Coinciding with United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28 in Dubai, the Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute just released a new policy brief, “Climate Change in South Asia: Requisites for a Sustainable Future.”
The brief argues that scientifically sound, community-centered, multisectoral approaches that account for long timescales are essential for preparing and protecting the vast majority of South Asia’s population vulnerable to climate change. The brief draws attention to critical knowledge gaps, information disparities, and decision-making barriers faced by the region’s most vulnerable communities, and underscores the need for substantial investments in community-centered innovation, financing, and adaptation to effectively address the climate crisis. Download the brief.
Key Recommendations and Guiding Principles:
Center At-Risk Communities: The policy brief stresses the disproportionate impact of climate change on South Asia’s impoverished majority. It advocates for multi-stakeholder platforms prioritizing at-risk communities and calls for inclusive, participatory processes in decision-making. The implementation steps include engaging vulnerable communities in decision-making, promoting and scaling local innovation, and bridging capital gaps for the most at-risk.
Plan for Short and Longer-term Time Horizons: Recognizing the necessity for long-term planning, the brief emphasizes mainstreaming climate adaptation into development planning. It urges flexible mechanisms for policy-making and investments responsive to evolving uncertainties associated with future climate scenarios. The goal is to address climate migration and interconnected needs through community participation and consensus.
Invest in an Accessible Evidence Base: To build a robust foundation for policy-making, the brief recommends investments in infrastructure for collecting and analyzing localized data. It suggests leveraging digital data sources, promoting responsible data use, expanding knowledge access, and enhancing data literacy.
Invest in Adaptation: The brief calls for immediate investments in climate-vulnerable areas and sectors. It advocates for climate-resilient infrastructure, flexible adaptation funding, documentation of best practices, and the creation of wide and affordable insurance pools for agriculture, healthcare, and infrastructure
Invest in Renewable and Decentralized Energy: To address energy poverty, the policy brief proposes scaling up decentralized renewable energy solutions, incentivizing private players, and training vulnerable communities to leverage energy access.
Invest in Climate Consciousness: The brief urges the development of local idioms for climate change and sustainability rooted in regional histories and traditions. It recommends demystifying climate change, using traditional forms of knowledge dissemination, and incorporating climate education into school and college curricula.
The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute at Harvard University, in collaboration with in-region partners, aims to advance climate adaptation research and implementation in South Asia. Our South Asia Adaptation Research Cluster is currently focussed on advancing data-driven decision-making for climate adaptation, through our Climateverse.net project studying the impact of heat on health and livelihoods in our CommunityHATS project, and undertaking national landscape analysis of best practices in climate change adaptation.
As the world convenes at COP28, our policy brief underscores the need for inclusive, community-centered, climate action in South Asia, urging stakeholders to prioritize the most at-risk, as we attempt to build a more sustainable future. We invite you to join the conversation in this important work.
Read more about the Mittal Institute’s Platform for Climate Change in South Asia.