India's heavy reliance on fossil fuels will remain for some decades to come

Despite attempts to cast India as climate conscious, the country's heavy reliance on fossil fuels will remain for some decades to come

India will stay addicted to fossil fuels for decades despite the government’s attempts to cast the country as climate conscious and spur investments in clean energy. Growing demand for coal and transport fuels and multi-billion dollar investments in existing and upcoming oil, gas and transport infrastructure crimp a speedy transition to a clean fuel economy.

Existing commitments to fossil fuels — critical for expanding affordable energy access to India’s price-sensitive economy — was what prompted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce a zero-carbon target nearly 50 years into the future at the COP26 summit in Scotland.

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