What questions and debates in Parliament say about India’s climate change priorities

India, like other countries, is grappling with the effects of El Niño, which has exacerbated global warming, causing a major rainfall deficit in the country this year. Over the past decade, India has seen climate change take a deadly toll in the form of extreme weather and disasters such as landslides and glacial collapse.

How did these concerns resonate in the Indian Parliament?

In the last 10 years, Parliament maintained a steady focus on climate change, but its attention has centered largely on setting ambitious goals and announcing national targets.

My analysis of the environmental-related questions discussed in Parliament over the last 10 years found that the focus was on sectors such as energy and forests. The financial and institutional dimensions of climate action received considerably less attention.

The report titled “Climate on the Floor: India’s Parliamentary Discourse on Environment since the Paris Agreement” was released by the Centre for Financial Accountability on October 2. It analysed the questions raised in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha between December 2015 and December 2025, along with parliamentary debates. India was among the 200 countries that adopted the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement on reducing carbon emissions.

Beyond these questions, debates and other parliamentary proceedings also examined climate change concerns. Together, they provide a picture of the issues...

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