New Delhi, Aug 29 Even as climate change is severely impacting India, the need is to explore moonshot technologies for sustainable development, said B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog.
He was speaking at the high-level workshop, co-hosted by the NITI Aayog, the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW), and the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP), here.
The workshop, which brought together senior policymakers, scientists, and thought leaders, deliberated on the need for India to evaluate research, risks, and governance of geoengineering to stand up against the challenges brought by climate change.
“India’s development journey is unprecedented -- our economy growing while pursuing a low-carbon and sustainable path. This transition will be energy-intensive, yet we are progressing steadily on our NDCs and promoting policies such as Mission LiFE. Climate change is impacting India severely, even as many large emitters are not moving fast enough on their energy transitions,” said Subrahmanyam.
“Mitigation should remain the foremost global responsibility, but we must also keep researching other technologies. That requires India to also explore some moonshot technologies, to ensure that we not only keep pace but set the trend for sustainable development in the decades to come,” he added.
The workshop also featured thematic sessions on India’s carbon dioxide removal pathways and the governance dilemmas posed by solar radiation management.
“India must develop in a non-linear manner -- decarbonising without deindustrialising. While research on climate engineering has grown, the wider conversation on the governance of climate-altering technologies must also keep pace. Climate geoengineering -- with implications for planetary-scale impacts -- demands far greater collaboration between governments, researchers, and scientists across borders. Equity and climate justice must remain at the centre of global decisions,” said Dr Arunabha Ghosh, Founder-CEO, CEEW.
Geoengineering refers to large-scale interventions in the Earth’s climate system to intentionally cool the planet or remove greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the atmosphere.
“Geoengineering raises profound questions of science, sovereignty, and society. India must engage early, invest in strategic research, and ensure that any pathway we consider is aligned with democratic oversight and national interest. This also means assessing the techno-economics of options, designing institutions that can manage long-term risks, and recognising the stakes for water security, agriculture, and livelihoods in a monsoon-dependent nation,” said Dr Laveesh Bhandari, President and Senior Fellow, CSEP.
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