The Climate Policy for Development (CPfD) Collaborative is an initiative under the Environment for Development (EfD) network that advances policy-relevant research on climate mitigation (carbon pricing) and adaptation in Global South. By bringing together researchers, policymakers, and international experts, CPfD aims to design and evaluate climate policies that foster sustainable development, promote low-carbon growth, and enhance climate resilience. The collaborative is hosted at the Center for Research on the Economics of Climate, Food, Energy & Environment (CECFEE) at the Indian Statistical Institute, New Delhi, India.
Why CPfD?
Countries across the Global South face disproportionate risks from climate change, exposing their high vulnerability, facing increasing temperatures, extreme weather, and rising economic losses due to climate-induced damages. At the same time, many of these countries are investing in fossil fuel-based industrialization to meet their growth and development goals, which risks locking economies into carbon-intensive growth. As the world moves towards global net-zero targets, the low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) also need evidence-based strategies for designing and implementing effective carbon pricing mechanisms and emissions reduction policies that are compatible with their development priorities.
CPfD responds to these challenges by producing rigorous, policy-oriented research that supports evidence-based decision-making. Our research explores the economic, political, and social feasibility of climate policies in developing countries, helping governments design interventions that balance climate action with economic growth.
Our Approach
CPfD’s work is structured around three key pillars:
- Policy-engaged research – Conducting high-quality research on climate mitigation and adaptation strategies while working closely with governments to ensure research findings inform policy decisions
- Capacity building – Strengthening the analytical and technical capacity of policymakers, researchers, and institutions in LMICs through training programs, workshops, and collaborative projects
- Global knowledge exchange – Partnering with EfD centers and international institutions to share best practices, enhance methodological rigor, and integrate LMIC perspectives into global climate policy discussions
Our focus areas
CPfD’s research and policy engagement efforts cover several critical areas:
- Carbon pricing and emissions reduction – Assessing the benefits and costs of market-based instruments such as carbon taxes and emissions trading schemes to facilitate low-carbon transitions in developing countries
- The political economy of climate policy – Understanding the forces that frame climate policy in different types of economy
- Political and social acceptability of climate policy – Analysing the efficacy, distributional effects and, public opinions and political feasibility of various policies and policy packages
In addition, CPfD also welcomes researchers interested in other areas of climate policy such as climate resilience and adaptation, voluntary carbon markets and land-use policies etc. to engage with the collaborative network.
Through research, capacity-building, and international collaboration, CPfD aims to create a strong research-policy interface that enables LMICs and countries in Global South to design effective climate policies, secure financing for low-carbon development, and contribute to global climate goals while ensuring equitable and sustainable growth.