Climate

Varaha raises $45 million in Series B round led by WestBridge Capital

Climate-tech firm to use fresh capital to expand globally, deepen science capabilities and scale biochar-focused industrial partnerships

Critical minerals, nuclear push crucial to India's climate plan: Eco Survey

The Economic Survey says India plans a development-centred climate strategy that integrates adaptation, mitigation and behaviour change while strengthening energy security

Domestic climate finance alone won't suffice for India: Eco Survey

India faces global challenges in climate finance and relying solely on domestic resources will not be sufficient, the Economic Survey on Thursday warned, suggesting mobilising private sector finance. Critical areas, including adaptation, financing for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), urban infrastructure, and hard-to-abate industries, remain "underfunded". Currently, about 83 per cent of India's finance for mitigation and 98 per cent of finance for adaptation is sourced domestically. "However, the gaps in available finance and the needs persist, relying solely on domestic resources will not be sufficient," the Survey warned. Although the country has successfully reduced its emissions intensity by 36 per cent since 2005 and achieved 50 per cent non-fossil power capacity ahead of schedule, climate finance remains skewed towards mature sectors such as solar, wind energy and energy efficiency, it said. International public sector climate finance at an affordable cost, is,

CBAM concessions if given by EU to others will also apply to India: FTA

The EU has not provided any concessions to India on its carbon regulations in the trade pact, but has agreed that any relaxations granted by the 27-nation bloc to other countries under the CBAM provisions will automatically extend to Indian exporters, an official said on Tuesday. The free trade agreement also provides for a rebalancing of rights in case the EU's measures under this regulation impair pact benefits to Indian firms or if it fails to establish the grounds for the same. Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) or the carbon tax, which came into effect on January 1, was one of the contentious issues of the trade pact between India and the European Union (EU). Under the mechanism, the EU will impose a carbon tax on goods such as steel, aluminium, fertiliser and cement as they emit carbon beyond a specified threshold during manufacturing. Presently, the tax applies to steel and aluminium products. "CBAM is a difficult issue. It is a horizontal regulation without any ...

India needs $145 billion per year to fund energy transition: WoodMac

India will need to mobilise average annual investments of about USD 145 billion in its energy sector to bridge the gap between sustained economic growth and its net-zero ambitions, Wood Mackenzie said on Tuesday, outlining a critical pathway to maintain around 6 per cent GDP growth through 2035 while advancing the energy transition. Speaking at India Energy Week 2026, Joshua Ngu, Vice Chairman, Asia Pacific at Wood Mackenzie, said capital deployment must be strategically focused on power generation, energy storage and urgent grid modernisation to support India's expanding economy and decarbonisation goals. "India's next decade is decisive," Ngu said. "The challenge is a dual mandate: India must de-risk its immediate energy security while simultaneously building the low-carbon architecture required to support a top-tier global economy. Today's investment choices will determine whether the country locks in carbon-intensive infrastructure or leads the world in low-carbon ...

Optimist raises $12 million to build air conditioners for India's climate

Accel and Arkam Ventures back the startup, founded by Urban Ladder's Ashish Goel, as it develops energy-efficient cooling systems tailored to India's power and climate constraints

EV making and climate tech | From Foxconn’s environmental expert

In this session, Ankita Patwa, Environmental Manager, Foxconn System & Founder, TheGreenSolve talks about EV making, sustainability, climate tech and provides career tips

Hindu Kush Himalayas face $12 trillion climate finance gap by 2050: Report

The Hindu Kush Himalaya, a vital water source for billions in the region, faces a staggering climate financing shortfall, requiring around USD 12 trillion from 2020 to 2050, according to a new regional analysis. According to the report by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), current financial commitments are insufficient to address the region's adaptation and mitigation needs. The ICIMOD is an inter-governmental organisation for the eight countries of the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan that stretches for almost 3,500 km. The report estimates the HKH region requires approximately USD 12.065 trillion from 2020 to 2050 for climate mitigation and adaptation, amounting to an annual average of USD 768.68 billion. China and India account for 92.4 per cent of the total projected need. Mobilising the ambitious target of USD 12 trillion is like climbing the Everest of funding, s

2025 was 8th warmest year since 1901; extreme weather caused 2,760 deaths

India recorded its eighth warmest year in 2025 since 1901, with extreme weather events killing 2,760 people, while the IMD forecast below-normal rains and colder days ahead in early 2026

Delays in net zero will make heatwaves hotter, longer and more frequent

Heatwaves could be hotter, more prolonged and frequent, the longer countries delay in reaching net zero emissions, a balance between greenhouse gases emitted and those taken out from the atmosphere, according to a modelling study. Trends published in the journal 'Environmental Research: Climate' also indicate that heatwaves do not start to revert towards pre-industrial conditions for at least a millennium even after achieving net-zero targets. Regions in the Southern Hemisphere are projected to experience heatwaves of significantly increasing severity when net zero was modelled to occur by 2050 or later. Lead author Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, professor of climate science at the Australian National University, said the work challenges a general belief that conditions after net zero will begin to improve for future generations. "While our results are alarming, they provide a vital glimpse of the future, allowing effective and permanent adaptation measures to be planned and implemente

EU Nations reach deal on 2040 climate goal after key concessions

The agreement - announced after marathon talks among environment ministers in Brussels - was only reached after a number of concessions were made

COP30 unveils roadmap to scale climate finance to $1.3 trillion by 2035

The COP30 presidency on Wednesday released the 'Baku to Belem Roadmap to 1.3 Trillion', a global plan to raise and channel at least USD 1.3 trillion every year by 2035 to help developing countries deal with the growing impacts of climate change and shift to cleaner economies. The report says this level of funding is now "a necessity, not an option" and aims to turn finance promises into real action to help poor and climate-vulnerable nations access money for renewable energy, adaptation and rebuilding after climate disasters. The roadmap builds on the agreement reached last year at COP29 in Baku, where countries had called on "all actors", including governments, banks and businesses, to work together to mobilise USD 1.3 trillion annually by 2035 under the new global climate finance goal. The document does not set new rules or create new funds. Instead, it acts as a guide to align existing institutions such as multilateral development banks, climate funds and private investors to ...

Momentum Capital invests in climate, health startups with Rs 60 crore fund

India is among the world's most climate-vulnerable countries, but attracts less than 4 per cent of global climate-tech VC funding, with most of it concentrated in mobility

Delhi's first cloud seeding trial likely after Diwali, awaiting IMD nod

Delhi's much-anticipated first trial of artificial rain through cloud seeding will be held after Diwali, once the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) gives a green light, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said. During a media briefing on Wednesday, Sirsa said that pilots have already completed trial flights over the area where the cloud seeding operation is planned. The aircraft have been fully equipped for the process and the crew is trained and familiar with the region, he added. "The entire setup is ready from permissions to pilot training. The aircraft are fitted with cloud seeding equipment, and pilots have flown over the target areas to prepare. Now, we are just waiting for the IMD's approval," he said. The first trial is expected to take place the day after Diwali or shortly thereafter, depending on suitable weather conditions. The Delhi government's cloud seeding project -- a major commitment by the BJP-led administration -- has been postponed multiple times d

Delhi's air quality 'moderate', temperature below 20 deg C for third day

Delhi is witnessing a gradual rise in the air pollution levels amid a drop in temperatures in the national capital, where the air quality was recorded in the "moderate" category. The city saw a low of 19.6 degrees Celsius, 1.4 notches below normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The national capital on Saturday recorded a minimum temperature of 19.4 degrees Celsius and on Friday, recorded its first temperature drop below the 20-degree Celsius-mark for the 2025-26 winter season, with a minimum temperature of 18.8 degrees. At 9 am, Delhi's AQI was recorded in the "moderate" category at 162, which was a slight improvement from the 24- hour air quality index of 199 recorded on Saturday. The IMD has forecast mainly clear skies during the day, with the maximum temperature likely to hover around 31 degrees Celsius. The relative humidity at 8.30 am stood at 79 per cent. As per the CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 to 100 "satisfactory", 101

Climate finance 'make-or-break issue', India needs $10 tn by 2070: Yadav

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Thursday said climate finance is the "make-or-break issue for climate action" and stressed that developed countries have a "moral responsibility to support the global south" in its transition to a low-carbon economy. Addressing an event organised by industry chamber FICCI, Yadav said India will require more than USD 10 trillion by 2070 to meet its net-zero target and called for global financial systems to unlock private capital while ensuring transparency, accountability and affordability. "Public money cannot and would not be sufficient to address the scale of the problem at hand. Fiscal space is tight. The role of public budgets and concessional finance is to de-risk, crowd in and set rules that unlock private capital," he said. He said climate finance is development finance. "Clean power, efficient cities, climate-smart agriculture and resilient infrastructure are not add-ons; they are the foundation of energy security, food security

Funding in climate-tech startups cools but VCs signal a greener future

Funding in India's climate-tech startups fell from $2.4 billion in 2022 to $1.5 billion in 2024, with capital needs, scale issues and slow adoption posing key challenges

New India Assurance to launch parametric insurance for climate risks: CMD

State-owned New India Assurance will this month launch a parametric insurance product, which will provide a financial safety net to its retail and business customers against climate risks, said chairman and managing director Girija Subramanian on Tuesday. Parametric insurance refers to losses arising out of calamities including heavy rainfall, high speed wind and flood/drought. Unlike traditional insurance policies, the payout in case of parametric insurance products depends upon triggering of pre-defined parameters, thus allowing for quicker claim settlement. "Parametric insurance is a use and file product, which is allowed by the regulator IRDAI. We have got it already registered on IRDAI so the product is ready and can be used across both retail and business groups. We are ready with that in a big way," Subramanian told PTI. Asked about the timeline for launch of the product, she said: "We will be launching it by the end of this month." Subramanian said the parametric insurance

Growth capital firm Playbook Partners targets 2025 to raise $250 mn fund

Playbook Partners aims to invest in 12-15 companies in two years, with an average ticket size of $20 million

Traditional VC model not enough for deep science: Social Alpha founder

Manoj Kumar, the founder of venture development platform Social Alpha, says that deep science is all about impact first, rather than return first, making it harder to find typical venture funding