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This background paper explores the potential relevance within a pluralistic society of the important encyclical Laudato Si’ issued by Pope Francis in June 2015. It considers whether the encyclical documents a reflected faith that accepts the primacy of science in secular knowledge as well as the primacy of democratically elected governments, human dignity, and human rights in the political sphere. Laudato Si’ presents a paradigm shift from the image of the dominion of mankind over the rest of creation to universal fraternity with even weak and marginalised people as well as fellow beings threatened with mass extinction.

The Paris Agreement which was adopted in December 2015 sets the pace for global action against climate change for the coming years and decades. In its preamble it underlines the importance of all levels of government engaging in and contributing to tackling the climate challenge. Given the significance of cities in emitting greenhouse gases as well as their vulnerability to the impacts of climate change, their role in advancing a low-carbon and climateresilient development should not be underestimated. An urban transformation is key as it will decisively shape the functionality of cities for the next 50 to 100 years.

It is, without doubt, difficult to compare India and Germany as the cultural and socio-economic differences are striking. With this paper, Germanwatch and CANSA seek to introduce some of the backgrounds to the different climate policy approaches of India and Germany with a view to the ambitious and equitable implementation of the Paris Agreement.

Indo-German cooperation on low-carbon development can reach far beyond should dialogue on and provision of German support for an Indian low-carbon energy mix. Germany, in turn, should seek inspiration from India as well. An Indo-German dialogue on low-carbon development should therefore allow exchange in partnership on more fundamental aspects of a low-carbon development such as sustainable guiding principles, lifestyles, sustainable business concepts and economic and governance structures.