In a village tucked into the hills, a mother tends to a grove of new saplings. Her children help carry water from a spring she helped revive. In a busy Mumbai neighbourhood, women gather to turn discarded plastic into vivid, functional art, mats that now find homes overseas. Further north, families in Punjab gather near their gurdwara to plant what they call a sacred forest.
These instances are not unique. They are a component of something bigger. In addition to safeguarding the environment, communities that take the lead in climate action are reviving economies, re-establishing customs, and demonstrating that local leadership is the key to sustainability.
People in India are addressing climate issues head-on with modest, consistent actions rather than with lofty speeches. These five projects demonstrate what happens when the people who are closest to the land take the lead in protecting it.
1. The Great People’s Forest: Regreening the Himalayas
In the Eastern Himalayas, the Great People’s Forest is setting out to restore 1 million hectares of degraded land by the end of this decade. The partnership between Balipara Foundation and Conservation International isn’t just about tree planting. They’re aiming to plant one billion trees, revive biodiversity, protect water sources, and make it all possible with a funding pipeline expected to reach US $1 billion.
What’s happening on the ground in Assam tells us a lot. Over 2,500 households are already part of this story, earning income by growing and protecting forests. These aren’t just plantations. They’re buffers against landslides, protection from floods, and sources of livelihood.
Because when people grow the forest, the forest grows them back.
2. Watershed Revival in Himachal: From Rainfed to Resilient
A shift in water changes everything. Himachal Pradesh has seen this up close through the Himachal Pradesh state government and the World Bank’s Mid-Himalayan Watershed Development Project. By restoring 222,951 hectares and building 6,000+ tanks, 1,000 ponds, and 200 kilometres of irrigation, communities have turned rain-reliant plots into productive farmland.
The numbers are powerful. Rice yields have more than doubled, up 236%. Maize is up 163%, and wheat has jumped 90%. On average, family incomes have grown by 39%.
One farmer who once waited on the monsoon now brings in enough to feed his household and still take surplus to the market. That’s the power of local water systems managed by local people.
3. Women Farming the Future: Swayam Shikshan Prayog
In climate work, women are not just participants; they’re leading the way. Since 2009, Swayam Shikshan Prayog has supported women in 600 Maharashtra villages to adapt farming practices to changing weather and poor soil. Through its WILL programme, 25,000 women have adopted climate-smart agriculture. The ripple effect? Around 4 million people have benefited, largely through informal networks of women entrepreneurs spreading clean energy and resilient farming methods.
Their work hasn’t gone unnoticed, the initiative has received global recognition from the UNDP Equator Prize and the UNFCCC’s Momentum for Change.
But ask the women themselves, and the wins they’ll point to are local, better yields, more independence, and stronger communities.
4. EcoSikh’s Sacred Forests: When Faith Plants Trees
Scripture and the heart can both play a part in taking care of the earth. The Guru Nanak Sacred Forests of EcoSikh combine spirituality and ecology in a profoundly ingrained manner. Over 500,000 native trees had been planted by Sikh communities in 914 mini-forests spread throughout Punjab and multiple other states by March 2024.
These groves, which use the Miyawaki method to rapidly grow dense forests, frequently appear close to gurdwaras and public areas. Even in urban or polluted areas, their survival rates surpass 80%, so they’re not just making the world greener; they’re reviving a shared responsibility culture.
5. Earth5R in Dharavi: Waste, Woven into Worth
What happens when trash becomes opportunity? In Dharavi, Mumbai’s vast informal recycling hub, Earth5R has helped over 500 women learn how to turn plastic waste into sellable goods, mats, bags, and daily-use items. These women have seen their incomes rise by about 35%, working with a stream of waste that makes up roughly 80% of Mumbai’s plastic recycling network.
One artisan held up a colourful mat and smiled; that month’s earnings had helped her buy a gas stove and cover her daughter’s school fees. That’s what real, circular economy work looks like: pollution down, income up, dignity restored. And the best part? These products are now making their way to buyers in Japan, Germany, and the UK.
Why Local Action Matters
Whether it’s planting sacred trees or building irrigation ponds, these initiatives all point to the same lesson: local communities don’t wait for change, they build it.
A pond dug by neighbours can mean the difference between a hungry season and a thriving one. A mat made from waste can mean a girl stays in school. A woman-led farm can be the anchor for an entire family’s stability.
Climate solutions don’t always need scale to start. They need trust, time, and the people who call the land home.
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