Research fellow - Sushmita Patel
Introduction
At the 26th Conference of Parties (CoP) in Glasgow in 2021, India made a commitment to become a net zero country by 2070, while also updating its Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), one of which was to meet 50% of the country’s energy requirements from renewable power by 2030. The net zero pledge and the updated INDCs include an ambitious renewable energy target which would require robust regulatory, policy and legal frameworks, which are currently not in place. In this context, this paper argues for participatory institutional and policy frameworks in ensuring that India undergoes a just energy transition. The first section establishes the theoretical framework against which participation shall be evaluated. The second section breaks down the necessity for the participation of communities and affected stakeholders in energy justice decisions. The third section of the paper presents a brief overview of the existing legal, regulatory and policy frameworks in the country that currently govern the energy and associated sector. It is followed by the fourth and final section that proposes structural and legislative reforms, through examples across the world, that can aid in ensuring that the energy transition in India remains participatory and inclusive in nature.