Strategy

Global challenges do not stop at national borders. Possible solutions to them often call for joint responses by countries that agree on a common framework for action. Keeping this in mind, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) launched five thematic global programmes focusing on water, health, migration, food security and climate change and environment. In India, the main focus of the activities currently lays on climate change related issues.

Through the Global Programme Climate Change and Environment (GPCCE), SDC works in India, China and the Andean region where it can leverage and champion global climate action. It also supports regional and global climate change initiatives. The overarching goal of SDC in India is to contribute to a climate compatible development. SDC aims to safeguard development achievements from the negative impacts of climate change and seeks to reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions without compromising India’s development goals.

The focus of SDC in India is on:

  • Climate Change Adaptation – Managing the effects
    SDC strives to enhance the resilience of people, institutions and ecosystems to respond to the impacts of climate variability and climate change in India.
  • Climate Change Mitigation – Fighting the causes
    SDC is committed to support India’s effort to achieve energy security and a lower emission development by promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency in key sectors.

SDCs’ approach is to foster partnerships between Swiss and Indian experts and institutions for introducing innovative solutions, generating and sharing knowledge and informing policies. It supports activities at the national, state, local and sectoral levels to cope with the effects of and to reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions.

SDC further supports cooperation activities on other global issues such as food security and water as well as on urban search and rescue. In addition, the Swiss Cooperation Office is home to the secretariat of the Local Governance Initiative and Network (LOGIN), a network bringing together partners from ten countries in South Asia and South-East Asia.