New Delhi, Dec. 23 -- India's fashion and apparel industry is projected at $350 billion by 2030, as it is growing at over 10% annually, faster than almost any other manufacturing sector. This momentum looks unstoppable, but it is also becoming a climate liability that could get in the way of our decarbonization goals.

The arithmetic is unforgiving. Globally, fashion accounts for 10% of annual carbon emissions, more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. Every year, the world produces 92 million tonnes of textile waste, with less than 1% recycled into new garments. India is expanding production capacity even as evidence emerges that making clothes more efficiently cannot offset making vastly more of them.

The prev...