Hitesh Vaidya and Vijaya Venkataraman, “Integrating Climate Action in Urban India,” ORF Issue Brief No. 881, Observer Research Foundation, June 2026.

While climate targets are set at the national level, cities are the primary sites for action. They are the largest consumers of energy and the biggest producers of emissions. Globally, urban areas account for nearly 70 percent of energy use and over 70 percent of carbon dioxide emissions. Cities are where climate change directly intersects with development through land-use decisions, building regulations, transport systems, water and waste services, and municipal investment choices.

Climate adaptation in urban areas is not only an environmental necessity but also an economic and social imperative. For example, extreme heat reduces labor productivity, floods damage assets and infrastructure, and water stress undermines both industrial and household security. Vulnerable populations, including residents of informal settlements, outdoor workers, women, older adults, and those with limited access to public services, are disproportionately affected by these conditions.

India’s climate strategy is currently shaped by its commitment to several international sustainability and resilience frameworks. The first of these is the 1987 Brundtland Report, which highlighted the challenges of urban growth and argued for an integrated approach to environmental protection, economic development, and social equity. This perspective was reinforced at the 1992 United Nations (UN) Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, where Agenda 21 encouraged local governments to develop sustainability plans in consultation with communities and stakeholders. These frameworks established the expectation that cities would be responsible for linking sustainability with development.

In 2015, India signed the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030), which outlines a protocol for incorporating disaster risk reduction into national and local development strategies and urban planning.

India’s approach is also guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which stress the importance of inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities (SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities) and the urgent need to combat climate change and its impacts (SDG 13: Climate Action).

The Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015 and to which India is a signatory, is the most significant international framework. It calls for limiting global temperature rise to well below 2°Celsius (C), with a target of 1.5°C, necessitating both mitigation and adaptation measures. The agreement has shifted the global climate governance regime from negotiated targets to nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Importantly, the Paris framework acknowledges that climate outcomes depend on actions across various sectors and levels of government.

India’s commitment to these international frameworks was emphasized at the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference in Belém, Brazil, where the Indian delegation asserted that adaptation, urban resilience, and disaster risk reduction should be regarded as essential development investments.

India’s Climate Action Framework

The country’s climate policy framework recognizes the essential role of cities in shaping climate outcomes. In 2008, the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) identified eight core missions for India, one of which focuses on urban resilience and sustainability (National Mission on Sustainable Habitat).

At the subnational level, State Action Plans on Climate Change have enabled states to adapt national climate goals to local contexts. Complementing these efforts are the Smart Cities Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban, and AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation), which provide funding and guidelines to enhance infrastructural resilience and promote the circular economy.

India’s path to achieving its NDCs and SDGs is through urban governance. Urban local governments must spearhead climate action through planning, reforms, infrastructure investment, and service provision. National resilience cannot be attained if municipal budgets, land-use plans, and infrastructural investments are not aligned with climate goals.

The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act envisioned urban local bodies (ULBs) as the third tier of government, mandating the transfer of functions, personnel, and funds to facilitate their effective operation. However, many Indian cities still function with limited fiscal autonomy and insufficient technical and human resources. Despite these challenges, Indian cities are making significant efforts to fulfill national and global commitments through climate plans, sectoral investments, reform measures, and institutional innovations. Many have developed climate strategies or similar frameworks, such as the Climate Action Plans for Mumbai (2022) and Bengaluru (2023), as well as City Climate Action Plans for Pune, Jamnagar, Junagadh, and Leh. However, only a limited number of municipalities have incorporated these plans into their budgets, statutory master plans, and routine decision-making processes.

Several cities have also joined global climate coalitions, including C40 Cities, ICLEI — Local Governments for Sustainability, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, and the Resilient Cities Network. Participation in these networks offers access to technical assistance, peer learning, global best practices, and climate-planning tools.

Indian Initiatives in Urban Climate Action

City action towards climate change aims to address the interconnected goals of mitigation, adaptation, and resilience.

Climate Mitigation

Climate mitigation involves reducing emissions from key urban sectors, such as transportation, energy, buildings, and solid waste. Cities contribute 44 percent of India’s greenhouse gas emissions and are vital to climate mitigation. Recognizing this challenge, several Indian cities have developed ambitious Climate Action Plans. While each city has its unique approach, most Climate Action Plans include the following key mitigation strategies:

• promoting public transport and non-motorised mobility;
• enhancing building energy efficiency through retrofits and green construction codes;
• transitioning to renewable energy sources;
• reducing landfill dependency by improving solid waste management, including composting and recycling.

Mumbai’s Carbon Neutrality Roadmap and EV Ecosystem Expansion

Mumbai’s comprehensive Climate Action Plan aims for net-zero emissions by 2050. A key measure within this plan is the expansion of electric mobility in public transport. The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport is increasing its electric bus fleet and plans to deploy up to 10,000 additional electric buses by 2030 (its current fleet is 4,000). The cumulative emission reduction from the electric bus initiative is projected to reach approximately 6.77 million tonnes by 2050, assuming a renewable energy share of around 75 percent.

Delhi’s Building Efficiency Standards and Solar Rooftop Expansion

Delhi has focused on reducing emissions at the building level by integrating the Energy Conservation Building Code into construction plans. A landmark example is the Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, India’s first on-site net-zero energy building, which utilizes a 930-kW rooftop solar photovoltaic system to generate 14.3 lakh units of energy annually. The building also features a climate-adaptive design and the incorporation of renewable energy sources.

Coimbatore’s Low-Carbon Mobility and Non-Motorised Transport Network

Coimbatore has prioritized sustainable, low-carbon mobility through the development of a citywide non-motorised transport (NMT) network, costing approximately INR 9,895 million. The plan envisions 300 km of walking and cycling routes by 2035, directly benefiting urban residents.