TERI and NABARD Conclude Three-Day Climate Finance Training to Strengthen Rural Development and Renewable Energy Investment in India

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), in collaboration with the National Bank Staff College (NBSC), concluded a three-day residential training programme on “Climate Finance Opportunities and Risks” from 7–9 January 2026 at the TERI Gram Campus, Gwal Pahari. The programme was attended by senior officials from state offices of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

In her inaugural address, Dr Vibha Dhawan, Director General of TERI, highlighted the critical role of institutions like NABARD in strengthening India’s climate finance ecosystem. She said, “Climate change is increasingly reshaping financial systems, development priorities, and risk management frameworks. Adaptation finance is no longer optional—it is essential for safeguarding livelihoods, food security, and rural economies.”

Sanjeev Dalip Singh Rohilla, Chief General Manager, Department of Climate Action & Sustainability, NABARD, emphasized the growing importance of climate finance for development banks. “For NABARD, climate finance is not a theoretical construct—it will define the future growth of the institution. India requires massive investment to meet its climate commitments, much of which must flow into rural infrastructure. Climate finance must be commercially viable, collaborative, and scalable,” he said.

Ms Shweta Kumar, Director at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), stressed the integration of climate policy with economic growth, energy security, and geopolitics. “Effective climate policy must be rooted in realism, sequencing, and trust, supported by credible climate finance delivery rather than announcements alone,” she noted.

Mr RR Rashmi, Distinguished Fellow at TERI and former Special Secretary at MoEFCC, underscored the need for the banking sector to integrate climate vulnerabilities into financing decisions, stating, “Growth provides the fiscal space for climate investment, while climate vulnerability must be systematically incorporated into financial impact frameworks.”

The programme covered global and national climate commitments, physical risk assessment, climate finance mechanisms, ESG and climate-related disclosures, transition risks, carbon markets, and green taxonomy. Sessions also explored biofuels, green chemicals, emerging regulations, and TERI’s interactive Climate Tool. Discussions highlighted the importance of embedding climate risk assessment and green finance into core financial operations, particularly in sectors like agriculture, MSMEs, and infrastructure.

Participants also undertook field visits to the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) and TERI Gram Campus, providing practical exposure to renewable energy applications and sustainability initiatives.

At the valedictory session, Ms Shefali Agarwal, CGM/Principal, NBSC, noted that “Climate finance presents both an opportunity and a responsibility for development finance institutions like NABARD. We need robust processes to evaluate risks linked to emerging technologies, uncertain revenue models, and changing regulations.”

Ms Leena Nandan, Distinguished Fellow at TERI, added, “NABARD’s reach to villages and communities enables the testing of new solutions and provides critical policy feedback. Partnerships between TERI and NABARD in exploring sustainable economic models will play an important role in India’s development.”

Experts contributing to the programme included representatives from TERI, NABARD, IIFCL, and NSE, including Anand Kumbhare, Gaurav Sharma, Mrinal Ranjan, Suruchi Bhadwal, Manish Srivastava, Prasoon Singh, Sidharth Sinha, Piyal Das, Varun Grover, Amshika Amar, and Vibhu Bhateja.

The training marks the second edition of TERI’s climate finance capacity-building series for NABARD officials, aiming to strengthen institutional capabilities in financing climate-resilient rural development.