Divya Sharma and Avantika Shrivastava
As the temperature is rising in India, so is election fever. But these elections are different. Measures against climate change finally feature in manifestos of national parties, which is very important. To make a difference, however, climate action urgently needs an unprecedented push from governments and businesses.
While elections in India are hard fought, political promises have largely remained the same over decades. Basic necessities covering livelihoods, water, education, and health have folded into a development and welfare plank, and these are prominently pushed during campaigning. This election year, however, the energy transition to renewable alternatives is a poll promise, and rightly so. But while in the manifestos, these pledges hardly feature on the campaign trail or in political rallies.
Climate and the energy transition can only truly be achieved when these are linked with development promises or are told in a way that resonates with the masses. At present, however, there seems to be a gap. While the development agenda is catered to the masses and the poor, the climate agenda is geared toward the nation’s elites and international and national observers. This gap needs to be bridged.
No comments:
Post a Comment