Dhanbad is almost synonymous with India’s coal mining history. Popularly referred to as the country’s ‘coal capital,’ coal mining here dates back nearly 200 years. Along with adjoining districts like Bokaro, Ramgarh, and Hazaribagh, it has long been a core hub of Jharkhand’s coal and industrial economy.

Maharashtra, as a key industrial state, is crucial in steering the country towards an accelerated and just energy transition, establishing the groundwork for a net zero emissions economy. The emission of the state has increased at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.1% over the last decade, with the state currently accounting for 10% of India’s GHG emissions (310 million metric tonnes of CO2 e). 

The Laneshift Programme, led by The Climate Pledge and C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, is accelerating the transition to zero-emission freight by supporting the adoption of electric trucks and charging infrastructure across cities in India (Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Pune) and Latin America (Rio de Janeiro and Curitiba in Brazil, Mexico City in Mexico, Bogotá and Medellín in Colombia, and Quito in Ecuador).

A Just Transition from coal dependence encompasses technological transition with social, economic, and institutional transformation. This study attempts to identify cost factors for each component based on a suitable denominator – the capacity of decommissioned thermal power plant (TPP), reduced coal production, affected worker or affected population.

A just and inclusive transition of the workforce associated with the fossil fuel sectors and fossil fuel-based industries lies at the heart of the discourse on inclusive energy transition and climate action. To ensure this, it is necessary to have in place well-defined policies and institutional mechanisms.

The report offers an in-depth evaluation of laws and regulations pertaining to environmental, land and labour aspects of the coal sector, which have salience for a just transition.

Mine closure is a complex and multifaceted issue that includes environmental, social, economic, and safety concerns. However, the existing coal mine closure guidelines primarily focus on bringing back the mining land as much as possible to pre-mining conditions and undertaking afforestation measures

Urgent reforms required to make District Mineral Foundations an instrument for social justice.

Odisha is one of India’s most resource-rich states, being endowed with abundant coal, iron ore, and other mineral resources. The state is home to major industries such as steel, aluminium, cement, among others. In 2023-24, industrial sector contributed about 43.3% to the Gross State Value Added (GSVA), much higher than the national average of 27.6%.

Land repurposing is a crucial opportunity for economic diversification and sustainable development in regions heavily dependent on fossil fuel industries such as coal mining and coalbased thermal power plants (TPPs). As India transitions towards a net-zero economy by 2070, the gradual phase-down of coal mining and coal-based power generation will have significant socioeconomic implications for the affected regions.

For India to meet its net zero target by 2070 and energy independence goal by 2047, a framework of just transition at the national and state levels is essential. The framework(s) will guide strategic pathways and implementation mechanisms to achieve net-positive environmental, social and economic outcomes in a timebound manner and through the cooperation of all stakeholders.

India’s trajectory for energy transition will determine the policy and planning approach for the just transition. Two recent modelling studies on net-zero emissions pathways for India provide a glimpse of possible trajectories to reduce fossil fuels over the next three to four decades.

India’s coal fleet is fast ageing. About one-fifth of the current capacity is primed for decommissioning as their average age is more than 35 years. If the Ministry of Power’s advisory to retire coal-based generation units of more than 25 years old is implemented.

Continued gaps in functional electrification and reliable power supply in rural Jharkhand are incapacitating the state’s social infrastructure from delivering quality services and limiting livelihood avenues for a vast majority of the population. Distributed solar solutions are being deployed through government and private support to provide an immediate and effective solution for bridging the energy gap in crucial segments like health, drinking water supply, irrigation, etc

A region in transition with risks of a deepening economic divide. The Chandrapur–Nagpur–Yavatmal (CNY) region forms the core of Maharashtra’s coal economy, accounting for 100% of the state’s coal production and nearly 50% of its coal-based power capacity. While this legacy has historically fuelled Maharashtra’s industrial growth, the region now faces transition challenges.

The coal mining sector faces the risk of stranded assets due to climate goals and increasing competition from the renewable energy sector. Over the next 10 years, the state is likely to close six coal mines, highlighting the necessity for a just transition strategy that safeguards economic development and employment in the impacted regions

Coal mining constitutes an important source of direct, indirect, and induced jobs and livelihoods in various states and districts of India where the mines are located. Therefore, once these mines are closed, there is a possibility of economic and social distress in regions dependent on coal mines.

REFORM OF COAL MINE CLOSURE GUIDELINES TO SUPPORT A COMPREHENSIVE MINE CLOSURE FRAMEWORK BASED ON JUST TRANSITION PRINCIPLES

Maharashtra’s industrial economy is heavily reliant on the automobile sector. The sector’s contribution to the gross state domestic product (GSDP) is about 7%, the highest among all manufacturing sectors and 15.3% of industrial GSDP. A transition of the automobile sector to cleaner technologies and fuels will be significant for decarbonising the state’s industrial sector and strengthening climate change action

Angul is the epicenter of Odisha's coal mining and industrial economy which is expected to grow significantly over the next 10 years. However, the state is also highly vulnerable to climate change impacts.