Policy Pathways to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals - An Economic Cost Benefit Analysis for India

Unofficial AI-generated summary based on the public title and abstract. Not an official translation.

🔬研究者:Provides a macro-econometric cost-benefit model for SDG investments, useful for further economic analysis of green transition.

🏢実務担当者:Offers evidence for investing in renewable energy and green bonds, supporting corporate sustainability strategy.

🏛政策担当者:Highlights the fiscal viability of carbon pricing and sovereign green bonds for funding SDGs, relevant for policy design.

Achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 requires a massive, coordinated mobilization of financial resources and targeted policy interventions, particularly for a large developing economy like India. This paper presents a comprehensive economic Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) of the primary policy pathways available to India to meet its SDG targets, focusing on the critical pillars of poverty alleviation (SDG 1), quality education (SDG 4), clean energy (SDG 7), and climate action (SDG 13). Using a macro-econometric modeling framework integrated with social accounting matrices, we quantify the direct fiscal costs of implementation against the long-term economic, social, and environmental returns. The analysis evaluates three distinct policy scenarios: a business-as-usual trajectory, a high-growth aggressive investment path, and a balanced, welfare-optimized sustainable transition pathway. Our findings indicate that while the upfront capital requirements for sustainable infrastructure, green energy grids, and human capital development are substantial—estimated at 6% to 8% of India's annual GDP—the long-term economic benefits significantly outweigh these costs. Every rupee invested in renewable energy infrastructure yields an estimated 3.5 rupees in return through reduced healthcare costs, enhanced energy security, and green job creation. Similarly, targeted fiscal spending on primary healthcare and digital education infrastructure demonstrates high social returns on investment (SROI), drastically boosting long-term labor productivity and household income. The study highlights that structural policy reforms, such as carbon pricing, public-private partnerships (PPPs), and the expansion of sovereign green bonds, are essential to bridge the current fiscal funding gap. Ultimately, this paper argues that the transition to sustainable development should not be viewed as a fiscal burden, but rather as a highly viable economic investment that can unlock new growth engines, mitigate climate-induced GDP losses, and ensure inclusive economic resilience for India.

• openalex https://doi.org/10.25258/ijddt.16.51s.108first seen 2026-07-02 05:07:34