The Tamil Nadu model of sub-State climate action

Tamil Nadu’s approach to climate action and biodiversity conservation is anchored in the belief that effective leadership begins on the ground, where policies are implemented, communities participate and results can be measured. To translate this principle into practice, the State created one of India’s first dedicated agencies to coordinate and track all climate-related work, i.e., the Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company (TNGCC). Through its four key missions — the Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission (TNCCM), The Green Tamil Nadu Mission (GTNM), The Tamil Nadu Wetlands Mission (TNWM) and The Tamil Nadu Coastal Restoration Mission (TN SHORE) — the TNGCC drives emission reduction, ecosystem restoration and livelihood resilience.

A net zero pathway, pilot districts

With the aim to make Tamil Nadu Net Zero well before 2070, the State has released a detailed Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory covering annual emissions across all sectors and sub-sectors, from 2005 to 2019, and developed a detailed Net Zero Pathway.

Findings from the State’s GHG inventory reveal encouraging trends. Despite being one of India’s most industrialised States, Tamil Nadu contributed only 7% of the country’s total emissions in 2019. Moreover, between 2005 and 2019, it reduced its emission intensity to GDP by nearly 60%.

This progress reflects targeted interventions across key sectors: rapid expansion of renewable energy, improved energy efficiency, industrial decarbonisation and an ambitious electric-mobility programme that aims to electrify all public transport. Today, renewable energy accounts for about 60% of Tamil Nadu’s total installed power capacity and 30% of total electricity generated.

In order to meet its goal of being net zero well before 2070, the State has also embarked on a bottom-up climate action planning and implementation. The State has recently launched district-level decarbonisation plans and a real-time Climate Action Tracker developed in collaboration with the Vasudha Foundation, embedding climate action directly into local governance. The decarbonisation plans for four pilot districts — The Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Ramanathapuram and Virudhunagar — show that these districts can abate up to 92% of projected emissions (of the four districts) by 2050 through clean energy adoption, mobility transformation, industrial efficiency and nature-based solutions. They also have the potential to sequester nearly three million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2050.

The Climate Action Plans and decarbonisation pathways for the four districts build on a detailed district-level greenhouse gas emissions inventories along with a detailed climate variability assessment based on historic and current climate data and projecting the assessments till end of the century. What came across consistently is that if greenhouse gases are left unabated not just in the four districts but across India and globally, the number of warm days would increase significantly by about 95% by 2100, with a substantial increase in precipitation levels, leading to a wetter monsoon, impacting the region, particularly the vulnerable Nilgiris district.

Responsible factors

Road transport is a major contributor to the GHG emissions in the Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts (close to 43% and 36% of the total emissions, respectively), followed closely by residential energy consumption (20% and 12%). Cement, road transport and industrial energy were the highest GHG contributors in Virudhunagar (37%, 20% and 16%, respectively). In Ramanathapuram, public electricity generation and rice cultivation (28% and 12%, respectively) were the contributors.

Building on the emissions trajectories and identifying the key driver of emissions, the action plans propose a shovel ready list of projects to be implemented each year, from 2025, covering electric mobility, waste management, forest restorations and industrial decarbonisation — all tailor-made for each district. When implemented, the Nilgiris district can become net zero by 2030 even in a moderate scenario. Ramanathapuram can become net zero by 2047 in an aggressive scenario which will mean lifestyle changes to some extent. However, due to a high level of industrialisation, Coimbatore and Virudhunagar can become net zero by about 2055.

The approach views climate change not as a constraint but as an opportunity to pursue growth that safeguards both nature and people. Similar plans will soon be developed for all the 38 districts in Tamil Nadu.

The Climate Action Tracker is designed around a simple premise: what gets measured, gets done. Together, they create a transparent, evidence-based system for planning and accountability, ensuring that every district can monitor its progress and refine its strategies. To support effective implementation, a dedicated Project Management Unit is being established in the four pilot districts. The action tracker and the action plans can be accessed at https://tnclimatetracker.tn.gov.in

Other schemes, community focus

Other key initiatives of Tamil Nadu include large-scale afforestation, mangroves, wetland restoration and biodiversity protection. The State now hosts 20 Ramsar-designated wetlands, and has ensured that 30% of its total land area is protected. Along Tamil Nadu’s 1,068-kilometre coastline, massive efforts are being undertaken in restoring mangroves and seascapes while supporting coastal livelihoods.

By expanding the focus beyond energy and industry to include agriculture, livestock and waste, Tamil Nadu is broadening the scope of its low-carbon transition.

Communities are being placed at the centre of this transformation, turning climate action into a participatory process. The choices made today at the local and sub-local levels will shape the future of the State’s economy, ecosystems, and communities. Tamil Nadu’s experience underscores the point that climate leadership is no longer about setting ambitious targets but about building systems that make progress visible, verifiable and participatory.

As India advances toward its net-zero future, Tamil Nadu’s model offers a valuable complement by showing how national intent can be deepened through local innovation and evidence-led governance.

Supriya Sahu is Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department, Government of Tamil Nadu. Srinivas Krishnaswamy is CEO, Vasudha Foundation