2025, third hottest year on record • FRANCE 24 English

Key Concepts

• Extreme Weather Events: Increased frequency and intensity of heat waves, cold waves, erratic monsoons, floods, and droughts.
• Climate Vulnerability: India’s heightened susceptibility to climate change due to its geographical location and large population.
• Agrarian Economy: The significant dependence of the Indian population (60%) on rain-fed agriculture.
• Climate Activism: Grassroots, youth-led, and citizen-led movements advocating for climate action in India.
• Chipko Movement: A historical example of community-based environmental activism in India.
• Ecological Degradation & Colonialism: The link between present-day environmental issues and historical colonial exploitation, as highlighted by Amitabh Ghosh.

India’s Climate Crisis in 2025 & Growing Activism

Introduction

The year 2025 presented India with an exceptionally challenging period marked by a surge in extreme weather events. This report, based on information from Down To Earth magazine, details the impacts of these events, the vulnerabilities of the Indian population, and the emerging landscape of climate activism within the country.

Extreme Weather Patterns in 2025

Between January and November 2025, India experienced 331 days of extreme weather out of a total of 336 days. This demonstrates a significant escalation in climate-related disruptions. The nature of these events varied geographically:

• Flooding: Regions like Maharashtra and Rajasthan were severely affected by floods.
• Heat Waves: Himalayan states – Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh – experienced unusually intense heat waves, alongside 15 other states.
• Monsoon Irregularities: Monsoons became increasingly delayed, erratic, and intense, followed by prolonged periods of dryness.
• Heat & Cold Waves: Both heat waves and cold waves arrived earlier than usual, disrupting normal seasonal patterns.

Impact on India’s Economy and Population

India’s predominantly agrarian economy (60% of the population relies on rain-fed agriculture) is particularly vulnerable to these changes. Extreme weather translates to reduced rainfall, leading to decreased food production. The impact extends beyond agriculture, severely affecting the daily lives and livelihoods of vulnerable populations.

Specifically, the report highlights the challenges faced by:

• The Poor: Lack of access to cooling systems (air conditioning) makes them highly susceptible to heatstroke and related health issues.
• Outdoor Workers: Construction workers, street vendors, and others working in direct sunlight face extreme hardship, with temperatures reaching as high as 50°C.

The Berkeley report suggests that 2026 will likely continue this trend of warming years, making the situation even more critical for India.

Climate Activism in India: Historical Roots & Recent Trends

While climate activism isn’t new to India, it hasn’t historically been on a large scale. The report identifies two main strands of activism:

• Historical Grassroots Activism: The Chipko Movement of the 1970s serves as a foundational example. Women in local communities physically embraced trees to prevent loggers from felling them, demonstrating a powerful form of community-based environmental protection.
• Recent Youth & Citizen-Led Activism: Recent years have seen a rise in activism driven by younger generations and concerned citizens. Examples include:
  • Protests in Mumbai against government policies harming the Aarey Forest.
  • Demonstrations in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat against a court ruling that threatened the Aravalli Range (one of India’s oldest mountain ranges).
  • Individual efforts like Jadav Payeng in Assam, who single-handedly grew a large forest through dedicated conservation efforts.
  • The long-standing work of activists like Medha Patkar, fighting against large dam construction on the Narmada River.

The Role of Intellectual Discourse: Amitabh Ghosh & The Great Derangement

The report also highlights the contribution of intellectuals like Amitabh Ghosh, whose work, particularly The Great Derangement and The Nutmeg’s Curse, has been instrumental in raising awareness about the climate crisis. Ghosh’s work emphasizes two key points:

1. Lack of Public Discourse: There is a significant absence of widespread public discussion and literary engagement with the urgency of the climate crisis and its impact on everyone.
2. Colonial Roots of Ecological Degradation: The current ecological crisis is deeply linked to the exploitative practices of the colonial era.

Ghosh’s work is considered crucial for reshaping our understanding of the climate crisis and how it is documented for future generations.

Future Outlook

Despite the growing activism, India has not yet witnessed a nationwide, large-scale climate movement. However, the continued occurrence of extreme weather events may catalyze further mobilization and action in the future.

Conclusion

2025 served as a stark warning for India, highlighting its extreme vulnerability to climate change. The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events pose significant threats to the country’s agrarian economy and the well-being of its population. While climate activism is gaining momentum, sustained and large-scale action is crucial to mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis and build a more resilient future.