The world's largest democracy continues to cost a significant amount of environmental challenges in 2025, but also shows promising progress in the direction of sustainability. While the country is rapidly advancing urbanization, industrialization and climate change, the state's environmental scenarios present a mixture of advances, obstacles and needs of emergency measures.
The Indian Environment for 2025 includes a comprehensive analysis of Indian environmental issues. The report includes key topics such as climate change, air and water pollution, waste management, and biodiversity. It shows an increase in extreme weather events in 2024, and was heavily affected by agriculture, with over 3.2 million hectares of arable land. The report determines the growing public awareness of environmental issues, as reflected in the 2025 gathering elections. While the government responds to initiatives to improve environmental conditions, the report criticizes the lack of ambition and institutional weakness in current programs. The report warns that Generation Alpha, the youngest cohort, is being exposed to the effects of climate change and is inheriting the warm planet. 2024 was recorded as the warmest of the record, with global temperatures exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, representing serious risks for future generations. This report serves as a call to action for more ambitious and more effective environmental guidelines and programs to address these urgent challenges.
Renewable Energy and Fossil Fuel Dependence
India's renewable energy sector is progressing at a considerable pace. The country is an ambitious destination for the production of clean energy and has made impressive investments in solar, wind, hydro and nuclear power. In 2025, India is ready to add more than 50,000 MW of new capabilities to meet the growing electricity needs of renewable energy. However, coal continues to control the country's power generation. Despite the influx of clean energy projects, about two-thirds of the new energy expansion in 2024 came from fossil fuels. This dual dependence on coal and renewable energy poses challenges to integrate sustainability with economic needs. As a result, India's emissions remain high, and the country appears to be an increase in its 2030 carbon reduction target. The country has recorded an increase in extreme weather events, including floods, droughts and heat waves. The increasing frequency of these disasters puts great pressure on agriculture, water resources and infrastructure. Water shortages in arid areas and large river basins have become a major issue. This will significantly reduce the per capita availability of freshwater by 2025. Glaciers serve as important sources of water for several Himalayan flows. Sundarbans are already immersed in low areas. The environment underscores the need for a climate declaration policy to protect communities and ecosystems that require protection.
The country needs US$68 billion a year to reach its clean energy target, but it was possible to invest around US$13 billion last year. This funding gap is attributed to challenges such as land acquisition, regulatory obstacles and project delays. Furthermore, India's funding environment remains challenging, with high interest rates and limited foreign investment being limited, strengthened by recognition of domestic risks associated with the renewable energy sector. Without this, the switch to a low-carbon economy could be delayed, putting both ecological and economic goals at risk. A notable initiative is the Green Hydrogen Mission aimed at establishing India as a global hub for green hydrogen production and export. This mission promises to diversify India's energy sources, create job opportunities, promote economic growth, and at the same time fulfill its global climate obligations.
These strategies meet the country's broader sustainability goals and ensure that development does not reach the cost of ecological health. While India has made significant advances in the development of renewable energy and political development, the challenges of climate change, financial restrictions and continued reliance on fossil fuels are important obstacles. The country's future environmental success relies on comprehensive and sustainable efforts to invest in environmentally friendly technologies, strengthen climate resistance and reduce reliance on carbon-intensive industries.
