Climate action: India’s NDCs could show how to achieve both health and economic resilience

Globally, climate change is no longer just an environmental challenge. It is increasingly visible as a public health risk and an economic stress. Heatwaves strain hospitals and reduce labour productivity. Changing rainfall patterns affect food systems and water security. Air pollution imposes health and economic costs across many cities.

Climate policy must therefore be part of a country’s economic strategy. India’s next Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), currently under preparation, offer an opportunity to frame its climate ambition in exactly those terms. NDCs are often described as climate pledges submitted under the Paris pact, but they function as strategic roadmaps. They shape long-term decisions about energy systems, infrastructure, transport, agriculture and industrial development. Designed well, they help governments align growth with resilience.

A new report from the Climate Crisis Advisory Group, Protecting People: Health-Centred NDCs for the Overshoot Era, argues that climate plans should be understood as instruments to protect populations from escalating climate risks. In a world entering a period of climate overshoot, governments must focus not only on emission reduction but also on reducing the harms already faced by societies. Such as health risks.

Extreme heat is one of the most serious climate threats facing India. It affects workers in agriculture, construction and manufacturing, even as it puts pressure on urban infrastructure, water supplies and energy systems.

Air pollution is another hazard. Policies that accelerate the transition to cleaner energy, electrified transport and improved urban planning can deliver public health benefits while strengthening economic resilience. So health is a central measure of whether climate policy is delivering what it must.

India’s urban populations are expanding rapidly, placing new demands on housing, transport systems, energy supply and water infrastructure. Electric mobility will play a key role in this transition.

Climate resilient urban planning can reduce heat exposure through green spaces, better building design and superior public transport. Investments in water systems and sanitation can reduce the health impacts of flooding and extreme rainfall.

Farmers face climate variability, affecting crop yields and livelihoods. Policies that support resilient farming practices, reduce food waste and strengthen rural economies can deliver both climate and health benefits.

Reducing emissions of short-lived pollutants such as methane can also provide quick benefits.

India has demonstrated that climate ambition can align with economic growth. The country’s rapid expansion of renewable energy, particularly solar power, has positioned it as a global leader in the clean-energy transition. Initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure show the major role played by India in strengthening international cooperation.

As the global energy landscape changes, the economic and technological momentum behind renewable energy is stronger than ever, with costs falling and deployment accelerating across many parts of the world. India must accelerate this shift while ensuring energy security and economic stability.

India’s experience in expanding clean energy even as it grows rapidly offers other nations lessons in navigating similar challenges. This leadership—both domestically and through cooperation with other like-minded countries—will be essential in shaping a transition that is practical, equitable and compatible with development priorities.

The international community must also recognize its responsibilities. Countries that industrialized first bear a historic responsibility for the climate crisis. They must support emerging economies in accelerating clean-energy transitions. This must include affordable finance, technology cooperation and fair international partnerships.

India’s next NDCs could show how climate policy can strengthen economic resilience, protect public health and support long-term prosperity. And how it is about the well-being of people.

The author is founder and chair, Climate Crisis Advisory Group, and former UK chief scientific advisor.