TERI-IIT (ISM) Seminar on "Just Transition: Future of Coal and Pathways to Low Carbon Footprint"

In response to global climate challenges, TERI, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, is hosting a one-day seminar on January 31, 2024. The focus is on the "Just Transition" in India's coal sector, exploring pathways to a low carbon footprint while ensuring social and economic well-being in coal-dependent communities.

The seminar will feature three thematic sessions:

1. Repurposing of closed mines and diversification of the local economy: Addressing the socio-economic dependence on the coal sector, this session aims to break the cycle of dependence on the coal mono-economy by repurposing coal mine assets, enabling local communities to explore diverse income-earning opportunities.

2. Balancing economic competitiveness and environmental sustainability: This session will discuss the green transition for coal-dependent MSMEs, emphasizing the need for stakeholder consultation to understand barriers and implement remedial measures in crucial sectors such as direct reduction of iron, brick, textile processing, steel re-rolling mills, and foundry.

3. Reskilling & upskilling for Green Jobs: Focusing on transitioning coal mine workers to a low-carbon economy, this session emphasizes the creation of a skill development action plan and a reskilling framework to address economic vulnerabilities and rehabilitate communities dependent on coal.

The seminar will conclude with a plenary session titled "Charting a Sustainable Path." Here, shared perspectives will be synthesized, and a unified understanding will be sought, with TERI presenting its Just Transition Framework. The anticipated outcomes include a commitment to sustained engagement and a phased action agenda, shaping the trajectory towards an inclusive, sustainable future in the coal sector.