Ulka Kelkar

Ulka Kelkar is an economist and climate policy expert with over 25 years of experience in climate change research, low-carbon development, climate finance, and environmental governance. She is the Executive Director - Climate, Economics & Finance, at the World Resources Institute (WRI) India. Her work focuses on climate adaptation and mitigation, behavioural economics, just transition, and sub-national climate action. She has led multidisciplinary research and policy initiatives funded by the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the IFC, the Government of India, and international development agencies. Her research combines economic analysis with field-based participatory methods and has informed national and international climate policy.

Past Affiliations:

• Climate Assessment Specialist (Consultant), Asian Development Bank (ADB)
• Fellow, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE)
• Fellow, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)

Educational Qualifications:

• M.A. in Economics, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi

Selected Publications:

• Poojary, V., Hingne, A., Narayan, U., Kelkar, U., & Chattaraj, S. (2025). Just Transition Insights from India's 2050 MW Pavagada Solar Park. World Resources Institute Working Paper. DOI: 10.46830/wriwp.21.00057. https://doi.org/10.46830/wriwp.21.00057