Publication Type: Issue Briefs

The Indian Carbon Market: Institutional, Regulatory, and Market Considerations

Introduction

India is at a critical juncture in its climate policy journey. In the near-term, it aims to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45% below 2005 levels by 2030. Its longer-term goal is to reach net-zero emissions by 2070. Meeting these targets will require a combination of policy interventions, technological advancements, regulatory mechanisms, and financial support.

As part of this broader transition, India is developing a national carbon market under the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act 2022 (See Fig. 1 for a timeline of developments around the CCTS). The Carbon Credit and Trading Scheme (CCTS), notified by the Ministry of Power (MoP) in June 2023, lays the foundation for a carbon market that seeks to balance economic growth with climate goals.

Fig. 1: Key Milestones in India’s Carbon Market Development

The effectiveness of the CCTS will depend on several interlinked factors- clear governance structures, credible price signals, transparent processes, institutional capacity, and harmonisation with existing domestic programs and global frameworks. Recognising the complexity of these issues, Prayas Energy Group (PEG) and Sustainable Futures Collaborative (SFC) convened a closed-door roundtable under the Chatham House rules on March 20, 2025 in New Delhi, which brought together participants from across policy think tanks, regulatory consultancies, industry, industry associations, and civil society organisations. It served as a platform to exchange diverse perspectives on the institutional, regulatory, and market-related elements of the CCTS. This brief reflects the key insights that emerged from the discussion, highlighting seven broad yet interlinked issues central to the design and operationalisation of the CCTS. 

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Ratcheting Ambition in Climate Finance: Key Challenges and Goals for COP29

Introduction

The 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), scheduled to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November 2024, presents another pivotal moment in global climate action. A key area of focus at COP29 will be the decision on a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) for climate finance, which is meant to replace the 2009 pledge by developed countries to provide $100 billion annually to developing countries by 2020.

Seen as a key symbol of trust, transparency, and cooperation between developed and developing countries, the NCQG is a crucial lever for strengthening the shared responsibility and mutual commitment essential for tackling the climate crisis.

This issue brief provides an overview of key issues to watch in NCQG discussions, exploring the role and relevance of the NCQG, strategies for its effective implementation, and implications of the outcome for broader climate diplomacy. The brief is based on insights shared during SFC’s recent webinar, “Climate Finance at COP 29: What New, Collective, Quantified Ambition?”, held on October 28, 2024, which aimed to summarise and contextualise the current state of play in climate finance negotiations as COP29 approaches.

The speakers for this webinar were Joe Thwaites, Senior Advocate at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC); Jonathan Beynon, Senior Policy Associate at the Center for Global Development (CGD); and Avantika Goswami, Programme Manager at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The session was moderated by Aman Srivastava, Fellow and Coordinator, Climate Policy, at the Sustainable Futures Collaborative (SFC).

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