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Climate change policy? for a better understanding of India’s and Germany’s approaches and positions

This paper briefly introduces the different socio-economic and environmental conditions in Germany and India and summarizes the very accordingly unlike approaches to climate change policy in the two countries. Despite the observed differences, both Germany and India are developing and implementing low-carbon strategies. While Germany focuses its efforts in implementing its energy transformation (Energiewende) to meet its climate targets, India implements its National Action Plan on Climate Change and develops its eight missions further. Nevertheless, both countries are in very different situations and often take differing positions in the international climate negotiations. An Indo-German dialogue on topics like low-carbon development, equity, pre-2020 mitigation action and post-2020 implementation and ratcheting-up of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) could support the difficult process of identifying compromises and solutions that go beyond the differences between India and Germany. Bridging those differences could support action in both countries towards implementing the ambitious objectives set in the Paris Agreement reached in December 2015, benefitting the entire global community.