NEW DELHI — American economist Jeffrey Sachs said Adani Group’s large-scale clean energy deployment reflects the kind of industrial strategy that can give companies and countries a major advantage in the global shift toward green technologies.
Speaking at the Resilient Futures Summit 2026, Sachs said the rollout of new technologies often depends on scale. Companies that deploy rapidly and extensively, he said, can lower costs, build expertise and establish leadership in emerging industries such as renewable energy.
“Such an approach not only helps create national champions but can also position firms as global leaders in emerging sectors like renewable energy,” he added.
Sachs said Adani Group’s clean energy investments show how large corporations can help drive innovation and capital formation during the energy transition. At the same time, he warned that corporate action alone will not be enough to address the scale of the climate challenge.
Despite more than three decades of global debate over decarbonization, most countries still do not have clear, actionable plans, Sachs said. He warned that the world has already reached about 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming and that the pace of temperature rise is accelerating. Global temperatures could approach 1.8 to 1.9 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels by the mid-2030s, he said.
Sachs also pointed to India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, saying the country has an advantage because it is thinking in long-term terms. But he said that vision must be backed by concrete planning in energy, education, infrastructure, transportation and other key sectors.
India, he said, must prepare for a world that could reach or exceed 2 degrees Celsius of warming. Such a future would bring major challenges, but Sachs said they can still be managed with the right policies and planning.
He also said institutions such as NITI Aayog will be important as central planning hubs, helping guide long-term strategy through data, technology analysis and policy coordination.
“While large corporations like Adani will play a crucial role in driving investments and innovation, a strong national framework is essential to align efforts,” Sachs said.
Sachs said he remains confident about India’s long-term economic rise. He projected that India could become the world’s second-largest economy by 2047 and potentially the largest in the decades that follow.
He urged India to take a broader global leadership role, saying major powers should focus on cooperation rather than conflict as they confront climate change, development and technological transformation. (Source: IANS)
