Skip to main content

'Irresponsible': Niti Aayog favouring energy technologies sans cost-benefit analysis

By Shankar Sharma* 

Whereas most of the recent projections done by the International Energy Agency (IEA) for India (by 2030), should have been clear to any modest observer of the Indian energy/ economy scenario, some of the data mentioned in this scenario projection should be of lot more concern to our people as compared to what has been said so far by the domestic media houses on the topic so far.
Some of such disconcerting facts, as highlighted by IEA, are:
  • India is likely to see the world's biggest rise in energy demand this decade, with demand climbing 3 per cent annually due to urbanisation and industrialisation.
  • While the push for renewable energy will see it meeting as much as 60 per cent of the growth in demand for power, coal will continue to meet a third of overall energy demand by 2030 and another quarter will be met by oil.
  • Even though India continues to make great strides with renewables deployment and efficiency policies, the sheer scale of its development means that the combined import bill for fossil fuels doubles over the next two decades, with oil by far the largest component.
  • Coal generation is projected to continue to expand in absolute terms, peaking around 2030, though its share of electricity generation falls from just below 75 per cent to 55 per cent over this period.
  • Gas imports will double to reach nearly 70 bcm by 2030 before growth moderating to reach 90 bcm by 2050.
As has been the case in the past, IEA focuses only on such dry statistics without bothering about the social and environmental consequences of such a huge growth in energy demand. IEA, rarely if ever, has discussed the social and environmental consequences to the larger society from the technologies it had advocated.
For many decades it had advocated fossil fuel technologies; and now it is advocating the nuclear power technology; in both cases it has been proved to be less than responsible. This practice can be seen as a typical Western style approach to the welfare of a society, which rarely, if ever, focuses on environmental impacts.
It should be a matter of great concern that our authorities, especially NITI Aayog, also are adopting such irresponsible advocacy on energy technologies without diligently considering costs and benefits, and hence are failing in public expectations.
But the communities in India cannot and must not commit the blunder of ignoring the social and environmental impacts. At a high level, it suffices to say that the social and environmental impacts of such a massive growth in demand for energy, are most likely to pose very serious problems to our communities across the country.
Such problems are already life threatening to many sections of our people; but sadly, it is also true that our officials and ministers are refusing to acknowledge the same. Pollution/ contamination of air, water and soil, are already clearly visible, and the annihilation of forest and fresh water resources are being reported regularly from different parts of the country.
The IEA projections that India's energy demand growth will be the highest across the globe cannot be a matter of any pride. Such a massive energy demand growth shall only mean unacceptable demand/ impacts on our natural resources (agricultural lands, forests, fresh water resources, clean air, biodiversity etc.), and consequent health and social welfare issues.
For many decades IEA had advocated fossil fuel technologies; and now it is advocating nuclear power technology
It is not only critical that as a welfare oriented and responsible society, we need to do all that is feasible to minimise such energy demand growth, but its is also essential that we start immediately to embark on clean energy transition pathway; that too by responsibly taking into account the total costs to the society of every technology/ practice needed to meet such a demand for energy on a sustainable and equitable basis. But sadly, our bureaucrats and political leaders cannot be seen as demonstrating adequate care in this regard.
In the true context of many such concerns, there is an urgent need for civil society to initiate rational debate at various levels of our society on the very issue of high GDP growth rate paradigm, which is being pursued by successive governments, and which is synonymous with the ambition of 10-30 trillion Dollar economy in the next few decades, and which will definitely lead to unsustainable demand for energy and materials at unacceptable costs to our communities.
In the larger context of true welfare of our people, it is left to civil society groups to take the necessary initiatives, such as providing credible feedback to the concerned ministries on various policy documents/ announcements, such as draft national electricity plan (2022-27/32).
The policies, omissions and commissions in the national energy sector are critically important for our future, because it is estimated by credible global agencies that about 75% of all the global GHG emissions can be directly/ indirectly attributed to the energy sector.
Hence, the highest possible efficiencies and true accountability must become the basic tenets of our energy/electricity policy. But sadly, they are the least important mandates in our governance structure.
Some of the recent news reports of importance in the larger context of consequences of high energy demand and the associated technologies, are as in the links below.
A society can continue to ignore such unambiguous signals of calamitous threats only at it own peril.
---
*Power & Climate Policy Analyst

Comments

TRENDING

Junk food push causing severe public health crisis of obesity, diabetes in India: Report

By Rajiv Shah  A new report , “The Junk Push: Rising Consumption of Ultra-processed foods in India- Policy, Politics and Reality”, public health experts, consumers groups, lawyers, youth and patient groups, has called upon the Government of India to check the soaring consumption of High Fat Sugar or Salt (HFSS) foods or ultra-processed foods (UPF), popularly called junk food.

Astonishing? Violating its own policy, Barclays 'refinanced' Adani Group's $8 billion bonds

By Rajiv Shah  A new report released by two global NGOs, BankTrack and the Toxic Bonds Network, has claimed to have come up with “a disquieting truth”: that Barclays, a financial heavyweight with a “controversial” track record, is deeply entrenched in a “disturbing” alliance with “the Indian conglomerate and coal miner Adani Group.”

From 'Naatu-Naatu' to 'Nipah-Nipah': Dancing to the tune of western pipers?

By Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD*  Some critics have commented that the ecstatic response of most Indians to the Oscar for the racy Indian song, “Naatu-Naatu” from the film, “RRR” reeks of sheer racism, insulting visuals and a colonial hangover. It was perhaps these ingredients that impressed the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, one critic says.

Insider plot to kill Deendayal Upadhyay? What RSS pracharak Balraj Madhok said

By Shamsul Islam*  Balraj Madhok's died on May 2, 2016 ending an era of old guards of Hindutva politics. A senior RSS pracharak till his death was paid handsome tributes by the RSS leaders including PM Modi, himself a senior pracharak, for being a "stalwart leader of Jan Sangh. Balraj Madhok ji's ideological commitment was strong and clarity of thought immense. He was selflessly devoted to the nation and society. I had the good fortune of interacting with Balraj Madhok ji on many occasions". The RSS also issued a formal condolence message signed by the Supremo Mohan Bhagwat on behalf of all swayamsevaks, referring to his contribution of commitment to nation and society. He was a leading RSS pracharak on whom his organization relied for initiating prominent Hindutva projects. But today nobody in the RSS-BJP top hierarchy remembers/talks about Madhok as he was an insider chronicler of the immense degeneration which was spreading as an epidemic in the high echelons of th

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Avoidable Narmada floods: Modi birthday fete caused long wait for release of dam waters

Counterview Desk  Top advocacy group, South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP), has accused the Sardar Sarovar dam operators for once again acting in an "unaccountable" manner, bringing "avoidable floods in downstream Gujarat."  In a detailed analysis, SANDRP has said that the water level at the Golden Bridge in Bharuch approached the highest flood level on September 17, 2023, but these "could have been significantly lower and much less disastrous" both for the upstream and downstream areas of the dam, if the authorities had taken action earlier based on available actionable information.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Jharkhand: Attempt to create red scare for 'brutal crackdown', increase loot of resources

Counterview Desk  The civil rights group Forum Against Corporatization and Militarization in a statement on plans to crackdown on “64 democratic progressive organisations” in Jharkhand under the pretext of the need to investigate their Maoist link, has alleged that this an attempt to suppress dissent against corporate loot and create an authoritarian state.

Victim of 'hazardous' jobs, Delhi sanitary workers get two thirds of minimum wages

By Sanjeev Kumar*  Recently, the Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch (DASAM) organized a Training of Trainers (ToT) Workshop for sewer workers and waste pickers from all across Delhi NCR. The workshop focused on bringing sanitation workers from different parts of Delhi to train them for organization building and to discuss their issues of minimum wage, contractual labour, regular jobs and social security.

Savarkar 'criminally betrayed' Netaji and his INA by siding with the British rulers

By Shamsul Islam* RSS-BJP rulers of India have been trying to show off as great fans of Netaji. But Indians must know what role ideological parents of today's RSS/BJP played against Netaji and Indian National Army (INA). The Hindu Mahasabha and RSS which always had prominent lawyers on their rolls made no attempt to defend the INA accused at Red Fort trials.