https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3319-2497
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Abstract
The paper discusses the trilogy framework of decarbonisation, decentralisation and democratisation and its relevance in the implementation of just energy transition agendas in rural communities of Global South countries (GSCs). It argues that just energy transition should be implemented via developing nationally independent but locally driven renewable energy projects in GSCs. To corroborate the trilogy framework, the paper discusses case studies of India’s Panchayat institutions, Nepal’s community renewable projects, and Bhutan’s hydro projects. The paper recommends that the trilogy framework be implemented in GSCs through the concept of ‘energy prosumer communities’.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
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33 Szulecki (n 31)
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36 ibid
37 Al Weinrub, ‘Toward a Climate Justice Energy Platform: Democratizing Our Energy Future’ (2015) Local Clean Energy Alliance Working Paper <www.localcleanenergy.org/files/Climate%20Justice%20Energy%20Platform.pdf> accessed 14 January 2024
38 Heldeweg and Saintier (n 4)
39 Szulecki and Overland (n 3)
40 See Section 3.3 of this paper for more information.
41 Szulecki (n 31)
42 ibid
43 Burke and Stephens (n 33)
44 Jahnavi G Pai, Munna Jha and Vinuta Gopal, ‘Grounded Perspectives on Energy Transition – The View of Panchayat Members on Energy Transition and Impact of Climate Change’ in Mritiunjoy Mohanty and Runa Sarkar (eds), The Role of Coal in a Sustainable Energy Mix for India (Routledge 2023) 197
45 Szulecki (n 31)
46 Iain Soutar, ‘Dancing with Complexity: Making Sense of Decarbonisation, Decentralisation, Digitalisation and Democratisation’ (2021) 80 Energy Research and Social Science <www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629621003236> accessed 3 January 2024
47 Pierre Rosanvallon, Democratic Legitimacy: Impartiality, Reflexivity, Proximity (Princeton University Press 2011)
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49 Brown, Hall and Davis (n 26)
50 International Energy Agency, ‘India Energy Outlook 2021’ <www.iea.org/reports/india-energy-outlook-2021> accessed 20 January 2024
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53 Press Information Bureau India (n 52)
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55 ibid
56 Rajesh Kumar Singh and Aparna Mishra, ‘Decentralize Delivery of Services and Role of Panchayati Raz Institutions in Uttar Pradesh’ [2011] 72 The Indian Journal of Political Science 1103
57 Hoshiar Singh, ‘Constitutional Base for Panchayati Raj in India: The 73rd Amendment Act’ (1994) 34 Asian Survey 818
58 ibid
59 Article 243, The Constitution of India 1950
60 Pai, Jha and Gopal (n 45)
61 Singh and Mishra (n 57)
62 C Priya Lakshmi, ‘Present Scenario of Panchayat Raj in India’ (2016) 77 Indian History Congress <www.jstor.org/stable/26552737> accessed 29 December 2023
63 Article 243, 243A, 243B, 243C, 243G, The Constitution of India 1950
64 Article 243 I The Constitution of India 1950
65 11th Schedule The Constitution of India 1950
66 Pai, Jha and Gopal (n 45) 197
67 Pai, Jha and Gopal (n 45) 197
68 ibid
69 ibid
70 ibid
71 Special Correspondent, ‘Karnataka Has 60 Smokeless Villages’ (The Hindu, Bengaluru, 17 December 2015) <www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/karnataka-has-60-smokeless-villages/article7998243.ece> accessed 20 December 2024
72 The term ‘vulnerable’ here means the households that did not have economic resources to transition to ‘cleaner cooking stoves’.
73 Govindan and Murali (n 6)
74 Gowthami Subramaniam, ‘Odanthurai’s Windmill Experiment, a Pioneering Move that Had Its Wind Knocked Out’ <https://india.mongabay.com/2023/08/odanthurais-experiment-with-wind-energy-confronts-economic-complexities> accessed 20 January 2024
75 Gowthami Subramaniam, ‘What Happened to Tamil Nadu’s Model Renewable Energy Village?’ <https://india.mongabay.com/2023/07/odanthurais-renewable-energy-model-holds-valuable-lessons> accessed 20 January 2024
76 Peerzada Ashiq, ‘Palli in Jammu Becomes India’s First Carbon-Neutral Panchayat’ The Hindu (New Delhi, 24 April 2022) <www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/carbon-neutral-palli-village-is-our-living-example-toglasgow-goals-says-pm-modi/article65350800.ece> accessed 20 December 2023
77 Special Correspondent, ‘Palli Becomes India’s First “Carbon Neutral Panchayat”’ (The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, 25 April 2022) <www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/palli-becomes-india-s-first-carbon-neutral-panchayat-101650829124018.html> accessed 20 December 2024
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81 Pai, Jha and Gopal (n 45)
82 Ashiq (n 77)
83 Pai, Jha and Gopal (n 45)
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86 ibid
87 Islar, Brogaard and Lemberg-Pedersen (n 85)
88 AB Chetri, ‘Decentralization of Energy Systems for Sustainable Economic Development in Nepal’ in Proceedings of Unfolding Futures: Nepalese Economy, Society, and Politics’ (2007) <http://cffn.ca/2007/10/decentralization-of-energy-systems-for-sustainable-economic-development-in-nepal> accessed 20 January 2024
89 Islar, Brogaard and Lemberg-Pedersen (n 85)
90 The Constitution of Nepal, 2015
91 This right is upheld by Hydropower Policy 2001 (2058 BS) and the Electricity Act 1992 (2049 BS) subject to obtaining a licence; The Water Resource Act 1992 (2049 BS) provides that the use of water for hydropower shall have priority over the use of water for cottage industries, navigation and recreation but not over the use of water for drinking and domestic use, irrigation or agriculture.
92 Article 59(5), The Constitution of Nepal, 2015
93 Islar, Brogaard and Lemberg-Pedersen (n 85)
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95 Sanjel and Baral (n 95)
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97 Local Self Governance Act, 2055 (1999) (Nepal)
98 ibid
99 ibid
100 ibid
101 Local Self Governance Act, 2055 (1999) (Nepal)
102 ibid
103 Section 3 Local Self Governance Act, 2055 (1999) (Nepal)
104 ibid
105 ibid
106 ibid
107 Section 3 Local Self Governance Act, 2055 (1999) (Nepal)
108 ibid
109 ibid
110 ibid
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113 Sanjel and Baral (n 95)
114 ibid
115 ibid
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117 ibid
118 ibid
119 ibid
120 Alternative Energy Promotion Center Nepal (n 117) <www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/migration/asia_pacific_rbap/EE-2012-Case10-REDP_Nepal.pdf> accessed 30 December 2023
121 ibid
122 ibid 8
123 ibid
124 ibid
125 ibid
126 ibid
127 ibid
128 United Nations Development Programme (Nepal), ‘Power to the People: Breakthrough in Micro-Hydro Prospects’ <www.undp.org/nepal/stories/power-people-breakthrough-micro-hydro-prospects> accessed 30 December 2023
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130 Michael M Cernea, ‘Social Impacts and Social Risks in Hydropower Programs: Preemptive Planning and Counter-Risk Measures’ <www.un.org/esa/sustdev/sdissues/energy/op/hydro_cernea_social%20impacts_backgroundpaper.pdf> accessed 5 January 2024
131 Principle 15, Rio Declaration 1992
132 United Nations Economic and Social Commission for the Asia and The Pacific, ‘Energy Transition Pathways for the 2030 Agenda – SDG 7 Roadmap for Bhutan’ <www.unescap.org/sites/default/d8files/knowledge-products/0512SDG7%20Roadmap%20for%20Bhutan_Web_Final%2013%20May%202022.pdf> accessed 5 January 2024
133 Dorji Yangka, ‘Carbon Neutral Policy in Action: The case of Bhutan’ (2019) 19 (6) Climate Policy <www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14693062.2018.1551187> accessed on 5 January 2024.
134 ibid
135 United Nations Development Programme (Bhutan), ‘Augmenting Gross National Happiness in a Remote Bhutan Community: Community Based Micro Hydro for Livelihood Enchancement’ <www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/migration/asia_pacific_rbap/EE-2012-Case13-Sengor.pdf> accessed 5 January 2024
136 ibid
137 ibid
138 ibid
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141 ibid 42
142 ibid
143 ibid
144 Sonam Gyeltshen, ‘Analysis of Bhutan's Energy Policies in Relation to Energy Security and Climate Change: Policy Perspective’ (2022) 170 Energy Policy <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2022.113223> accessed 20 January 2024
145 Climate Change Laws Organization, ‘Electricity Act of Bhutan’ <https://climate-laws.org/document/electricity-act-of-bhutan_6f85?q=Bhutan> accessed 20 January 2024
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147 ibid
148 ibid
149 United Nations Development Programme, ‘Bhutan Launches Its First Grid-Tied Solar Power Plant’ <www.undp.org/bhutan/press-releases/bhutan-launches-its-first-grid-tied-solar-power-plant> accessed 23 January 2024
150 United Nations Development Programme (Bhutan), ‘Powering up Community’ <https://undp-bhutan.exposure.co/powering-up-a-community> accessed 20 January 2024
151 Bhutan Foundation, ‘Annual Report 2022’, 11 <www.bhutanfound.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/BF_Annual-_Report_2022_02.pdf> accessed 20 January 2024
152 ibid
153 ibid
154 ibid
155 ibid
156 ibid
157 ibid
158 ibid
159 ibid
160 ibid
161 ibid
162 Subramaniam, ‘What Happened to Tamil Nadu’s Model Renewable Energy Village?’ (n 76)
163 Manish Kumar, ‘Solar Power Station at Bihar’s “First Solar Village” Is Now a Makeshift Cattle Shed’ <https://india.mongabay.com/2021/12/solar-power-station-at-bihars-first-solar-village-is-now-a-makeshift-cattle-shed> accessed 20 January 2024
164 Yangka (n 134)
165 ibid
166 United Nations Economic and Social Commission for the Asia and The Pacific (n 133)
167 Brown, Hall and Davis (n 26)
168 Imran Khan, ‘Drivers, Enablers, and Barriers to Prosumerism in Bangladesh: A Sustainable Solution to Energy Poverty?’ (2019) 55 Energy Research & Social Science <www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629618312556> accessed 20 April 2024
169 Press Indian Bureau (Ministry of Power) (n 55)