By reading this article you can solve the below UPSC Model Question-

“The success of the Climate Movement increasingly depends on integrating local knowledge with formal climate governance systems.” Critically examine this statement in the context of community-led climate intelligence initiatives in India.                                                       (GS-3, TOPIC-ENVIRONMENT)

The Climate Movement refers to the collective global, national and grassroots efforts aimed at mitigating climate change, adapting to its impacts, ensuring climate justice, and transforming governance systems towards sustainability. What began as scientific advocacy and environmental activism has today evolved into a multi-layered socio-political movement, involving states, communities, civil society, youth, Indigenous peoples, and local governments.

In the contemporary phase, the climate movement is increasingly people-centric, emphasising community participation, local knowledge systems, transparency, accountability, and democratic climate governance, as exemplified by Tamil Nadu’s community-based Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (CbMRV) initiative.

CONCEPT OF CLIMATE MOVEMENT

The Climate Movement encompasses diverse efforts to address anthropogenic climate change, primarily through mitigation (reducing emissions) and adaptation (building resilience). Key concepts include:

• Climate Justice: Ensuring that solutions prioritize vulnerable populations, Indigenous communities, and developing nations bearing disproportionate impacts.
• Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV): Essential for transparency under frameworks like the Paris Agreement, tracking emissions, adaptation progress, and finance flows.
• Just Transition: Shifting to low-carbon economies while protecting workers and communities dependent on fossil fuels.
• Community-Led Action: Empowering local knowledge and participation, as seen in innovative community-based MRV (CbMRV) systems.

Evolution and Constitutional References

Global Evolution: The climate movement traces roots to 19th-century science, with milestones including:

• 19th Century: Svante Arrhenius links CO₂ to warming (1896).
• 1960s-1970s: Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (1962) sparks environmentalism; first Earth Day (1970).
• 1980s-1990s: IPCC formation (1988); UNFCCC (1992); Kyoto Protocol (1997).
• 2000s-2010s: Growth of groups like 350.org; Paris Agreement (2015); youth-led strikes inspired by Greta Thunberg (2018-2019), mobilizing millions.
• 2020s: COP30 reinforces adaptation goals; focus on 1.5°C tracking.
• 2025: COP30 in Belém, Brazil, reinforces adaptation through the Belém Mission to 1.5°C, voluntary indicators for the Global Goal on Adaptation, and commitments to triple adaptation finance by 2035, alongside broader finance mobilization to $1.3 trillion annually for developing countries.

In India: India’s environmentalism evolved in waves:

• 1730: Bishnoi Movement in Rajasthan—Bishnois sacrifice lives hugging khejri trees to prevent felling by royal soldiers, leading to protection decrees. This is one of India’s earliest documented eco-sacrifices.
• 1973: Chipko Movement in Uttarakhand—Villagers hugged trees to prevent logging; results in 1980 ban on commercial felling in Himalayan forests.
• 1970s-1980s: Save Silent Valley Movement in Kerala—Protects biodiversity-rich rainforest from hydroelectric project; leads to national park declaration in 1985.
• 1983: Appiko Movement in Karnataka—inspired by Chipko, embraces trees against deforestation.
• 1982: Jungle Bachao Andolan in Bihar (now Jharkhand)—Tribals oppose replacement of natural forests with teak plantations.
• 1985 onward: Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA)—Led by Medha Patkar and Baba Amte, protests Sardar Sarovar Dam for displacement and environmental impacts; highlights rehabilitation failures and questions large-dam development.
• 1990s-2000s: Alignment with global frameworks post–Rio Summit (1992).
• 21st Century: Youth activism via Fridays for Future India; integration into national policies.

Constitutional References

India’s Constitution, originally silent on environment, was amended to prioritize it:

• 42nd Amendment Act, 1976: Influenced by the 1972 Stockholm Conference, added key provisions during the Emergency period.
• Articles 48A (environmental protection) and 51A(g) (citizen duty to protect environment) provide foundational support, enabling movements and policies.

India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Key Policies

NDC (2022) – “Panchamrit” (Five Elements):

India has progressively strengthened its NDC commitments with the following ambitious targets:

• Emissions Intensity Reduction: 45% reduction by 2030 from 2005 levels.
• Non-Fossil Fuel Energy: 50% of installed electric power capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030.
• Carbon Sinks: Creation of 2.5-3 billion tonnes  equivalent additional carbon sink through forest enhancement.
• Net Zero Target: Achieving Net-zero emissions by 2070.
• One Billion Tonnes Emissions Reduction: Pledges to reduce total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes from 2030 onwards.

Key National Policies and Programs

• National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC): The overarching framework comprising nine national missions focusing on key areas: solar energy, enhanced energy efficiency, water, agriculture, Himalayan ecosystem, sustainable habitat, green India, human health, and strategic knowledge on climate change.
• State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCs): 34 states and union territories have developed SAPCs, which are aligned with NAPCC, translating national frameworks into state-specific action plans.
• National Green Hydrogen Mission (2023): Targeting 5 million tonnes per annum green hydrogen production by 2030 with 125 GW renewable energy capacity. This addresses decarbonization in hard-to-abate sectors including steel, fertilizer, and mobility.
• Green Climate Company Model: India’s innovative institutional approach exemplified by the Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company (TNGCC), established in 2022 as a not-for-profit special purpose vehicle for implementing state-level climate missions.
• National Solar Mission: A flagship initiative that drove a dramatic scale-up of solar power capacity, positioning India as a global leader in renewable energy deployment.

Present Status of the Climate Movement

India demonstrates the Climate Movement’s real-world manifestation in a major developing economy.

Renewable Energy Achievement

• Historic Milestone (July 2025): India reached 50% of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources, achieving this target five years ahead of the 2030 commitment.
• Cumulative Capacity: Total non-fossil fuel-based energy capacity reached 217.62 GW as of January 20, 2025.
• Solar Expansion: India has installed over 100 GW of solar capacity as of 2025, with record capacity additions of 22 GW in the first six months of 2025.
• Manufacturing Growth: PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana targets 1 crore rooftop solar installations; 50 solar parks with capacities of 500+ MW each.
• Renewable Investment: Between 2023 and 2024, investments in renewable energy projects increased by 91.5%.

Emissions Intensity Progress

• India maintains one of the lowest per capita emissions globally while supporting over 1.4 billion people.
• Strong progress toward the 45% reduction target by 2030 from 2005 levels.

Youth and Community Dimensions

• Youth-Led Climate Activism in India
• Fridays for Future (FFF) India: Conducting school strikes and policy advocacy; FFF India gained attention when their website was blocked in July 2020 amid Environmental Impact Assessment protests.
• Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN): Climate Solutions Road Tour spanning 3,500 kilometers and 15 cities; nationwide youth dialogues ahead of COP30.
• Community Stewardship Models
• Indigenous Peoples’ Leadership: Indigenous peoples protect an estimated 22% of the planet’s surface and 80% of biodiversity.
• Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP): Established under the Paris Agreement to strengthen Indigenous and local knowledge.

Significance of the Climate Movement

The Climate Movement is a pivotal force driving global change, ensuring that climate action is recognized as a moral, economic, and political imperative.

• Policy and Accountability: Pushes governments to set and meet ambitious net-zero targets and strengthens legal accountability through climate litigation.
• Economic Shift: Drives the divestment movement away from fossil fuels and accelerates massive green investment into renewable energy and clean technologies.
• Scientific Benchmark: Established the 1.5 degree C limit as the definitive global threshold for policy-making and corporate planning.
• Climate Justice: Successfully reframed climate action as an issue of equity and human rights, ensuring solutions address the most vulnerable and frontline communities.
• Public Awareness: Elevated climate change to a top-tier political concern, influencing consumer behavior and electoral outcomes globally.
• Youth Mobilization: Injected unprecedented moral urgency and intergenerational accountability through global youth-led activism (e.g., Fridays for Future).
• Decentralized Governance: Fosters innovative, bottom-up stewardship models (like CbMRV in Tamil Nadu), integrating local knowledge into formal governance and data systems.

Challenges Facing the Global Climate Movement

Despite its massive scale, the climate movement faces significant structural and political hurdles that impede the necessary pace of change.

• Political and Corporate Resistance: The challenge of the Entrenched Fossil Fuel Lobby and Political Influence is paramount. Powerful, well-funded fossil fuel interests actively resist policy change, fund climate misinformation, and maintain deep influence over regulatory bodies, leading to legislative inertia.
• Climate Finance Gap and Global Inequity: The Climate Finance Gap and North-South Divide is a major trust issue. Developed nations’ failure to meet the $100 billion climate finance commitment perpetuates the fundamental challenge of “Common but Differentiated Responsibilities,” stalling vital mitigation and adaptation efforts in the Global South.
• Policy Inconsistency and Short-Term Focus: The conflict between Short-Term Political Cycles vs. Long-Term Crisis means democratic systems often prioritize immediate economic gains over the long-term, systemic investments required for decarbonization, resulting in policy backtracking and a lack of sustained commitment.
• Misinformation and Symbolic Action: The Risk of Greenwashing and Symbolic Action is high, as corporations and governments make vague net-zero pledges while masking continued high-carbon activities. This creates an illusion of progress, diverting attention and resources away from genuine systemic change.
• Equity and Implementation Hurdles: Challenges related to Socio-Economic Inequality and Just Transition Hurdles mean policies like carbon taxes often face resistance due to the risk of disproportionately impacting the poor or workers without clear, funded pathways to new green livelihoods, severely complicating the essential “Just Transition.”

People-Led Climate Intelligence Movement in Tamil Nadu – Case Study

Tamil Nadu’s community-based environmental MRV (CbMRV) initiative, launched in 2023 under the UK PACT programme, is a direct response to this need. It formally integrates community-generated environmental intelligence into the state’s climate governance system.

The CbMRV Model in Action:

• Local Knowledge Weaving: The initiative was piloted in three ecologically distinct landscapes: Aracode in the Nilgiris (mountain forests), Vellode in Erode (agriculture/wetlands), and Killai in Cuddalore (mangroves/coastal fisheries).
• Data Indicators: It meticulously weaves traditional ecological knowledge with field-based monitoring of metrics such as:
  • Rainfall, Temperature, Soil, and Water Health.
  • Biodiversity, Fish Catch, and Cropping Patterns.
  • Livelihoods, Carbon Stocks, and Emissions.
• Community Climate Stewards: A key achievement is the emergence of 35 Key Community Stakeholders (KCS)—farmers, fishers, women, youth, and tribal knowledge-holders—who are trained as the first community climate stewards. They collect, interpret, and translate this real-time, village-scale environmental data into daily local decisions.
• Integration with Governance: The evidence is integrated into a digital dashboard that informs decision-making across all levels:
  • Panchayat Level: Complements Gram Panchayat Development Plans and programmes like the Climate Resilient Village, strengthening vulnerability assessments and resource management.
  • State Level: Enhances the evidence base for the Tamil Nadu Climate Tracker, the State Action Plan on Climate Change, and the Green Tamil Nadu Mission.
• Impact and Vision: By making climate intelligence locally produced and owned, CbMRV reframes governance as a partnership, not a top-down exercise. The long-term aim is institutionalization by integrating training modules into community colleges and ITIs, creating a permanent green workforce capable of maintaining long-term environmental baselines and replicating the system.

Way Forward: Action Plan for the Climate Movement

The path forward for the global Climate Movement demands radical acceleration, equity-focused implementation, and a sustained ground-up institutionalization of action.

• Mandate Rapid Decarbonization and Carbon Pricing: Relentlessly push for global treaties and national laws to mandate the complete and equitable phase-out of all new fossil fuel exploration and subsidies by 2030. Simultaneously, advocate for robust Global Carbon Pricing and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAMs) to internalize emissions costs and incentivize clean production worldwide.
• Integrate Justice and Finance: Demand developed nations exceed the $100 billion annual climate finance commitment, ensuring funds flow through transparent mechanisms directly to adaptation and resilience projects in vulnerable communities. Furthermore, secure funding to Champion the Just Transition for workers in high-carbon sectors through retraining and green job creation.
• Scale Decentralized Climate Intelligence: Replicate and institutionalize models like the Tamil Nadu CbMRV initiative globally. This involves investing in community-led monitoring, training local stewards, and integrating real-time, hyperlocal data into high-level policy dashboards for bottom-up governance.
• Drive Sectoral and Financial Transformation: Mobilize the Financial Divestment and Green Investment movement to redirect capital from fossil fuels into clean technologies. Drive policy changes that enforce circular economy principles in industry and promote a massive shift to sustainable, regenerative agriculture.
• Strengthen Accountability and Dialogue: Support and expand climate litigation against governments and major corporations that fail to meet their targets or engage in greenwashing. Establish formal, mandated dialogue channels to Bridge the Political-Activist Divide, translating scientific urgency into immediate political action and legislative reform.

CONCLUSION

The Climate Movement offers a pathway of hope amid the climate crisis, as people-centred initiatives like Tamil Nadu’s CbMRV demonstrate how democratic, ground-up governance rooted in local knowledge can make climate action more resilient and equitable. By empowering communities as climate stewards, such efforts advance SDG 13 (Climate Action) while strengthening SDG 16 (inclusive institutions) and supporting SDGs 11 and 15 for sustainable communities and ecosystems—making urgent action imperative now.