India is facing incredible challenges in adaptation to climate change from rising temperatures and devastating floods to severe water shortages. Conditions are worsening with unprecedented summer heat and monsoon floods that maroon villages and cities.
India is spending millions to adapt but is being overtaken by its costs. Smog and heat worsen because of humidity which reduces productivity by costing the economy the most. On the other hand water scarcity threatens to cripple cities like Bangalore. Critical to a solution is smarter incentives that push for more efficient and sustainable use and consumption practices.
India’s water crisis calls for better incentives. Since India is the most water stressed country in Asia and current pricing systems fail to reflect the true value of water. Farmers pump groundwater for free using subsidised electricity while urban households pay minimal rates and often ignore the bills. This results in extensive waste, slow adoption of efficient practices like drip irrigation and poor management of rainfall.
If water were priced appropriately, this would be a means for conservation and innovation much like what private companies already do since they pay more and invest in advanced technologies that save water.
Better urban planning and climate resilient infrastructure can be encouraged by incentives. Cities can have heat resistant building codes that consider shade and ventilation. Such codes can make sure structures are more resilient to increasing temperatures.
Campaigns on education can educate the communities on how to plant trees and utilize natural means of alleviating heat stress. It creates cooler spaces in densely populated areas. Such measures if properly incentivized can increase their effectiveness allowing better adaptation of both urban centers and rural communities.
The government has to be central in the formulation of incentives. The power of the government can standardize water pricing, research for local climate solutions and make bureaucracy easier. There is a meaningful way of changing resource management using data and technology.
Despite these political and administrative challenges, urgency requires bold action. By aligning incentives with sustainability goals, India can better equip itself to face the growing threats of climate change and secure a more resilient future.
