Strategies for climate resilience in Indian states: Addressing innovation-vulnerability mismatch

Sheeja Krishnakumar; Simon Grima; Kiran Sood; Rekha R Nair; Sheeja Krishnakumar; Simon Grima; Kiran Sood; Rekha R Nair

doi:10.3934/GF.2026024

Green Finance

2026, Volume 8, Issue 4: 675-701. doi: 10.3934/GF.2026024

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Research article

Strategies for climate resilience in Indian states: Addressing innovation-vulnerability mismatch

1.
School of Business, Alliance University-Central Campus, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 562106, India
2.
Department of Insurance and Risk Management, Faculty of Economics, Management and Accountancy, University of Malta, Msida, MSD 2080, Malta
3.
Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Latvia, Riga, LV-1050, Latvia
4.
Chitkara Business School, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab, 140401, India
5.
Women Researchers Council (WRC), Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC), Baku, AZ1001, Azerbaijan
6.
School of Engineering, Alliance University-Central Campus, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 562106, India

Received: 28 May 2026 Revised: 15 August 2026 Accepted: 31 August 2026 Published: 09 September 2026
JEL Codes: Q54, Q56, O33, R11, R58

Climate change poses uneven risks across Indian states and amplifies exposure to climate hazards. In this study, we examined climate-related regional risk by analyzing data from eight representative Indian states to capture the mismatch between climate vulnerability and innovation capacity. For the study, the Dynamic Adaptive Pathway Modeling for Climate Resilience (DAPM-CR) framework was proposed as an integrated analytical framework for assessing climate resilience. The analysis drew on secondary data from the NITI Aayog India Innovation Index, the Department of Science and Technology's Climate Vulnerability Assessment, Human Development Index indicators, and state-level R&D statistics. We integrated climate vulnerability, innovation, human development, and R&D indicators to assess regional disparities in climate resilience across eight representative Indian states. The DAPM-CR framework was developed to integrate climate vulnerability and innovation capacity and identify adaptive pathways for strengthening state climate resilience. The study contributes to the literature by providing evidence on the spatial mismatch between climate vulnerability and innovation capacity. The findings revealed that Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Assam, and Odisha exhibit low climate resilience, low innovation capacity, and low human development. In contrast, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu demonstrated stronger innovation ecosystems for climate resilience. The study demonstrates how integrating innovation capacity with climate vulnerability assessment can strengthen adaptive climate resilience. The Composite Resilience Index revealed that states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka benefit from large-scale renewable energy projects to enhance resilience. Thus, the proposed framework can be extended to other Indian states to provide insights into the requirement for spatially equitable resilience strategies.
- climate resilience,
- climate vulnerability,
- climate resilience framework,
- innovation capacity,
- climate change
Citation: Sheeja Krishnakumar, Simon Grima, Kiran Sood, Rekha R Nair. Strategies for climate resilience in Indian states: Addressing innovation-vulnerability mismatch[J]. Green Finance, 2026, 8(4): 675-701. doi: 10.3934/GF.2026024

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Abstract

Climate change poses uneven risks across Indian states and amplifies exposure to climate hazards. In this study, we examined climate-related regional risk by analyzing data from eight representative Indian states to capture the mismatch between climate vulnerability and innovation capacity. For the study, the Dynamic Adaptive Pathway Modeling for Climate Resilience (DAPM-CR) framework was proposed as an integrated analytical framework for assessing climate resilience. The analysis drew on secondary data from the NITI Aayog India Innovation Index, the Department of Science and Technology's Climate Vulnerability Assessment, Human Development Index indicators, and state-level R&D statistics. We integrated climate vulnerability, innovation, human development, and R&D indicators to assess regional disparities in climate resilience across eight representative Indian states. The DAPM-CR framework was developed to integrate climate vulnerability and innovation capacity and identify adaptive pathways for strengthening state climate resilience. The study contributes to the literature by providing evidence on the spatial mismatch between climate vulnerability and innovation capacity. The findings revealed that Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Assam, and Odisha exhibit low climate resilience, low innovation capacity, and low human development. In contrast, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu demonstrated stronger innovation ecosystems for climate resilience. The study demonstrates how integrating innovation capacity with climate vulnerability assessment can strengthen adaptive climate resilience. The Composite Resilience Index revealed that states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka benefit from large-scale renewable energy projects to enhance resilience. Thus, the proposed framework can be extended to other Indian states to provide insights into the requirement for spatially equitable resilience strategies.

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