Kautilya Colloquy 2025

Opening Remarks – Dr. Sach Wry

Dr. Wry framed the conversation around three essential themes for climate governance in a VUCA world:

• Data infrastructure and the politics of climate measurement
• Efficiency paradoxes, including Jevons’ paradox in EVs and AC usage
• Uncertainty and the challenges of forecasting climate impacts

He emphasized that climate policy today must go beyond mitigation to address vulnerability, fairness, and adaptive governance.

Mr. Subrata Mitra – Ather Energy, Sustainable Mobility & Policy Advocacy

Mr. Mitra highlighted the centrality of data in enabling clean-energy transitions. He pointed to India’s fragmented environmental monitoring infrastructure—insufficient sensors, inconsistent data collection, and weak integration across agencies. Drawing from EV sector experience, he noted:

• EV transition in rural India is faster than urban India due to charging constraints in high-rise buildings.
• Policy mandates such as e-three-wheelers have led to massive adoption.
• India must value its success stories: railway electrification, solar deployment, and EV cost-efficiency.

He stressed that sustainable transitions will succeed only when consumers perceive clear value, rather than feeling burdened by regulation.

Ms. Aarti Khosla – Founder & Director, Climate Trends

Ms. Khosla addressed the urgency of climate science and the importance of robust, transparent climate data. She noted:

• The 1.5°C threshold has been breached for 18 consecutive months, making adaptation equally—if not more—urgent.
• Power demand from cooling could rise by 200 GW in the next decade due to AC usage alone.
• Agriculture, water systems, and public health now face compounding climate impacts.

She emphasized that climate justice—both globally and within India—cannot be sidelined. International finance commitments remain insufficient, and vulnerable communities continue to bear disproportionate climate risks.

Dr. Swati Singh – Environmental Scientist & Circular Economy Expert, Recykal

Dr. Singh discussed data gaps in waste management, particularly methane emissions from household and municipal waste. Key points included:

• A significant portion of waste-sector emissions remains unmeasured.
• Only large complexes generate reliable waste data; most of India lacks systematic tracking.
• Policy interventions such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) require accurate upstream data on materials introduced into markets.

She stressed that circular economy transitions are policy-driven, and without strong regulatory frameworks, sustainability efforts remain fragmented.

Key Themes Discussed

1. The Data Challenge: Who produces climate data? Who verifies it? How can policymakers design effective strategies without complete datasets?
2. Efficiency Paradoxes: EVs and energy-efficient appliances can still increase cumulative emissions if consumption accelerates—highlighting the need for systemic solutions.
3. Climate Justice & Fairness: Both global equity and internal equity matter: those who emit least often suffer most.
4. Planning Under Uncertainty: Climate volatility—monsoon variability, heatwaves, extreme weather—requires adaptive, flexible policy frameworks.

Across submissions, the standout feature was the rigor of analysis, blending field insights, data interpretation, and theoretically grounded recommendations.