A Comparative Study of Climate Change Policies in DisasterProne Indian States

This study systematically compares climate policy design and implementation across eight disaster-prone Indian states—Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Odisha, Bihar, Assam, Gujarat, and Maharashtra—assessing adaptation, mitigation, governance, finance, and participation as articulated in State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs) and corroborated with national dashboards and public documents. Primary analysis draws on SAPCCs and state plans, with cross-validation via the India Climate & Energy Dashboard (ICED), MNRE physical progress, and MOSPI energy statistics to align targets with current capacity trajectories and implementation records where available. Findings indicate substantial inter-state divergence driven by hazard exposure, administrative capacity, fiscal space, and local governance, with Gujarat and Kerala exhibiting comparatively stronger institutional coherence and community-oriented delivery while Bihar and Assam face capacity and financing constraints that impede scalable action. The paper recommends standardized indicators, blended finance and budget tagging, professionalized monitoring-evaluation, and community-led mechanisms to strengthen resilience and align subnational action with national decarbonization and adaptation goals.