement era, accelerating climate action is the biggest hope to ensure a safe future for all. In India, our work focuses on climate modelling to develop a better understanding of climate variability at regional scales. We study the risks and vulnerabilities of key sectors such as water, health, agriculture and industry. Our work in climate science is inextricably linked to policy research and recommendations for the Indian government to shape its domestic policies, as well as contribute to its position in global negotiations. Through a number of initiatives, we are beginning to extend our knowledge and research in climate science and policy to other emerging economies.

climate

NEW IN CLIMATE

  • Financing

    Project Report

    Financing Decarbonization of Indian Secondary Steel Sector: Towards an Enabling Environment

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    urban-heat

    Theme

    HFCs – Enabling efficient refrigerant transitions

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  • climate change video

     

    Research paper

    A Transformative Global Goal on Adaptation: Scope, Science and Policy

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  • climate

    Policy Brief

    Mobile Air Conditioning (MAC): A technology landscape, challenges and opportunities for sustainable cooling

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  • Adaptation future

    Article

    Urban Flood Analysis and Early Warning Solution for Disaster Resilience

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Projects

Articles

WSDS2024: Launch of MTCoE’s Daylight Plugin Tool at the thematic session "Advancing Sustainable Building Practices: Role of Laboratories and State-of-the-art Infrastructure to Enhance Energy Efficiency & Thermal Comfort."

Ms Shiren Pandita

The session was conducted as a part of the World Sustainable Development Summit 2024, the only leading sustainable development summit in the Global South. Held on February 8th, 2024, at the India Habitat Centre, it focused on exploring the potential of smart technologies and data analytics in managing energy and optimizing building performance, emphasizing the significance of human-centric design for improving occupant comfort.

Heat Waves and Action Plans: How Does India Fare?

While preparedness, alerts and warnings, and other measures of heat action plans have vastly reduced the impact of heat waves, the duration and frequency of climate-induced heat waves are on the rise. Jency Samuel says that as heat waves impact people’s health and livelihood, and the nation’s economy adversely, there is a need to improve and better implement the heat action plans.

Urban Flood Analysis and Early Warning Solution for Disaster Resilience

Mr Prasoon Singh

Abstract

The objective of this work is to present the experimental findings of an urban flood early warning system developed by combining a mesoscale numerical weather prediction model (WRF) forecast with a distributed hydrologic modeling system. Hydrodynamic models have been used in the simulation of intricate and interrelated dynamic systems, such as urban watersheds and urban water infrastructure. The use of these models in assessing flood hazard, vulnerability, and risk is well-established.

Dr Vibha Dhawan meets heads of governments of Japan and Guyana

Director General brings focus on TERI’s multiple initiatives during visits to Japan, Guyana and the United States

TERI director general Dr Vibha Dhawan met heads of government of Japan and Guyana, and the Indian Ambassador to the United States of America (USA) in the month of October.

Brahmapuram Landfill Fire: Points towards the Need for Decentralized Waste Management

In this article, Sharada Balasubramanian highlights that a series of flames have been breaking out, year after year, at the Brahmapuram landfill in Kerala. Yet, it was not taken seriously. This year, the massive uncontrollable fire breakout urged the Kochi Corporation to take serious steps to resolve this issue as it impacted the health of people and the environment. Brahmapuram is the only landfill that is a bone of contention in Kerala, where solid waste management, otherwise is decentralized and systematic.

Mainstreaming Climate-Resilient Water and Sanitation Infrastructure For Long Lasting Impacts

Ms Manisha Jain

In this article, Manisha Jain and Dr Kriti Akansha highlight that it is necessary to support long-term thinking, transformation, flexibility and innovation while taking the associated climate risks into consideration to attain climate resilience. There is a need for a robust framework that ensures climate policies are integrated into all sectors and that planning, implementation, and evaluation are strictly followed.

Events

CEO Forum at WSDS 2025

March 6, 2025
to March 6, 2025

Challenges related to sustainable development and climate change are complex and highly interconnected, necessitating action from a spectrum of stakeholders. The Paris Agreement of 2015 clearly states that, among these stakeholders, the private sector plays a key role in confronting the core issues relating to sustainable development. Businesses, through the mobilization of resources, play a crucial role in enabling actions on sustainable development; the transition to clean energy, for example, driven by private sector investments, is demonstrative of such commitments.

WSDS 2025 Thematic Track-Watershed Management for Agricultural Resilience: Challenges, Solutions, and Sustainable Development

March 5, 2025
to March 5, 2025

Rural communities throughout India face various challenges related to climate change and its variability, coupled with declining farm productivity and livelihood due to depleting and degrading natural resources. Dryland agriculture in India is particularly vulnerable to climate change, given the dependence of its dense population on agriculture, excessive pressure on natural resources, and limited coping capacities. The anticipated impacts of climate change are likely to further strain already scarce land, water resources, and livelihoods.

WSDS 2025 Thematic Track - Accelerating Transformation: SDG Implementation and Climate and Biodiversity Goals

March 5, 2025
to March 5, 2025

With just five years left to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR, 2024) highlights pressing needs to accelerate SDG implementation and transformation. The report demonstrates ideas and best practice experiences on how this could be achieved. India, as well as Germany will present their Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in New York this summer 2025.

WSDS 2025 Thematic Track: Beyond Blueprints: Reimagining Climate-Resilient Cities through Living Labs and Digital Democracy

March 5, 2025
to March 5, 2025

Session Note

As cities become the frontline of the climate crisis, traditional urban planning approaches—often rigid, top-down, and siloed—struggle to keep pace with the increasing frequency and intensity of climate shocks. With growing urban populations, rising emissions, and expanding climate vulnerabilities, there is an urgent need to rethink how cities plan, implement, and govern climate resilience efforts. The time has come to move beyond static blueprints and embrace dynamic, participatory, and data-driven governance models that enable real-time, adaptive climate action.

WSDS 2025 Thematic Tracks - Climate Finance: Accelerating India's Decarbonisation Journey

March 5, 2025
to March 5, 2025

India is undergoing a significant energy transition, marked by an increasing reliance on renewable energy sources. As of October 2024, the country’s renewable energy-based electricity generation capacity stands at 203.18 GW, accounting for 46.3% of its total installed capacity of 452.69 GW. This progress underscores India's commitment to cleaner, non-fossil fuel energy sources and its broader climate action goals.

WSDS 2025 Thematic Track- Science and Policy Action on Reducing Plastic and Chemical Waste in the Marine Environment

March 5, 2025
to March 5, 2025

India is a significant contributor to marine plastic pollution, primarily due to its large population, extensive coastline, and challenges in waste management. Recent estimates indicate that India generates approximately 9.3 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, accounting for nearly 20% of the global plastic waste. Of this, about 3.5 million tonnes are mismanaged and leak into the environment each year, surpassing other major polluters such as Nigeria, Indonesia, and China.

News

US fossil fuel push may undo climate progress. But it will have to pause, says Teri chief

February 17, 2025 |
February 17, 2025
Mint

The US' focus on drilling oil and gas, among the most polluting fossil fuels, will reverse the climate action progress and have an adverse impact on the sector says Dr Vibha Dhawan, Director General, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).

Climate-Induced Migration: A Growing Crisis in South Asia

February 12, 2025
| Dr Vibha Dhawan
| The Diplomatist Magazine, February 2025 edition

Addressing migration requires both short-term and long-term fixes. Comprehensive adaptation techniques are more important than ever as environmental changes continue to affect communities throughout South Asia, says Dr Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI.

What Trump’s withdrawal from climate change commitments means

January 27, 2025
| Mr Ajay Shankar
| 360info

The US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement is high on symbolism but in substance it will not mean much, says Mr Ajay Shankar, Distinguished Fellow, TERI

Drill, Baby, Drill: How Trump's MAGA Vision will Stall Global Climate Fight

January 23, 2025 |
January 23, 2025
Outlook Planet

Mr Manjeev Puri, Distinguished Fellow, Earth Science and Climate Change Division, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), emphasized that the primary risk resides in the exploitation of vulnerable regions like Alaska, which poses significant repercussions for global climate stability. Mr R R Rashmi, Distinguished Fellow & Programme Director, Resource Efficiency & Governance Division, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), observed that the next US government will influence global renewable energy financing more significantly than private investments.

India moving into global leadership on climate change

January 22, 2025
| Mr Manjeev Singh Puri
,
| Dr Shailly Kedia
| Gulf Today

In a world where trust in multilateralism is eroding, India's ability to bring diverse stakeholders together offers a model for a cooperative, equitable, and sustainable future, says Mr Manjeev Puri, Distinguished Fellow, Earth Science and Climate Change Division and Dr Shailly Kedia, Senior Fellow and Associate Director, Sustainable Development and Outreach Division, TERI.

Trump's second withdrawal from Paris Agreement to cast a shadow over global climate action and new mitigation pledges 

January 22, 2025 |
January 21, 2025
The Times of India

Mr Manjeev Puri, Distinguished Fellow at TERI, is of the opinion that the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement is a setback to global collaboration on climate change. Although the private actors will comply with their obligations, they will be required to exert additional effort in light of the current circumstances. The greater risk is the exploitation of sensitive regions such as Alaska, which has severe consequences for the stability of the global climate.

Policy

Financing Just Transition: Synergies between NCQG and JTWP

November 18, 2024

The discussions and negotiations for the JTWP and the NCQG so far reflect the broader challenge of aligning global ambitions with practical actionable steps towards equitable climate action. Looking ahead, the JTWP has the potential to be a framework for deeper, more effective collaboration towards a collective narrative around implementing the Paris Agreement through just transition pathways at global as well as national scales, leading to tangible progress towards a sustainable and equitable future. This potential cannot be realized without a commensurate outcome of the NCQG process.

Road to Baku: The New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance

October 15, 2024

Climate finance plays a crucial role in climate efforts. This paper examines the evolution of the discussions on the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), which will be a key determinant of the success of the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29). Despite recent progress, current climate finance targets and mechanisms remain inadequate. This paper analyses the positions of various countries and coalitions. Developing countries stress the responsibility of developed countries, emphasizing equity in climate finance.

Internationalizing Sustainable Lifestyles for Climate Justice

September 27, 2024

Mainstream frameworks on sustainable consumption and production fail to holistically capture downstream segments of resource consumption and production systems, especially in relation to lifestyle choices. Building on previous work by TERI, this policy brief seeks to develop composite metrics on consumption for G20 countries and discusses ways to further internationalize sustainable lifestyles.

Services

Climate change risk assessment

We generate climate projections at global and regional scales and impacts, vulnerability and adaptation assessments in key sectors using established models and our in-house super-computing facility. We also conducts GHG inventorization and mitigation analysis. We provide national and international policy analysis and review, and contribute to key issues in negotiations encompassing adaptation, mitigation, technology, and finance.

Team

Distinguished Fellow, Earth Science and Climate Change
Distinguished Fellow, Earth Science and Climate Change
Distinguished Fellow, Green Shipping
Director, Climate Change and Air Quality
Associate Director, Earth Science and Climate Change
Area Convenor, Center for Climate Change Research
Associate Fellow and Area Convenor, Centre for Climate Modelling