India is taking bold strides towards decarbonization with rapid investments in clean energy transition. Maharashtra, one of the country’s most industrialized states with the highest gross domestic product in the country, has initiated several policies and programs for clean energy and net-zero transition to mitigate the impact of climate change.
To understand the country's transition to renewable energy, Columbia Global Centers | Mumbai hosted a seminar led by Kaushik Deb, Senior Research Scholar, Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP), on April 6, 2022.
Dr. Deb highlighted India’s position as the third-largest energy consuming nation with an urgent need for decarbonization, and outlined the critical challenges facing the country’s transition to renewable energy.
In recent years, there has been a rapid growth in clean energy through private sector investments and targeted policy initiatives by the government. While lauding India’s efforts in adding 10 GW/year of renewable energy capacity,
Dr. Deb highlighted the need for a just and sustainable transition, and the need to add 40 GW/year of energy capacity from multiple sources in order to meet the 2030 agenda for reducing carbon emissions.