Windfarm

WELCOME TO INDIA
IN A GLOBALNET-ZERO, CLIMATE-RESILIENT
2050.

Agroforestry across the subcontinent. Traditional organic soil composting in the Himalayas. Electric bikes, solar homes and wetland waste systems.

WHAT INDIA COULD 
BE LIKE IN 2050

ENERGY

“I hope we can expand energy access, enhance production and increase efficiency in a clean and sustainable way”
- Workshop Participant

EVIDENCE AND INSIGHTS:

The energy intensity of India’s GDP decreased by 24% between 2005 and 2016.

IN 2050...

India will have shifted decisively away from fossil fuels. Local renewables generation – especially solar – coupled with battery and hydrogen storage will give rural communities more autonomy, while creating a wave of green jobs.
Sunset at Rashtrapati Bhavan, India.
"
We must reverse land degradation in India, and improve our 
‍soil health
- Workshop Participant

FOOD AND LAND

EVIDENCE AND INSIGHTS:

India's forests and crop lands absorbed around 15% of India’s CO2 emissions in 2016 – a 40% increase from 2000. The right use of fertiliser, management of water, and adoption of zero-tillage practices could cut emissions from farming.

IN 2050...

Agroforestry (growing crops while protecting forests) and other sustainable farming techniques will protect the environment, improve food security, and make India more resilient towards the effects of climate change. Crops may be fortified to improve nutrition, and traditional practices like rice-fish culture – rearing fish in rice paddies to eat pests and oxygenate the water – are likely to be even more popular.

Hear from our workshop participants

“I hope to see a reversion of land degradation happens and improved soil quality so as a country we are able to achieve food security locally”

WATER

“We need to make sure drinking water and groundwater is available across Northern India”
- Workshop Participant

EVIDENCE AND INSIGHTS:

One of the most globally recognised success stories of water conservation is in Rajasthan, where women in local communities used nature-based techniques – including forest and soil regeneration – to fight drought and bring water back to over 1,000 villages.

IN 2050...

India harnesses the power of natural systems to meet water needs. This reduces water stresses, improves farming yields, and helps prevent floods. Wetlands, like in East Kolkata, are used to clean wastewater at a low cost.
Green building with vertical garden.

OTHER HOPES AND IDEAS

  • Build climate-responsive homes, particularly with a focus on AC cooling and low-carbon materials

  • More urban agriculture and vegetation to improve air quality and reduce the impact of heatwaves

  • Plan for the loss of coal jobs with sufficient green economy jobs

  • Harness the competitive advantages of low labour and land costs to build a low carbon tech hub

  • Push toward decarbonisation with electric mobility to curb air pollution in cities

Read the full India Profile

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WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  • This is just a taste of what India could look like in a globally net-zero, climate-resilient future.

  • This is one of six regional visions, which together paint a picture of a feasible and desirable future.

  • Each country’s role in building this future will be different – and it can only be achieved through deep international cooperation.

Find out more about this project
“By 2050, I hope that the population in India is sensitive and responsible enough to build a climate-resilient society”
- Workshop participant