Policy initiatives on sustainable transition can lead the state towards inclusive development
Ranchi, 27 July 2022: Centre for Environment and Energy Development (CEED) organised a stakeholders conference ‘Enabling Just Transition in Jharkhand’ today with the key objective to bring forth the key policy level initiatives on sustainable transition which can lead the state towards meeting the target of Net-zero emission and ensure inclusive development for all. The conference unanimously recommended that a ‘Task Force on Just Transition’ must be constituted by the State Government at the earliest with representations from government, private sector, academicians and civil society to streamline the transition process to enable a future-ready Jharkhand.
Speaking on the occasion and the chief guest of the conference, Mr AK Rastogi (IFS), former Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and ex-Chairman, Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board said, “The past initiatives taken by the State government enough suggest that Jharkhand is taking lead on this front and enabling the process of sustainable transition is one of the top priority. The sustainable transition process can bring a visionary pathway for a forward looking economy for ensuring social security and economic trajectory with a sustainable and inclusive approach.”
Effects of climate change and the depleting resource base have put focus on moving away from fossil fuels and adopting a green economic model. In the Glasgow summit (2021) under the United Nations Convention on Climate Change, India has pledged to cut its carbon emissions to Net-zero by 2070. Net zero or becoming carbon neutral is now becoming a driving force in every sphere of the economy, where energy transition has a key role. In fact, just transition in India cannot be materialised until it is facilitated at the sub national level, particularly in states like Jharkhand.
Elaborating the context and objectives of the conference, Mr Ramapati Kumar, CEO of CEED said, “In meeting the net- zero target and climate goals, it is critical to have a structured policy framework in place to make Jharkhand’s economy more inclusive, just and sustainable. Therefore, a task-force on just transition is the need of the hour which can provide knowledge, options and key recommendations to the Government of Jharkhand in light of the best practices available in India and abroad. This can facilitate the collective effort on creating farsighted plans for a future-ready Jharkhand.”
Lauding the initiatives taken by the state government, Prof SK Samdarshi, Director, Centre for Excellence in Green Energy & Efficient Technology, Central University of Jharkhand said, “The development paradigm based on fossil fuel is poised to be changed in favour of renewable sources, where energy transition in state like Jharkhand will immensely contribute in bringing socio-economic transformations. In such a scenario, a holistic approach is required which includes planning and measures for skills training, economic progress, and social support.”
In the conference, Mr Ashwani Ashok (Power for All), Mr Chetanya Sawhney (Swaniti Initiatives), Mr Debnath Bera (Ranchi Partners Management Consultant Ltd), Mr Gourav Pandey (ClimateX) and notable stakeholders from think- tanks, academia, and energy sectors also took part in the discussion and emphasised that the key barriers and enablers will have to be identified during the just energy transition process through a multi-stakeholder engagement.