Make climate action politics personal

Tackling the triple environmental crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution requires a complete transformation of the economy. The way we produce and consume needs to become less wasteful, more resource efficient, and have a lower carbon and ecological footprint. Governments through its policies, structures of incentives and disincentives, and its institutions take the lead on this transformation but change at the requisite pace and scale requires changes right from the individual. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to take the fight to tackle climate change to the dinner table is about involving the individual, changing the demand and supply dynamics towards sustainability, and making climate change politics personal.

This push to democratise climate action is not about transferring responsibility away from governments and industry, but about securing the individuals’ support and participation. It is also about making sense to the individual of the changes in consumption and production patterns. Taking climate action to the dinner table will serve as a check on governments and business to ensure that these important stakeholders take measures to transition to a low carbon economy. Behavioural change is important. But it also requires appropriate government policy and incentive structures and institutions. Climate action often makes little sense unless made relevant for people. India’s Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) provides a blueprint for this.

Collectively individual action can bend the emissions curve. According to the International Energy Agency, the 75 suggested individual actions if adopted globally could lead to a reduction of 2 billion tonnes of emission in 2030. Individual action matters.