Climate change issues score very high on the development agenda. For a developing country like India, it is not only about environment protection but also about addressing growing aspirations of its young and burgeoning population. Finding the right balance between ecology, economy and equity is crucial for achieving social democratic ideals in any country. Scaling up green livelihoods is central to any framework of sustainable development. The FES India Big Green initiative intends to inform development and livelihoods practitioners about a framework which can help bring scale to local initiatives to address and mitigate effects of climate change. The process entails long-term interventions, proactive planning and optimal use of available resources. This would help maintain a balance between aspirations and resources, and resume focus on the core concern of community driven development initiatives.