Lesson Learned from India and Indonesia: Role of Sub-National Actors in Achieving and Aligning National Climate and Development Targets

To meet the targets set out in the Paris Agreement and address the climate crisis, countries have developed Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategies (LT-LEDS). Sub-national actors, including state and local governments, as well as other key stakeholders such as the private sector, academia, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and philanthropic organisations, play a critical role in translating climate targets and ambitions into local-level planning and action mandated by the national government. Consequently, sub-national actors must plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate their own translation of the LT-LEDS aligned with their development targets and consider the local context and regional uniqueness when addressing climate change.

On 17 October 2025, WRI Indonesia and WRI India held an online session to discuss lessons learned from sub-national LT-LEDS planning and implementation. The webinar was attended by government representatives, NGOs, and academics, among others.

Ketut Gede Arnawa, a representative of the Regional Development Planning Agency of Bali Province (Bappeda Bali), presented Bali’s plan to achieve net zero emissions (NZE) by 2045. The province has demonstrated its commitment through the enforcement of regulations, concrete plans for collaboration with stakeholders, and quantifiable targets with measurable actions in its long-term and medium-term development plans to achieve its climate goals. The NZE target was also developed in alignment with the local cultural principle of Tri Hita Karana.

Meanwhile, India has pledged to attain developed nation status by 2047 and to reduce emissions to net zero by 2070. Dr. Varun Jyothiprakash, Senior Program Manager at WRI India, exhibited the Madhya Pradesh State Energy Calculator – an Excel-based accounting tool designed to develop and explore 'what if' scenarios and evaluate the potential impact of climate policies in the state up to 2050. The model projects four levels of ambition: pessimistic, business-as-usual (BaU), ambitious, and highly ambitious. It encompasses several subsectors, including transport, industry, agriculture, cooking, power generation, and buildings.

Venugopal Mothkoor, the Senior Energy and Climate Modelling Specialist from NITI Aayog, shared the history of this calculator, explaining how it was created to illustrate the relationship between economic growth, energy growth, and climate goals, and how these can be translated into policy. This tool can help policymakers understand how each lever affects others and inform decision-making processes, including NDCs.  

As developing nations aiming to reach developed-nation status while reducing emissions, Indonesia and India must translate national targets into tangible subnational action plans by integrating these goals into local contexts. This event emphasizes developed-nation status while reducing emissions. Indonesia and India must translate national targets into tangible subnational action plans by incorporating these goals into local contexts and highlighting the importance of key stakeholders working together to achieve climate goals while also promoting national economic growth and public welfare.