India’s Climate Finance Taxonomy and the Politics of Waste: Ecological, Social, and Economic Challenges to Local Livelihoods and Urban Sustainability – An Empirical Assessment

India’s climate finance taxonomy is evolving as the country intensifies its commitment to sustainability through green investments and environmentally responsible policies. However, this taxonomy often overlooks the complex political, social, and ecological dimensions of urban waste management. The framing of waste as a financial and technological opportunity under climate finance schemes frequently neglects the lived realities of informal waste workers, marginalized communities, and fragile ecosystems. In major Indian cities, climate finance-driven waste-to-energy projects and centralized waste processing facilities displace traditional livelihoods and disrupt local economies, especially in peri-urban and slum areas. These developments often prioritize carbon metrics and investor returns over ecological resilience and social equity.