GigaWhat: What not to do

GigaWhat: What not to do

Author: Mongabay.com December 25, 2022 Duration: 31:57

India's renewable energy dreams have been big since the country shifted gears post-Paris climate summit in 2015. The country is now working towards achieving 500 GW of installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030. However, every choice has a cost. Rapid renewable energy installation and the transition have left several aspects overlooked. And they have given rise to new issues.

Issues related to land availability and acquisition for mega-renewable projects, impact on biodiversity, lack of involvement of local communities and gender-based plans, lack of financing solutions, absence of waste management and recycling policies, etc.

Considering its impact on society, experts fear that the clean energy sector will follow in the footsteps of the fossil-fuel industry.

The shift from fossil fuels to renewables is needed eventually, but it poses loud questions: What will happen to the states that'll stop producing coal? What'll happen to the millions working in coal and related industries? Are they skilled enough to switch to the renewable sector? Also, is renewable energy coming up in coal-dependent regions in the first place, or is it happening elsewhere? How will the state departments and economy cope with this shift?

In this episode, we will try to understand the challenges that this sector's rapid but probably unplanned growth has thrown. We will examine if there are solutions and what needs urgent attention.

Listen to GigaWhat and explore some of the biggest questions, challenges, and opportunities in India's transition from fossil fuel to clean energy sources. Mongabay-India is an online publication dedicated to bringing you stories on science and the environment in India.

Read the full Clean energy series on our website

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Guests:

Bhargavi Rao, Senior Fellow and Trustee at Environment Support Group

Balasubramanian Viswanathan, Policy Advisor, International Institute for Sustainable Development

Selna Saji, Research Analyst, Council on Energy, Environment and Water

Credits:

Host: Mayank Aggarwal

Writer and producer: Kartik Chandramouli

Audio editor: Tejas Dayananda Sagar

Copy editor: Priyanka Shankar

Podcast production assistant: Sapna Verma

Episode cover art: Pooja Gupta


From the team at Mongabay.com comes Everything Environment by Mongabay India, a podcast that digs into the complex and often overlooked stories shaping India's natural world. This isn't just about headlines; it's about connecting the dots between biodiversity, climate change, and the natural resources that underpin daily life across the subcontinent. Each episode is a deep dive, whether it's examining the real-world impacts of the country's clean energy transition, uncovering lessons from ancient paleoscience, or giving a voice to lesser-known species fighting for survival. The conversations move beyond abstract problems to focus on tangible solutions and the people on the front lines. By weaving science and news into compelling narrative, this podcast places environmental discussions exactly where they belong: central to our understanding of India's present and future. You'll hear clear analysis and on-the-ground reporting that makes intricate topics accessible, fostering a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of ecology, policy, and community. For anyone curious about the forces shaping our environment, this series offers essential listening.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 28

Everything Environment by Mongabay India
Podcast Episodes
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If we listen closely, a bird's call reflects what humans have done to its landscape, and a forest soundscape tells us about habitat health. Listen to the third episode of Wild Frequencies to learn how scientists use bioa…
Wild Frequencies #2: Know Them [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:10
Can we figure out animal behaviour by listening to the sounds they produce? In this episode, you'll hear from scientists who listen closely to wildlife ranging from large mammals to insects. Wild Frequencies is a three-p…
Wild Frequencies #1: Find Them [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:28
Most wild animals are not easy to spot. They are often hidden, camouflaged, or just not around when you are. But instead of trying to 'see' them, what if we try and 'listen' to them? After all, animals communicate. For s…
Trailer: Wild Frequencies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:02
Animals communicate. And some researchers listen to what they are saying. Hosts Shreya Dasgupta and Kartik Chandramouli travelled to different parts of India and spoke to multiple scientists to hear stories of sounds fro…
Environomy #6: A Challenge Across Generations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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In this sixth and final episode of Environomy, we will explore how India has dealt with issues related to biodiversity and climate change since the 1991 economic reforms. Since the national government has taken a strong…
Environomy #5: The One That Got Missed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:37
Though farming contributes less than 20% of India's GDP, it provides livelihood support to nearly half of the country's population. It is an extremely challenging occupation, with many from the younger generation unwilli…
Environomy #4: India Buys A Fast Car [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:53
There are traffic jams on India's hill stations and mountain roads across the year. It wasn't always like this. Increased incomes of the Indian middle class after the 1991 economic reforms translated to improved mobility…
Environomy #3: Playing With The Pillars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:04
The legislature, the executive, and the judiciary, form the three pillars of Indian democracy. The legislature consisting of the parliamentarians, and legislators are the policy makers who draw up acts and policies. The…
Environomy #2: They Came, They Rapped, They Lobbied [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:47
In the early 1990s, the anti-Tehri dam and anti-Narmada dam movements were India's most well-known environmental protests. It was not as if only environmental activists were involved with these movements. The development…
Environomy #1: The Middle Class Unbottled [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:48
How did the 1991 economic reforms impact the course of the Indian environment in the past three decades? Listen to Environomy's first episode, where we will look at how the Indian middle class acquired a distinct economi…