Striving towards a circular economy: climate policy and renewable energy in India

As India prepares to emerge as a five trillion-dollar economy, it is critical for the growth to be sustainable. Given the high incidence of energy poverty, one of the greatest challenges for the country is to ensure universal access to clean electricity to its population by 2030. This article outlines the key policies implemented in India for the transition, including the radical legislative changes to restructure the electricity sector for greater use of renewable energy, and ambitious domestic target revisions running parallel to the international commitment to limit global warming. It highlights the progress achieved in renewable energy transition of the power sector during the last 5 years since signing of the Paris Agreement, but also notes that little attention has been devoted to the waste management from the renewable energy sector. There is urgent need for policy consistency across sectors in India to ensure the adoption of the essential principle of a circular economy in the development of “clean” renewable energy.