One bankrupt industry leaves $80 bln hole in India's climate pledge

Without reforming discoms, India will struggle to meet its bold target of raising non-fossil-fuel generation capacity.

When it comes to saving the planet, the ambition of India’s reach is praiseworthy. The challenge lies in the weakness of its grasp.

After emphasizing for years that a pathway to going green was more important than a deadline, India surprised delegates at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow by announcing a net zero goal for emissions by 2070. More onerous than that longer-term commitment is the intention to use non-fossil-fuel sources for half of its energy needs by 2030.

It’s a daunting target. The share of renewables in the country’s current energy mix is only 12%. Besides, the third-largest