Global warming is the long-term rise in Earth’s average surface temperature driven by the accumulation of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirms that global temperatures have already risen 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels and the window to prevent catastrophic outcomes is narrowing. This necessisates us to think measures like 10 ways to stop global warming.
India faces disproportionate climate risk. Extreme heatwaves across Rajasthan and Odisha, erratic monsoons, and repeated urban flooding in Chennai illustrate what climate inaction costs in human and economic terms. The 2015 Chennai floods alone caused losses exceeding ₹15,000 crore, a direct consequence of unchecked climate disruption.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement set the global architecture for climate response: limit warming to 1.5°C and achieve net-zero emissions by mid-century. India, as a signatory, has committed to net-zero emissions by 2070 and 50% renewable electricity capacity by 2030.
Stopping global warming requires both systemic industrial transformation and individual behavioral shifts. This guide outlines 10 evidence-based, actionable strategies — spanning individual responsibility, corporate ESG integration, and regulatory compliance — with direct relevance to Indian businesses, policymakers, and professionals.
What Causes Global Warming?
Global warming accelerates when GHG concentrations — primarily carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) — trap heat in the atmosphere faster than natural systems can absorb it.
Primary drivers include:
- Fossil fuel combustion remains the dominant source. India’s power sector relies on coal for approximately 70% of electricity generation, making thermal power plants the single largest domestic emissions contributor.
- Industrial emissions from cement, steel, chemicals, and textiles release significant CO₂ and process gases. India’s industrial sector accounts for nearly 22% of national GHG emissions.
- Deforestation eliminates carbon sinks. India loses forest cover to agriculture expansion, mining, and urban development — reducing the land’s capacity to sequester CO₂.
- Agriculture generates substantial methane from rice paddies and livestock. India holds the world’s largest cattle population, contributing meaningfully to agricultural methane output.
- Waste management, landfill decomposition and wastewater treatment, releases both methane and nitrous oxide.
| GHG Source | Global Share | India-Specific Context |
| Energy (fossil fuels) | ~73% | Coal-dominated power grid |
| Agriculture | ~18% | Livestock + rice cultivation |
| Industrial processes | ~5.2% | Cement, steel, chemicals |
| Waste | ~3.2% | Urban landfill expansion |
| Land use change | ~1.8% | Deforestation, mining |
10 Ways to Stop Global Warming
1. Transition to Renewable Energy
Renewable energy transition is the single highest-impact lever available to reduce global warming at scale. Replacing fossil fuel-based electricity with solar, wind, and hydroelectric power eliminates combustion emissions at the source.
India’s renewable energy sector has expanded aggressively. Tamil Nadu leads national wind energy capacity with over 10,000 MW installed, while Rajasthan and Gujarat anchor utility-scale solar. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) targets 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 — a target that creates direct opportunities for corporate renewable procurement.
Corporate actions that accelerate this transition:
Businesses can execute Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) — long-term contracts to source electricity directly from renewable generators. PPAs lock in energy costs, reduce Scope 2 emissions under GHG Protocol accounting, and signal ESG commitment to investors.
Government incentives strengthen the business case: accelerated depreciation on renewable assets, Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes for solar manufacturing, and state-level open access policies enabling direct renewable procurement.
2. Improve Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency reduces both operational costs and GHG emissions without requiring capital-intensive infrastructure. The International Energy Agency (IEA) identifies energy efficiency as the “first fuel” of decarbonization — it reduces demand before supply substitution is needed.
Practical efficiency measures for Indian businesses:
LED lighting conversion delivers 60–70% reduction in lighting energy consumption. Industrial facilities with high lighting loads, warehouses, manufacturing floors, retail, recover capital costs within 18–36 months.
Industrial energy audits, mandated under India’s Energy Conservation Act for Designated Consumers, identify process inefficiencies, compressed air losses, motor inefficiencies, and thermal waste. Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)-certified auditors conduct these assessments under a standardized methodology.
ISO 50001 Energy Management System certification provides a structured framework for continuous energy performance improvement. Certified organizations systematically measure, monitor, and reduce energy intensity with documented results averaging 10–30% energy savings.
3. Electrify Transportation
Transportation electrification eliminates tailpipe emissions from the fastest-growing GHG source in urban India. The transport sector contributes approximately 13.5% of India’s total CO₂ emissions, with road transport comprising the largest share.
India’s EV adoption is accelerating. Electric two-wheeler sales crossed 1 million units in FY2024, supported by the FAME II (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles) scheme. Electric buses now operate in Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi under state transport undertakings.
Corporate fleet electrification strategy:
Organizations with large field-force or logistics fleets can phase internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles out of procurement cycles, replacing them with EVs eligible for GST concessions and accelerated depreciation. Fleet electrification directly reduces Scope 1 emissions under corporate GHG accounting and lowers total cost of ownership as fuel costs decline.
4. Reduce Industrial Emissions
Industrial decarbonization targets the direct emissions generated by manufacturing, processing, and heavy industry operations — classified as Scope 1 emissions under the GHG Protocol framework.
Carbon capture and cleaner production:
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology intercepts CO₂ at the point of emission — power plants, cement kilns, steel furnaces — before it enters the atmosphere. While CCS remains capital-intensive, Indian steel and cement majors are actively piloting capture technologies aligned with long-term net-zero commitments.
Cleaner production methods — process substitution, fuel switching, waste heat recovery — reduce emissions intensity without full technology replacement. Cement manufacturers transitioning from clinker to blended cement formulations, for example, reduce process CO₂ by 20–40%.
BRSR and ESG disclosure requirements:
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) mandated Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) for the top 1,000 listed companies by market capitalization from FY2022–23. BRSR requires detailed disclosure of GHG emissions (Scope 1, 2, and voluntary Scope 3), energy consumption, and climate risk management practices.
Industrial companies subject to BRSR cannot treat emissions reduction as optional — regulatory disclosure creates accountability and investor scrutiny. ESG Expertisse supports businesses in structuring BRSR-compliant carbon disclosures and building internal measurement systems.
5. Protect and Restore Forests
Forests function as active carbon sinks — absorbing CO₂ through photosynthesis and storing carbon in biomass and soil. Deforestation and forest degradation release stored carbon, compounding atmospheric GHG concentrations.
India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement commits to creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent through forest and tree cover by 2030. The National Afforestation Programme and state-level compensatory afforestation mechanisms operationalize this commitment.
Corporate forest stewardship actions:
Businesses in sectors with land-use dependencies — agribusiness, mining, real estate, infrastructure — must integrate deforestation-free procurement policies and biodiversity impact assessments. Companies disclosing under GRI 304 (Biodiversity) or aligned with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework quantify forest-related risks and restoration commitments.
6. Sustainable Agriculture
Agriculture contributes approximately 18% of global GHG emissions — primarily methane from enteric fermentation in livestock and rice cultivation, and nitrous oxide from synthetic fertilizer application. In India, where agriculture employs over 40% of the workforce, sustainable farming practices deliver both climate and economic dividends.
Emission reduction strategies in Indian agriculture:
Methane reduction through alternate wetting and drying (AWD) in rice paddies, a technique promoted by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), reduces methane emissions by 30–50% without yield loss.
Precision farming deploys sensor-based irrigation and variable-rate fertilizer application to reduce input waste. Organizations like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) pilot precision agriculture models across Punjab and Andhra Pradesh.
Bio-fertilizers, microbial inoculants that fix nitrogen biologically, reduce synthetic fertilizer dependency and associated nitrous oxide emissions. The Government of India’s National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture promotes bio-fertilizer adoption through state agriculture departments.
7. Adopt Circular Economy Practices
A circular economy is an economic model that eliminates waste by keeping materials in productive use through reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling, contrasted with the linear “take-make-dispose” model that drives resource extraction and landfill emissions.
Circular practices reduce global warming by cutting the energy and emissions embedded in virgin material production. Recycled aluminum, for example, requires 95% less energy to produce than primary aluminum from bauxite.
India’s regulatory circular economy framework:
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations under India’s Plastic Waste Management Rules and E-Waste Management Rules mandate producers, importers, and brand owners to take back, recycle, or process the waste generated by their products. Non-compliance attracts penalties under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
Businesses that integrate EPR compliance into supply chain operations reduce regulatory risk while building material recovery revenue streams. Waste reduction also reduces Scope 3 emissions, the upstream and downstream emissions outside direct operational control.
8. Shift to Sustainable Consumption
Sustainable consumption focuses on reducing the environmental impact of procurement decisions both for corporations and individuals. For businesses, this primarily targets Scope 3 emissions: indirect emissions generated across the value chain, from raw material extraction to end-of-life product disposal.
Scope 3 emissions typically represent 70–90% of a company’s total carbon footprint. Supply chain decarbonization — working with suppliers to reduce their Scope 1 and 2 emissions is the most impactful lever for large companies with extended supplier networks.
Supply chain decarbonization actions:
Supplier ESG assessments evaluate vendors on carbon intensity, energy source, and waste management practices. Companies in the retail, FMCG, and automotive sectors increasingly require suppliers to disclose emissions data as a procurement prerequisite.
Green procurement policies prioritize low-carbon materials, certified sustainable inputs (FSC timber, Rainforest Alliance agricultural commodities), and suppliers with verified science-based targets.
9. Strengthen Climate Policies
Climate policy creates the regulatory environment that determines whether emissions reductions happen at scale and speed. Corporate advocacy for strong climate policy aligns long-term business interest with systemic decarbonization.
India’s climate policy framework:
India’s net-zero 2070 commitment, submitted to the UNFCCC, reflects the country’s ambition balanced against development imperatives. The Paris Agreement’s nationally determined contribution (NDC) mechanism requires each country to progressively strengthen climate targets every five years.
Domestically, the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2022 introduced Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) provisions, establishing India’s domestic carbon market. The Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme under the Bureau of Energy Efficiency already operates a tradable energy savings certificate market for energy-intensive industries.
Businesses that engage with carbon markets early, understanding credit generation, trading mechanisms, and verification standards, position themselves advantageously as regulatory carbon costs increase.
10. Corporate ESG Integration
Corporate ESG integration embeds environmental, social, and governance considerations into business strategy, risk management, and financial decision-making — moving climate action from compliance to competitive advantage.
Climate risk assessment:
The Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework structures climate risk disclosure across four pillars: governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics and targets. TCFD adoption enables businesses to identify physical risks (flooding, heat stress, water scarcity) and transition risks (policy changes, stranded assets, shifting demand) with financial materiality.
Reporting frameworks for Indian businesses:
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards provide sector-specific disclosure requirements for environmental impacts, including GHG emissions (GRI 305), energy (GRI 302), and water (GRI 303).
BRSR, mandated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), integrates ESG disclosure into annual reporting for listed companies — creating mandatory climate accountability at the board level.
Carbon accounting, the systematic measurement and reporting of GHG emissions across Scope 1, 2, and 3, forms the quantitative foundation for all credible climate commitments. Without accurate carbon accounting, net-zero targets remain unverifiable.
ESG Expertisse provides end-to-end support for corporate ESG integration: BRSR gap assessments, GRI-aligned sustainability reports, TCFD disclosure frameworks, carbon footprint measurement, and ESG strategy development tailored to Indian regulatory requirements.
Comparison Table: Individual vs Corporate Climate Impact
| Action | Individual Impact | Corporate Impact | Scale Multiplier |
| Renewable energy adoption | Rooftop solar (3–10 kW) | Corporate PPA (MW-scale) | 100–1000x |
| Energy efficiency | Household LED, appliance upgrades | ISO 50001, industrial audits | 500x+ |
| Transport electrification | Personal EV | Fleet electrification (50–500 vehicles) | 50–500x |
| Sustainable consumption | Reduced waste, local sourcing | Supply chain decarbonization (Scope 3) | 1000x+ |
| Climate disclosure | Consumer feedback | BRSR, GRI, TCFD reporting | Systemic |
| Forest protection | Tree planting | Deforestation-free procurement | Regional |
Corporate action delivers scale, speed, and systemic impact that individual action alone cannot achieve. Both are necessary, but regulatory and investment pressure makes corporate ESG integration the critical variable.
Step-by-Step Corporate Climate Action Framework
- Phase 1: Measure (Months 1–3) Conduct a baseline GHG inventory across Scope 1, 2, and Scope 3 emissions. Identify the top five emission sources by volume and cost.
- Phase 2: Disclose (Months 3–6) Prepare BRSR-aligned or GRI-aligned sustainability disclosure. Map against TCFD framework for climate risk. Identify material climate risks to operations and supply chain.
- Phase 3: Target (Months 6–9) Set science-based targets (SBTi methodology) aligned with 1.5°C pathway. Define short-term (2030) and long-term (2050/2070) reduction milestones.
- Phase 4: Implement (Months 9–24) Execute renewable energy procurement, energy efficiency projects, fleet electrification, and supplier engagement programs. Track performance against targets quarterly.
- Phase 5: Report & Improve (Annual) Publish verified sustainability report. Conduct third-party assurance of GHG data. Update targets based on regulatory changes and performance data.
Conclusion
Global warming demands action at every level — individual, corporate, and policy. India’s regulatory trajectory — through SEBI’s BRSR mandate, India’s net-zero 2070 commitment, and carbon market development — makes corporate climate action a compliance imperative, not a voluntary choice.
The 10 strategies outlined here — from renewable energy transition and energy efficiency to corporate ESG integration and TCFD-aligned climate disclosure — provide a practical roadmap for Indian businesses to reduce emissions, manage climate risk, and build long-term competitive advantage.
Businesses that measure emissions accurately, disclose transparently, and implement reduction strategies systematically will outperform peers on investor ESG ratings, regulatory compliance, and market access.ESG Expertisse helps Indian businesses build credible, compliant, and commercially effective climate strategies. Whether you need a BRSR gap assessment, a carbon footprint baseline, a GRI-aligned sustainability report, or a full ESG integration roadmap — our team delivers structured, outcome-oriented consulting grounded in Indian regulatory.
FAQs
Transitioning away from fossil fuel combustion, through renewable energy deployment and energy efficiency, delivers the largest and fastest emissions reductions. The IEA identifies these two measures as responsible for over 50% of near-term decarbonization potential.
Global warming creates physical risks (heat stress on operations and supply chains, flooding, water scarcity) and transition risks (regulatory carbon costs, stranded fossil fuel assets, shifting investor and buyer expectations). Indian businesses subject to BRSR must disclose climate-related risks and management approaches.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) mandated BRSR disclosures from FY2022–23 for top 1,000 listed companies. BRSR requires GHG emissions disclosure, energy consumption data, and climate risk management information, creating regulatory accountability for large corporate emitters.
ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is a corporate governance framework that embeds environmental performance, including climate change, into business strategy, risk management, and stakeholder reporting. Climate action is the environmental pillar of ESG, measured through GHG emissions, energy intensity, and climate risk exposure.
Indian listed companies should use BRSR (mandatory), GRI Standards (voluntary, globally recognized), and TCFD (voluntary, increasingly required by institutional investors). Carbon accounting under the GHG Protocol provides the measurement foundation for all three frameworks.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can implement energy audits, LED conversions, and renewable energy procurement to reduce operational emissions and energy costs simultaneously. SMEs supplying to large listed companies face increasing pressure to provide emissions data as supply chain Scope 3 reporting becomes standard.