The political economy of coal in India
Project description
The coal industry plays an important economic role in India, providing 75% of the country’s electricity and contributing the majority of the revenue of the national railway company. There is, however a global push to move away from existing fossil-based energy systems, particularly coal assets. This study seeks to understand, from a socio-political standpoint, the challenges that might confront the coal sector and its dependent industries and communities as India ramps up its efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Taking a behavioral and political science perspective, the study maps out key actors in the coal value chain and seeks to understand their motivations and constraints in order to determine a realistic pace for reducing coal dependency. It seeks to understand why, when, and how key actors in India effectively prioritize climate policy decisions. Both at the national and sub-national level, the study seeks to map the norms, values, and beliefs of these key individuals towards the coal industry, showcase how the actors interact, and display what nodes of information are most vital to them. It also seeks to understand which critical interest groups come together to form coalitions in support of or against climate action.
Researchers
Elke Weber; Pooja Ramamurthi