From Global Commitments to Local Action - An Analysis of Climate Policy Translation
May 2026
This study critically explores how the global climate commitments translate to the national and sub-national implementation systems and more specifically the Indian context. The governance of climate change has shifted under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from legally binding emission reduction regimes to more flexible and nationally determined approaches under the Paris Agreement over the last 30 years. Although this shift has allowed for more participation in the global context, it has also posed great issues with regards to implementation, accountability, climate financing and governance coordination. In the Conference of Parties (COP) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) processes, the world has been ratcheting up its climate targets, but with little change in emissions, this is a disconnect between what is being pledged and what is actually happening.
The study builds on a multi - level approach to analysis to explore how climate commitments are adapted from global to national levels and from national to city-level (through State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs) and city-level climate action systems). The research emphasizes four aspects of climate governance: mitigation, adaptation, climate finance, and equity. A special focus is given to sectoral dynamics, as the energy sector is used as an example of transitions oriented towards mitigation, while water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) systems are used as an example of adaptation-oriented infrastructure and resilience systems.
