CLIMATE SWARAJ: A DECENTRALIZED GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND JUSTICE IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH

Abstract

Climate adaptation policies in the Global South frequently falter due to the concentration of authority and finance at central institutional levels, which marginalizes local resilience planning. While global frameworks advocate for participation, current systems continue to privilege top-down priorities over community realities. This study proposes Climate Swaraj, a decentralized governance framework that re-conceptualizes adaptation as a political-institutional process rather than a technical intervention. Utilizing a Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) across India, Kenya, and Bangladesh—validated by a case study of the Meenangadi Panchayat in Kerala—this research demonstrates that devolved governance significantly enhances resilience. Integrating resilience theory with climate justice and alternative development perspectives, the analysis argues that adaptation outcomes are a function of institutional design. The Climate Swaraj model is operationalized through five interlinked pillars: governance sovereignty, resource decentralization, localized finance, participatory planning, and ethical low-carbon development. By shifting the focus to community autonomy and ecological responsibility, this framework provides a scalable pathway for equitable and durable climate resilience in the Global South.