India must balance energy needs with climate adaptation, says US scientist

India must strike a balance between meeting its rapidly growing energy demands and preparing for the impacts of climate change, according to Steven E. Koonin, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. Speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, Koonin emphasized that India's immediate focus should be on providing reliable and affordable power to fuel economic growth, rather than prioritizing rapid decarbonization.

He argued that access to electricity is crucial for raising living standards and bolstering industrial output, as well as for building resilience against climate-related risks.

Koonin highlighted that while human activities contribute to climate change, the projected impacts are distant, vague, and uncertain, often overstated in climate debates. He questioned the scale of projected risks, suggesting that policymakers should focus more on the economic and technological challenges of cutting emissions.

The professor advocated for nuclear power as a key component of India's future energy mix, emphasizing the need for dependable electricity sources to support economic expansion. He also called for increased investment in climate science, improved forecasting models, and adaptation measures.

However, Koonin noted that renewable energy expansion has not yet significantly reduced fossil-fuel dependence, with coal, oil, and natural gas still accounting for around 80% of global primary energy consumption. He stressed that countries should develop lower-emission technologies that are cost-competitive with conventional coal-based power.

India's average temperature has increased by about 0.68 degrees Celsius over the past century, according to Koonin, which is lower than the global average warming. He pointed out that rainfall data shows no significant downward trend, despite variations across decades. On extreme weather, Koonin stated that tropical cyclone frequency has not increased over the long term, and deaths linked to extreme temperatures have not shown a clear upward trend.

Despite these observations, Koonin acknowledged that some observers believe official tallies might underestimate heatwave-related fatalities.

India's farm output has grown over the past two decades, even as temperatures have risen, suggesting that climate change has not adversely impacted the country's overall economic growth. India's total foodgrain production reached an estimated 376.56 million tonnes in 2025-26, up from 265.05 million tonnes in 2013-14. Koonin concluded by emphasizing that economic growth itself will help India build resilience against climate challenges, as better infrastructure, public services, and energy access improve the country's capacity to handle extreme weather events.