The pandemic cemented the realization that business as usual cannot continue. For many, life slowed down enough to pause, reflect and join in the growing conversation about doing things differently, including the way our cities work. “What struck me most was that people, who weren’t planners or climate experts, were eager to leverage their expertise to make our cities more livable but didn’t know how to contribute, or whom to engage with,” says Jaya Dhindaw, Executive Director, Sustainable Cities, WRI India.

The devastating wildfires in California are yet another reminder that people in cities across the world are facing varied, recurrent and intense impacts of climate change. It has never been more evident that climate action is the need of the hour. Then why do challenges to climate financing persist?

The Government of India’s vehicle registration dashboard, Vahan, recorded the registration of over 18.1 lakh e-rickshaws across the country as of November 2024. E-rickshaws are seeing widespread adoption since they do not require a separate permit and are relatively more affordable as they are also backed by supportive government subsidies. A less physically taxing alternative to cycle rickshaws and a more environment-friendly alternative to internal combustion engine (ICE) three-wheelers, e-rickshaws are often the prime mode of transport in small towns and villages. E-rickshaws also offer first-and-last-mile connectivity in urban areas and are used by about 60 million daily passengers in India.

The COP29 climate summit at Baku ended with a disappointing outcome on climate finance. Even after three decades of international negotiations on climate change, progress has been slow. Why is it so hard for countries to agree on climate action?