In the continuing narrative about gender and Climate Change in India, the report How does climate change adaptation policy in India consider gender? An analysis of 28 state action plans provides a significant and substantive framework and findings that should help policy makers across the country. The study by Chandni Singh, Divya Solomon and Nitya Rao focuses on how ‘gender mediates climate vulnerability and adaptation action’ with the report underlining the fact that the extent to which gender has been mainstreamed in the State Action Plan in India remains unclear. 

Their key policy insights include the observation that gender concerns, though extensively mentioned, are not fully realised in subnational climate policy and the State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs) have gaps between empowering women and ‘gender-blind, gender-neutral, gender-specific, gender-sensitive, and gender-transformative’ policy approaches. The scholars emphasise the need for deeper engagement at the intersection of sex, caste, class and resources beyond the difference between men and women. 

In conclusion, the report states that the SAPCCs present an opportunity to mainstream gender concerns as they undergo revisions and ‘leverage existing sectoral interventions in agriculture, health, and natural resource management to become vehicles of gender transformative climate action.’ Officials of all states in India involved in climate adaptation policy and work as well as women’s groups working at the intersection of gender and Climate Change would find this report enormously useful.