changeadminIndia’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), in collaboration with two institutes at Harvard University, USA, is organizing a Conference on ‘India 2047: Building a Climate-Resilient Future’ from 19th March to 22nd March 2025, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute and the Salata Institute For Climate and Sustainability at Harvard University are the organising partners for the event.
This event will identify the key challenges in adaptation and fine-tune India’s response in terms of policies, programmes and action at the field level geared towards a climate-resilient India@2047.
Mr Suman Bery, Vice Chairperson, NITI Aayog and Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Mr Kirti Vardhan Singh will grace the inaugural session of this conference.
The event would also be addressed by distinguished speakers from the Government of India, academia, research institutions, the private sector and Harvard University. Notable amongst these are Prof. Tarun Khanna, Director, The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute and Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor at the Harvard Business School; Prof. Jim Stock, Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability at Harvard University, Prof. Daniel P. Schrag, Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering at Harvard University, amongst others.
The Conference will be organized for four days with multiple breakout sessions and several technical sessions focusing on adaptation and resilience under four themes – Climate Science and its implications on Water & Agriculture, Health, Work, and Built Environment.
- The theme of Climate Science and its implications on Agriculture and Water will explore the scientific, policy, and practical dimensions of adapting to heat waves, changing monsoon patterns, and water distribution issues.
- The theme on Health convenes leading health professionals and health system experts, from India and the world to address essential questions on the impact of heat.
- The theme of Work will focus on the impact of climate change on labour productivity.
- The theme of Built Environment seeks to examine how the built environment should be prepared for rising temperatures over the coming decades.
There will be several cross-cutting issues across these themes, such as governance, traditional knowledge, livelihood and skilling, gender, and financing. The workshops aim to generate tangible outputs such as research papers, technical documents, and policy briefs, as agreed upon by participants to contribute scientific evidence to global initiatives.
This event will be a special opportunity to discuss adaptation and resilience to climate change amongst a receptive and influential audience in a location where this issue is an immediate concern.
This Conference will bring together government, academia, civil society, the private sector, and other relevant stakeholders to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration to address the pressing challenges posed by climate change.
It will enable stakeholders to develop strategies for a sustainable and climate-resilient future for India, which will require multipronged interdisciplinary planning.
With a focus on policy integration, scientific advancements, and localized adaptation strategies, the Conference aims to bridge critical knowledge gaps that hinder effective climate planning.
This conference provides an opportunity to engage with influential stakeholders in the region where climate adaptation is an urgent priority. The insights gathered here will directly contribute to shaping India’s upcoming National Adaptation Plan, ensuring that it is evidence-based, inclusive, and aligned with India’s broader development goals.
As India approaches its centenary of independence in 2047, this upcoming Conference will be a significant step toward ensuring a climate-resilient future, backed by innovation, collaboration, and actionable policy insights.
About The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute
The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute is a university-wide research institute at Harvard that engages in interdisciplinary research to advance and deepen the understanding of critical issues in South Asia and its relationship with the world.
About The Salata Institute For Climate and Sustainability
Established in 2022, The Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability is an interdisciplinary hub dedicated to accelerating climate research, education, and action. Since 2023, the Salata Institute has supported the South Asia Adaptation Research Cluster, which comprises leading climate scientists, epidemiologists, planners, and experts.
The cluster is dedicated to advancing climate adaptation research in the Indian subcontinent, focusing on the impacts of extreme heat and changing weather patterns. It aims to identify at-risk populations and inform targeted intervention strategies. The cluster collaborates with regional and international partners to ensure that adaptation strategies are both scientifically robust and aligned with local needs.
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