Champions of Change: Indians Leading the Fight Against Climate Change

Aditi Joshi
Oct 23
4 min read

There are many ways to measure India’s climate story - in tonnes of coal burned, in gigawatts of solar power installed, in floods and heatwaves endured. But another way, perhaps the most important, is through people. Across India, from Himalayan villages to Delhi boardrooms, ordinary citizens and extraordinary leaders are taking on the climate challenge. They are proving that action is not confined to policy papers and international summits, but lived in fields, classrooms, laboratories, and communities.

Grassroots Guardians of the Land

In Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district, women’s self-help groups are leading community forestry projects that both restore degraded land and provide sustainable incomes through the sale of bamboo and forest produce. In Meghalaya, traditional institutions known as Dorbar Shnongs are protecting sacred groves that have stood untouched for centuries, safeguarding rare species and preserving water sources.

In Tamil Nadu’s coastal villages, fisherfolk cooperatives are restoring mangroves that shield communities from cyclones while reviving fish stocks that families depend on. These efforts show how conservation, when led by local people, strengthens both ecosystems and livelihoods.

Such initiatives remind us that climate action is not always about satellites or solar parks. Often, it begins with ancient wisdom, community trust, and the choice to treat nature as an ally rather than an adversary.

Scientists and Innovators at the Forefront

India’s climate fight is also powered by research and innovation. Think tanks and research organizations including The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Centre for Policy Research (CPR), International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology (iFOREST), Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), World Resources Institute (WRI) India, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), Mobius Foundation (MF) etc. provide the data and policy analysis shaping India’s energy transition. Also, scientists at many premier institutions, including Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) are studying monsoon variability, air pollution, and carbon sinks - research that guides national adaptation plans.

On the technology front, entrepreneurs are scaling up climate-friendly businesses. From electric scooters to solar and wind projects, India’s green startups are proving that clean energy is not only possible but profitable.

Adding to this wave are numerous philanthropic foundations that fund climate-focused startups, and global companies committing to renewable energy in their operations. Emerging startups are transforming waste into biodegradable products, and clean-energy ventures are producing biofuels from organic material. Business innovation, from large corporations to small startups, can bend the curve of climate impact.

The Role of Activists and Citizens

Youth movements are bringing urgency to India’s climate narrative. Young activists like Disha Ravi, Licypriya Kangujam, Ridhima Pandey, Archana Soreng and many more have mobilised thousands of young people to campaign for climate action, reminding policymakers that the next generation is watching closely. Environmental lawyers such as M.C. Mehta have been instrumental in landmark Supreme Court rulings on pollution control, river protection, and vehicular emissions - showing how the law can be wielded as a tool for ecological justice.

Local communities, too, are stepping up. In Delhi, Resident Welfare Associations are pushing for clean energy and waste segregation. In coastal Odisha, fisherfolk groups are building resilience to cyclones through early warning systems and mangrove restoration.

Equally important are everyday people who choose to cycle instead of drive, plant urban gardens, or push their housing societies to adopt rooftop solar. These quiet acts of responsibility, multiplied thousands of times, form the invisible scaffolding of climate action.

Government and Collective Action

India’s government has also seeded major initiatives that depend on collaboration. The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), launched in 2008, set the stage with missions on solar energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable agriculture. Building on this, state-level climate action plans have begun tailoring solutions to local conditions.

Schemes like the Perform, Achieve, and Trade (PAT) mechanism incentivise industries to reduce emissions, while the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme accelerates the EV transition.

Even cities are experimenting. Ahmedabad’s Heat Action Plan, the first of its kind in South Asia, has saved lives during scorching summers and is now a model replicated across the country.

Further, India co-founded the International Solar Alliance (ISA) with France, uniting over 120 countries to accelerate solar adoption. Initiatives like the Ujjwala Yojana have given clean cooking fuel to millions, reducing emissions and improving health. State-level innovations such as Kerala’s Haritha Keralam Mission and Maharashtra’s Majhi Vasundhara Abhiyan show how regional efforts are complementing national ambitions.

What Individuals Can Do

For those wondering what difference one person can make, the answer is: plenty. Small, everyday actions add up to measurable change. Among the most impactful steps are:

Switching to public transport, cycling, or EVs for daily commutes.
Shifting diets to include more plant-based meals, reducing meat consumption.
Cutting single-use plastics by choosing reusables.
Installing energy-efficient appliances and LED lights at home.
Practicing waste segregation and composting organic waste.

Even digital choices matter. Platforms like carbon-neutral websites help reduce emissions from online activity. Conscious consumption, from choosing eco-friendly brands to offsetting flight emissions, can make sustainability a habit rather than a burden.

Looking Ahead

India’s climate champions are as diverse as the country itself - scientists and lawyers, farmers and entrepreneurs, youth activists and seasoned policymakers. Their work proves that no single actor can solve the crisis alone, but together they can bend the curve of emissions, protect communities, and nurture ecosystems.

The story of climate change in India is often framed as a struggle between growth and environment. These champions show that it can instead be a story of growth through environment. As the Sanskrit saying reminds us: “Prakriti Rakshati Rakshita” - “Nature protects those who protect it.”

The challenge now is scale: to take these islands of change and make them continents.