International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology organised a 2-day National workshop on climate laws and institutions on 9-10^th August at Tijara Fort Palace, Alwar, Rajasthan. The workshop brought together sector experts from energy, electricity, forest and biodiversity, finance, adaptation/resilience and state and district-level government officials from the climate department.

Over two days, participants engaged in critical discussions about the adequacy of current sectoral laws and institutions in addressing climate challenges and explored potential pathways for improvement. The deliberations on ‘climate law and institutions in India’ centred around evaluating the existing climate-related laws and institutional frameworks to determine whether new climate legislation is necessary or if amendments to current laws would suffice. Experts discussed key amendments needed in crucial legislation and explored how national laws could be effectively translated into state and district-level implementation measures. The roles of governance mechanisms at these levels were emphasised, particularly in the context of implementing new or revised laws.

The experts proposed ideas and solutions to strengthen climate change governance across national, state, and district levels, addressing cross-cutting issues like just transition, adaptation, and finance while outlining the contours for a robust subnational institutional mechanism for implementation.

The workshop concluded with a working group session, where participants collaboratively explored the intricacies of developing a comprehensive climate framework law for India.

This workshop provided a unique platform for cross-sectoral dialogue, fostering a deeper understanding of India’s challenges and opportunities in climate governance.