India’s Energy Policies Transition and Significance of Science Communication: A Review

Abstract

Global environmental problems and constrained petroleum supply require sustainable energy solutions. This article examines the necessity of transitioning to alternate sources of energy and highlights the importance of effectively communicating scientific information. This review paper tracking the historical direction of energy policies in India since 1947. An objective phenomenological approach was used in examining the structural transformation of energy policies. The energy policies transformation is presented in five different phases. In its early stages, India's energy policy primarily focused on ensuring a reliable electricity supply and promoting the expansion of the oil and coal sectors. In the second phase, policymakers redirected their attention to preserving energy in order to address the ongoing energy problem. The subsequent two stages were dedicated to enhancing, expanding, and solidifying the energy resources in order to bolster the nation's energy sovereignty. The power sector has undergone many reforms, including privatisation and the facilitation of foreign direct investment (FDI). In the Fifth phase focus shifts towards climate friendly energy policies and special attention is given to renewable energy sources (RESs) over fossil energy sources (FESs) for mitigating the adverse climatic conditions. An assessment study was done to know how India replies to global climate agreements/accords demonstrated that Indian policy makers remained sensitive to international climate objectives. This review article also presents the role of science communication for accomplishing the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs).