"From a few lines two decades ago to multiple full pages, Lok Sabha #election manifestos of two primary national parties in #India - the #BJP and the #Congress - reflect rising concerns over #ClimateChange and environmental degradation.
Experts, however, have expressed concerns regarding the lack of specific steps in their manifesto to address environmental challenges.
"Politics here seems to reflect the relative insignificance of climate change as a conceptual category in the Indian voter’s mind. When tens of thousands of farmers marched through Maharashtra in 2018 after several years of drought across parts of the state, they protested against rising agricultural debt, declining productivity, pests and inadequate irrigation. This was a climate protest in all but slogan.
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"#India is on track to meet its pledge to reach 50% clean power capacity by 2030, but for the foreseeable future, most of its total electricity will come from burning #coal. A more rapid transition away from coal would help India meet its climate goals and also vastly improve public health.
India needs $10 trillion to reach net-zero by 2070."
(That's over $200bn a year, or 7% of India's current GDP: $3.4 tn.)
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