India's Il-year-long Climate Climb

The impacts of anthropogenic climate change are being felt all over the globe. The 6th Assessment report of the InterGovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has categorically stated that the earth's temperature in the decade 2011-20 has risen by 1.1 degree Celsius compared to the pre-industrial (1850-1900) levels. At the same time, developed countries continue to occupy a disproportionate share of the global carbon budget and remain unwilling to provide the means of implementation to spur climate action.

- BY:-Bhupender Yadav is Union Cabinet Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change

Transcending these concerns, the ancient Vedic principle of "Sarve bhavantu sukhinah-may all beings be happy - has guided human civilization for millennia. As the world grapples with the existential challenge of climate change, the timeless Vedic wisdom has found resonance in India's approach to climate stewardship.

On the one hand, the global community often focuses on the "inconvenient truths" of climate change-rising temperatures, erratic weather patterns, and increasing disasters. India, on the other hand, has championed a philosophy of "convenient action". This approach, rooted in our civilizational ethos, has transformed India into a conscientious global climate citizen over the past eleven years.

A verse from the Atharva Veda, "What of Earth we dig out, let that quickly grow over, let us not hit thy vitals or pierce thy heart," reflects principles of regenerative natural resource management predating modern climate science by thousands of years. Our approach to climate action has woven this ancient understanding into contemporary policy frameworks, forging a unique synthesis of traditional wisdom and modern action.

In keeping with this approach, within weeks of assuming office in 2014, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi demonstrated his climate commitment and far-sightedness through a simple yet profound administrative decision. By adding "Climate Change" to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, he elevated climate action from a peripheral concern to a governance priority. The creation

of the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change in 2015 exemplified this commitment, providing states with dedicated resources for climate resilience. Multiple State Governments responded by establishing their own Climate Change Departments, creating a federal cascade of climate action.