“In spite of adverse environmental impact, coal mining is still inevitable for development”. (UPSC IAS Mains 2017 General Studies Paper – 1)
India’s coal reserves, fourth largest in the world, provide it with a cheap source of energy. However, the mining of coal causes severe damage to the environment:
- Pollution due to exposure of mining waste to air and water.
- Coal mining results in methane emissions, a powerful greenhouse gas.
- Fires from underground mines can burn for years, releasing smoke containing CO2, CO, NOx, SO2 etc.
- Deforestation when trees are cut down or burned for clearing the way for a coal mine.
Despite the damage caused by coal mining, it is expected to contribute the dominant share to India’s electricity production for decades to come. Even with annual growth rates above 10%, the share of renewable sources in India is unlikely to reach even 10% of the energy mix before 2040. (Solar energy still provides only about 1 per cent of the electricity generated in the country).
India’s reliance on coal is expected to persist even in 2040s, with an envisaged share of 42%-50% in energy mix. A lower growth trajectory of renewable energy in view of the challenges and uncertainty of prices, storage costs, grid connectivity and parity make it over-ambitious to expect them to be central for India’s development.
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