Inclusive and Empowering Climate Governance in India: Exploring the Potential of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) as a Democratic Innovation

In India, village assemblies called Gram Sabhas could become formal decision-making bodies for local climate policy, not just forums for discussion. The research examines whether these grassroots democratic structures—known as Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)—can give marginalised communities real power over climate actions that affect their lives. Currently, India’s climate strategies are largely designed at state and national levels, often bypassing the rural populations most vulnerable to floods, droughts, and heatwaves. The project addresses a specific gap: whether deliberative democracy at the village level can reconcile urgent development needs—such as irrigation or energy access—with long-term climate goals. The researcher will conduct participatory action research across three Indian states, working directly with communities to test how inclusive these assemblies actually are. If successful, the findings could reshape how climate funds are allocated and how adaptation projects are designed, shifting authority from distant bureaucracies to local elected bodies. This is applied political science with immediate policy relevance—not fundamental research—and its impact depends on whether Indian state governments adopt the governance models the project proposes.