In 2025, the global community confronts a climate crisis of unparalleled scale and speed. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) warns that limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels requires greenhouse gas emissions to peak before 2025 and decline by 43% by 2030. Failure risks crossing "tipping points" with catastrophic consequences. The United Nations Environment Programme's Emissions Gap Report 2024 reinforces this, highlighting that current national commitments leave a "significant emissions gap" and make exceeding 1.5°C "virtually unavoidable" without rapid, transformative action. According to IPCC Working Group I, "Human influence has warmed the climate at a rate unprecedented in at least the last 2000 years," and delaying emissions reductions will drastically reduce the feasibility of climate stabilization. UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized at COP29 that the 1.5°C limit is now "on life support," reflecting the dire need for accelerated global response.
Escalating Climate Risks: Impacts on Humanity and Nature
The physical manifestations of climate change intensify annually. Sea levels are projected to rise between 0.3 and 1 meter by 2100, threatening 200 million people with displacement. The World Meteorological Organization reports 2024 as one of the hottest years on record, with extreme events such as heatwaves killing thousands in South Asia and Europe, floods submerging 30% of Pakistan, and wildfires in Canada and Australia causing $200 billion in insured losses. The IPCC reports that biodiversity loss is accelerating with one million species at risk of extinction, disrupting essential ecosystem services. The World Bank estimates annual global economic damages from climate change could amount to 2-5% of global GDP by 2050 if emissions continue unabated. As Kristalina Georgieva, IMF Managing Director, states, "Climate change risks putting decades of development progress at risk and threatens global economic stability."
Inequity in Climate Impacts and Financing
Climate change exacerbates existing global inequalities. Low-income countries contribute only 10% of historical emissions but face 75% of the costs of adaptation, projected between $215 billion and $387 billion annually by 2030, per UNEP's Adaptation Gap Report. The Global Commission on Adaptation finds that every dollar invested in climate resilience generates $4 in economic benefits and lives saved. Yet, only 15% of required finance reaches vulnerable nations, fueling "a finance gap that imperils the most affected populations." According to the World Resources Institute, failure to close this gap risks perpetuating cycles of poverty and displacement. The UN High-Level Climate Champions assert that "climate finance must enhance equity and prioritize the most vulnerable."
Methane Mitigation: A Critical Short-Term Lever
Methane, although short-lived, has 80 times the warming effect of CO2 over 20 years, driving 25% of current global warming. Major contributors include agriculture (40%), fossil fuel extraction (35%), and waste management (20%). The Global Methane Assessment, led by climate scientist Drew Shindell, notes that rapid methane reduction is critical: "Cutting methane emissions can slow warming by 0.2°C within a few decades, buying critical time." UNEP data further indicate that methane reduction efforts are cost-effective and politically feasible, yet global emissions continue rising. Addressing methane offers the fastest potential for immediate climate benefits, alongside long-term CO2 mitigation.
Ocean and Cryosphere Changes: The Underappreciated Crisis
The Earth's oceans and cryosphere are undergoing profound transformation. Antarctica and Greenland are losing approximately 500 billion tons of ice annually, contributing to sea-level rise and threatening coastal communities. Ocean acidification has increased by 30% since pre-industrial times, impairing coral reefs and jeopardizing fisheries that sustain 3 billion people globally. The IPCC highlights that marine ecosystems are "at risk of critical functional impairment," with cascading effects on global food security. As the Pew Charitable Trusts emphasize, "Healthy oceans are vital for climate regulation, biodiversity, and livelihoods, yet remain underfunded priorities in the climate agenda."
India at the Nexus of Vulnerability and Leadership
India exemplifies the disproportionate burden few nations bear in the climate crisis. Ranking seventh on the Global Climate Risk Index, it faces frequent extreme weather events that displace millions. The country emits 7% of global greenhouse gases, but its per capita emissions are roughly half the world average. India's cumulative emissions since 1850 account for only 4% globally, reflecting historical development inequities. Yet climate impacts threaten a projected 15% GDP loss by 2050, with agricultural losses alone estimated at ₹7 trillion ($85 billion). A 2024–25 Yale survey shows 91% of Indian adults fear climate change, driven by direct experiences such as heatwaves and monsoon irregularities affecting over half the agricultural workforce. Sunita Narain of the Centre for Science and Environment aptly notes, "Climate change is a multiplier of poverty and inequality in India, disproportionately impacting the most vulnerable." India's demand for $1 trillion annually in climate finance from developed nations at COP28 underscores its call for equity and accountability.
Global Net-Zero Commitments: Progress and Shortcomings
Although 153 countries, representing 90% of global GDP, have made net-zero commitments, only 37% of major corporate and national pledges include credible 2030 interim targets. The 2025 Net Zero Tracker reveals that many existing commitments lack the detailed pathways and policies required for success. The Global Energy Monitor reports that over 60 percent of future fossil fuel emissions are "locked in" due to planned or ongoing infrastructure investments. The World Bank projects economic losses of $178 trillion by 2100 under "business as usual" scenarios, while adherence to a 1.5°C pathway unlocks $43 trillion in economic gains. There is a broad consensus among economists and policy experts that delayed and partial action condemns the global economy to avoidable shocks and recessions. As Ban Ki-moon once said, "There is no Plan B because there is no Planet B."
Corporate Governance and the Climate Imperative
Climate risk governance remains variable. Despite growing ESG disclosure mandates such as SEBI's Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report requiring India's top 1,000 firms to report on climate metrics, global gaps persist. Only 7% of firms report comprehensive Scope 1-3 emissions, leaving $100 billion in potential losses over the coming years from unmanaged climate risks. Shailesh Haribhakti of the Climate Governance Initiative emphasizes, "Boards are increasingly recognized as the fulcrum of accountability for transitioning companies and capital markets toward resilience." Effective corporate governance, aligned with frameworks like the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), is essential to complement government action and unlock financial systemic transformation.
Vision for an Equitable and Sustainable Future
The path forward demands that the global community embraces rapid, inclusive, and equity-centered climate action. Clean energy investment reached $1.8 trillion in 2024, surpassing fossil fuel investments for the third consecutive year. The green economy now accounts for 5% of global GDP, with projections to expand to 10-15% by 2030. India, driven by its demographic dividend of 600 million youth and digital innovation, is uniquely positioned to lead the Global South's green transformation. The International Energy Agency's Fatih Birol states, "The potential for India to leapfrog traditional fossil fuel pathways is unparalleled, given its solar resources and venture investment surge." However, the remaining global carbon budget estimated at less than 350 gigatons of CO2 will be consumed within a decade at current emission rates.
Immediate, systemic, and science-based action can avert the worst outcomes while favourably aligning economies with a sustainable development agenda. The IPCC's synthesis underscores, "Every fraction of a degree avoided and every year advanced in implementing mitigation and adaptation close the gap between risk and resilience, securing a livable future." António Guterres' closing message at COP29 resonates globally: "The climate emergency is the defining task of our time, demanding courage, solidarity, and swift, decisive action. The future depends on what we do today."
[Major General Dr. Dilawar Singh, IAV, is a distinguished strategist having held senior positions in technology, defence, and corporate governance. He serves on global boards and advises on leadership, emerging technologies, and strategic affairs, with a focus on aligning India's interests in the evolving global technological order.]
