India's Integrated Energy Policy: A Source of Economic Nirvana or Environmental Disaster?

• Date: 01 July 2010

40 ELR 10706 ENVIRONMENTAL LAW REPORTER 7-2010

India’s Integrated

Energy Policy:

A Source of

Economic

Nirvana or

Environmental

Disaster?

by Dr. Deepa Badrinarayana

Dr. Deepa Badrinarayana is Assistant Professor of

Law, Chapman University School of Law.

Editors’ Summary

India’s rapidly growing economy naturally demands

increasing energy needs from the industrial scale down

to the personal. Mindful of potential negative impacts

of economic development, India is making eorts to

encourage growth while preserving and protecting

the environment and human rights. India’s Integrated

Energy Policy sets out the roadmap for how the coun-

try plans to achieve the balance among development,

environmental protection, citizens’ rights, energy secu-

rity, and a host of other priorities and concerns. ough

ambitious and broad in scope, the Policy may prove

inadequate in mitigating environmental impacts of

development, and thus inadequate in balancing India’s

needs, particularly in the realm of climate change.

India’s economic ambition to a lleviate poverty and pro-

vide a better quality of life for innumerable Indians is

justied and understandable. To achieve these goals,

the Indian government must ensure that energy supply is

adequate. Further, to avoid undermining the benets of eco-

nomic prosperity and the rights of Indians, India’s energy

policy must also address security matters and mitigate envi-

ronmental concerns, such as climate change. Although the

Indian government appears cognizant of these complex chal-

lenges, its current energy policy does not balance these com-

peting goals in the long-term interest of Indians.

is Article evaluates India’s eorts to balance its eco-

nomic and environmental interests by a ssessing the Integrated

Energy Policy (IEP), a blueprint of energy and environmen-

tal policy adopted by the government of India. Part I sets

out the multiplicity of energy and climate change challenges

that emerge from India’s economic growth. Part II examines

India’s energy policies and their scope as articulated in the

IEP. Part III analyzes positive developments based on t he

IEP. Part IV identies gaps in India’s approach to its energy

and environmental policies.

Before proceeding with the Article, it must be noted that

recent errors regarding climate data have led the Indian gov-

ernment to establish its own panel on climate change, in line

with its ea rlier pursuit of an independent climate change

assessment.1 Nevertheless, the government has expressed

its continuing commitment to climate change research and

action.2 us, it is unlikely that the government will deviate

from its commitment to innovative energy policy.

I. India’s Energy: Caught Between the

Economy and the Environment

India is on t he path to steady economic growth. Between

2003 and 2009, India’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew

1. e Indian government established the Indian Network of Climate Change

Assessment for this purpose in late 2009. See Indian Ministry of Environment

and Forests, India Network of Climate Change Assessment, http://moef.nic.

in/modules/others/?f=event (last visited May 28, 2010). See also M 

E’  F, G’  I, C C  I: T

P   C C C A (2009),

available at http://moef.nic.in/downloads/others/Final_Book.pdf. India and

China had also earlier indicated their intent to establish a separate commit-

tee to address climate change. See India, China to Cooperate Over Himalayan

Glaciers: Jairam, D H, Aug. 3, 2009, http://www.deccanherald.

com/content/17542/india-china-cooperate-over-himalayan.html. ese ef-

forts have gained momentum more recently. See India Abandons IPCC, Sets

Up Own Panel, I’ B. T, Feb. 5, 2010, http://www.ibtimes.com/

articles/20100205/india-ipcc-un-climate-change-global-warming.htm;

see also Dean Nelson, India Forms New Climate Change Body, T.

., Feb. 4, 2010, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/climat-

echange/7157590/India-forms-new-climate-change-body.html.

2. India Backs IPCC Climate Chief Pachauri, BBC N, Feb. 5, 2010, http://

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8501401.stm; see also Indian Prime Minister

Backs IPCC Boss, G.., Feb. 5, 2010, http://www.guardian.co.uk/

environment/2010/feb/05/indian-prime-minister-ipcc-pachauri.

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