Energy and Environment in India: The Politics of a Chronic Crisis

India is driving significant trends in global energy markets, with growing demand for fossil fuels and widespread poverty and environmental challenges. Johannes Urpelainen's book provides an expert guide to India's energy and environmental issues, highlighting the unequal economic development and rapid population growth that have led to institutional shortcomings and private solutions for the wealthy. Urpelainen examines India's most severe environmental crises and assesses its role in global environmental politics, offering pragmatic solutions to overcome the constraints on effective policy.

Format: Hardback
Length: 232 pages
Publication date: 04 July 2023
Publisher: Columbia University Press

India is playing a pivotal role in shaping the dynamics of global energy markets, which have significant environmental consequences. As the country's economy continues to expand, there is a growing demand for automobiles, air conditioners, plane tickets, and other consumer goods, resulting in increased consumption of fossil fuels. However, despite India's economic progress, it continues to grapple with widespread poverty and persistent environmental and energy-sector challenges, including frequent power outages and a significant toll on human lives due to air pollution.

In order to understand India's energy and environmental challenges, it is essential to consider both domestic and international perspectives. Johannes Urpelainen, a renowned expert in the field, offers a comprehensive guide to these issues. He highlights how unequal economic development and rapid population growth have contributed to India's current state, where it possesses the potential to become a major player in the global economy but faces significant environmental hazards and energy poverty.

Urpelainen argues that institutional shortcomings have led wealthier Indians to seek private solutions to protect themselves from environmental threats such as air pollution and heat waves, while excluding the poor. This retreat of the rich has limited the state's ability to regulate the energy sector effectively or address environmental degradation. Urpelainen examines India's most severe environmental crises, considering how climate disruptions are impacting the country's present and future. He analyzes India's role in global environmental politics and assesses the prospects of achieving a more sustainable society.

This book is highly valuable and accessible, providing practical solutions to overcome the constraints on effective energy and environmental policy. It sheds light on the complex interplay between economic growth, social equity, and environmental sustainability, offering insights that can inform policymakers and stakeholders in India and beyond. By addressing these challenges, India can pave the way toward a more prosperous and sustainable future for its citizens and the global community.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231194808