ABSTRACT
A lasting energy transition in India presents numerous challenges – from phasing out a deep reliance on coal to developing self-sufficiency in critical minerals extraction and processing. Policy decisions on energy transitions need careful assessment; however, little academic research currently exists on the social aspects of India's energy transition. This chapter will explore India's extractives sector landscape, focusing on coal and critical minerals. It will identify source risks and opportunities that are likely to shape the social fabric of India's energy transition. To do so, this chapter will (1) establish a spatial knowledge base of India's energy landscape by mapping existing coal assets, energy transition minerals reserves and resources, and large-scale renewable energy projects, and (2) supplement this spatial analysis with qualitative insights from domestic and international experiences of resource extraction. The chapter will highlight three interventions to help design robust long-term energy policy that builds on the principles of justice and fairness over the long-term.
