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India’s triple challenge: growth, development and climate change

India’s goals for economic growth are ambitious; the Indian Government is aiming to achieve human development on a par with EU countries. This report looks at how India’s seemingly conflicting aims can be reconciled, and how a fair global climate deal could be a catalyst for a rapid move towards sustainable development in India. In Chapter 1, Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA) argues in support of India’s two- tier INDC, in which India offers, first, to contribute unconditionally to the global effort to tackle climate change; and second, to go beyond its fair share of contribution, on the condition that it is provided with financial and technological support, to help ensure the total global effort is consistent with a global warming pathway of below 2oC.Chapter 2 of the report focuses on poverty reduction objectives, and shows that, in many cases, the most cost-effective and sustainable way of delivering poverty reduction is driving it through off-grid RE. Chapter 3 of this report assesses India’s potential for developing its residential and industrial sectors in a low-carbon manner.