India, March 5 -- India's pledge to reach net-zero by 2070 is a landmark political commitment - but commitments are only as just as the pathways used to realise goals. The central question is not merely how to abate emissions, but who bears the social and economic cost of that transformation, and who appropriates the gains. A credible net-zero strategy for India must place labour markets, regional equity and fiscal realism at the centre of policymaking; otherwise, the transition may deepen structural inequalities and provoke distributive conflict.

The scale of the undertaking is formidable. According to the report Scenarios towards Viksit Bharat and Net Zero: Financing Needs by NITI Aayog, for the year 2026, India will require approximat...