In response to India’s escalating climate risks and to contribute to the country’s commitments under the Paris Agreement, the Sendai Framework, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, DRF has designed its ACE Strategy.

This strategy will serve as a guide, directing our efforts towards building resilience through integrated climate pathways, community empowerment, and biodiversity restoration. DRF acknowledges that climate action spans a wide range of interconnected challenges. However, based on our initial five years of work and evolving scientific evidence, we have decided to focus our efforts on three core thrust areas – (a) Afforestation and Biodiversity, to restore degraded landscapes, enhance green cover, sequester carbon, and support livelihoods, (b) Coastal Ecosystems, to protect shorelines, restore mangroves, reduce salinity, and create income opportunities for coastal women, and (c) Disaster Risk Reduction, to build community-led preparedness, mitigation, and recovery capacities against multi-hazard climate events, with village women as community animators at the centre of delivery.

In the strategy paper, we have deep-dived into the following areas: (a) Context – Navigating India’s Climate Future and Strategic Synergies with India’s Climate Landscape, (b) Purpose of the Strategy, (c) Current Challenges including GHG Emissions, Environment and Climate Risk, Socio-Economic Disparities, Communities and Non-State Actors, Gender Barriers, and Rapid Urbanisation, (d) Opportunities including India’s Global and Domestic Policy, Nationally Determined Contributions, Indigenous Knowledge and Environment, Sustainable Agriculture and Water, Energy Efficiency and Renewables, and Private Sector Engagement, (e) Strategic Principles, Priorities and Components, (h) Partnerships, and (i) Envisioned Impact.

To know more, please download our ACE Strategy Paper.