Coal, the backbone of India’s energy and industrial sector, is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. However, the future of coal is becoming uncertain in the face of climate change concerns. Coal power is also losing its edge due to the decline of renewable energy prices and rising environmental pollution control costs. Coal phase-out, therefore, seems to be an inevitability. But coal is an important source of income for millions of people and drives the economy in India’s coal mining states and districts. In the coming years, how can these people and regions transition away from the coal economy? Just Transition has emerged as concept globally to ensure that coal-dependent communities and regions do not become the victims of coal phase-out. It has also been included as a key component of the Paris Agreement. This book aims to understand what just transition means for India, detailing the risks and opportunities of coal phase-out. It builds on an in-depth research of a top coal mining district of Jharkhand, where many coal mines are already closed. It also proposes what coal mining districts and governments should do to plan for a just transition. Being the first case study from India, it offers an important perspective of the global South on just transition.

Mark Twain observed, “I'm in favour of progress; it's change I don't like.” Coal dominates Indian energy because it’s available domestically and cheap (especially without a carbon tax). If the global focus is on the energy transition, how does India ensure a just transition? Managing winners and losers will be the single largest challenge for India’s energy policy. Coal is entrenched in a complex ecosystem. In some states, it’s amongst the largest contributors to state budgets. The Indian Railways, India’s largest civilian employer, is afloat because it overcharges coal to offset under-recovery from passengers. Coal India Limited, the public sector miner that produces 85% of domestic coal, is the world’s largest coal miner. But despite enormous reserves, India imports about a quarter of consumption. On the flip side, coal faces inevitable pressure from renewable energy, which is the cheapest option for new builds. However, there is significant coal-based power capacity already in place, some of which is underutilized, or even stranded. Low per-capita energy consumption means India must still grow its energy supply. Before India can phase out coal, it must first achieve a plateau of coal. How this happens cost-effectively and with least resistance isn’t just a technical or economic question, it depends on the political economy of coal and its alternatives. Some stakeholders want to kill coal. A wiser option may be to first clean it up, instead of wishing it away. Across 18 chapters, drawing from leading experts in the field, we examine all aspects of coal’s future in India. We find no easy answers, but attempt to combine the big picture with details, bringing them together to offer a range of policy options.

This book turns critical feminist scrutiny on national climate policies in India and examines what transition might really mean for marginalized groups in the country. A vision of “just transitions” is increasingly being used by activists and groups to ensure that pathways towards sustainable futures are equitable and inclusive. Exploring this concept, this volume provides a feminist study of what it would take to ensure just transitions in India where gender, in relation to its interesting dimensions of power, is at the centre of analysis. With case studies on climate mitigation and adaptation from different parts of India, the book brings together academics, practitioners and policymakers who provide commentary on sectors including agriculture, forestry and renewables. Overall, the book has relevance far beyond India’s borders, as India’s attempt to deal with its diverse population makes it a key litmus test for countries seeking to transition against a backdrop of inequality both in the Global North and South. This volume will be of great interest to students and scholars of climate policy, gender studies, sustainable development and development studies more broadly.

Academics, activists, and artists offer historically and socially grounded perspectives on climate justice in Indian society and politics.

This volume provides an overview of the political economy of coal in diverse country contexts. Coal is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions globally, accounting for about 40 percent of energy-related CO2 emissions. Continued construction of coal-fired power plants could make the climate targets of the Paris Agreement infeasible to achieve. In spite of sharply declining costs for renewable energy sources, many countries still heavily rely on coal to meet their energy demand. The predominance of coal can only be adequately understood in light of the political factors that determine energy policy formulation. To this end, this edited volume assembles a wide variety of case studies exploring the political economy of coal for across the globe. These includes industrial and developing nations, coal importers and exporters as well as countries that are either substantial coal users, are just beginning to ramp up their capacities, or have already initiated a coal phase-out. Importantly, all case studies are structured along a unifying framework that focuses on the central actors driving energy policy formulation, their main objectives as well as the context that determines to what extent they can influence policy making. This large set of comparable studies will permit drawing conclusions regarding key similarities as well as differences driving coal use in different countries. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of energy, climate change, resource management, and sustainable development. It will also appeal to practitioners and policymakers involved in sustainable development. The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution- Non Commercial- No Derivatives 4.0 license.

As India switches away from a coal-based to a more sustainable energy use pattern, which pathway will it adopt? What is the nature of challenges that it will face, and who will be affected? Who will gain? This volume offers insights into the steps and challenges involved in this transition and addresses some urgent questions about the possible pathways for India’s renewable energy generation. Including contributions from researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, it draws on different disciplines, ranging from science and technology to economics and sociology, and situates the issue of low carbon transition within an interdisciplinary framework. India has committed to gradual decarbonisation of its economy. This book takes this as its starting point and uses a wide-angle lens, incorporating macro as well as micro views, to understand the possible next steps as well as trade-offs that will inevitably be posed. It incorporates the perspectives of all stakeholders ranging from central and state governments, public and private sector firms, on the one hand, to individuals and local communities, on the other, to explore their role in the transition, their interests, and how these will change and evolve. This timely volume will be of interest to students and researchers of environmental studies, development studies, environmental economics, political studies, and Asian studies. It will also be useful to academics, practitioners, and policymakers working on issues related to climate change, sustainable development, energy policy and economics,and public policy.

Be it an extremely hot day or a day of heavy rains, people jokingly attribute the weather to climate change—and that is the sole extent of public discourse on the topic. Seldom does anyone pause to think of such extreme-weather days becoming threateningly frequent and whether that threat is avoidable. Climate change has complex global, national, and regional implications in its impacts and in the policies to respond to those impacts. For India, the complexities inherent in the policies are magnified because of the country’s size, population, and diversity, both economic and cultural. Opinions vary among experts and policymakers on how India should address the problem of climate change, but a public discourse – a refined and informed one – remains only a distant possibility so far. However, public opinion is necessary for a comprehensive, bold, and successful policy response, and it is important that public opinion be based on a coherent and scientifically robust understanding of the challenges and possible solutions to the threat of climate change. Dilemmas in Dealing with Climate Change in India invites the general public to engage with the issue of climate change, shows how it affects the country and the lives of its citizens, and suggests what should be done to counter climate change. The book sets out themes that its readers can readily relate to and those that will prompt readers to want to know more, challenges them to form informed opinions, but also cautions them about forming them in haste—a must-read for those looking for a source that explains climate change simply, clearly, and concisely. Contents: Foreword Preface Introduction Climate change: a scientific perspective How should India be concerned about climate change? India and the global politics of climate change The landscape of adaption policy Climate change mitigation in India The capacity challenge to implementation Social objectives and climate policy India’s net-zero target: the context and road ahead A just transition: difficult choices The not-so-changing landscape of climate governance Conclusions Bibliography