A Balancing Act: The Challenges of Fostering Both Climate Change Mitigation Strategies and Sustainable Development Projects in Rural India

Abstract

Climate change is considered one of the most threatening and challenging environmental issues of today and is one of the vital public and political concerns of our time. India's government has made several international commitments in response to this global crisis to establish itself as a frontrunner in climate action; however, it is at crossroads of sorts, as its energy and development requirements moving forward will undoubtedly shape its response to climate change. With roughly 70 million residents of India living in extreme poverty and another 300 million without access to electricity, India is struggling to balance environmental sustainability efforts with its socioeconomic responsibilities, as it is still heavily reliant on non-renewables for its energy production capacities and development initiatives. This major research project examined India's response to this balancing act and its use of innovative policy initiatives to create an inter-linkage between sustainable energy and development to address a challenging aim: implement mitigation and adaptation strategies that provide economic growth opportunities while simultaneously intending to reduce emissions intensity. By conducting a research synthesis, the study found that through decentralized energy projects and aggressive environmental policy, India can provide electricity for marginalized communities and boost their renewable-energy capacity. However, questions still surround energy access, energy efficiency, and energy security in rural parts of the country. Ultimately, this study found that mitigation and adaptation efforts guiding these initiatives require a balance between energy policy, finance, and investments in capacity and opportunity to meet development needs best and the challenges of climate change.