Clean energy push unfair on developing nations: CJI Surya Kant
Speaking at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, CJI Kant said, “Countries that are finally industrialising are being asked to move rapidly towards renewable power, and are often made to bear the brunt of criticism when they cannot move fast enough.” “The challenge, therefore, is to reconcile the urgency of the clean energy transition with the principles of fairness and shared responsibility…
NEW DELHI: Chief Justice Surya Kant expressed concern on Friday that developed nations, who required centuries to transition to clean energy, are pressuring developing countries to make the switch within a relatively short timeframe. Speaking at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, Kant pointed out that countries in the midst of industrialization are being asked to rapidly adopt renewable energy and face criticism when they cannot keep pace.
In contrast, the nations advocating for the transition have spent two centuries building their economies on coal and oil. Kant highlighted that the shift towards clean energy relies heavily on the extraction of copper, cobalt, and lithium, which have their own environmental and social repercussions. He warned that pushing developing countries to adopt clean energy too quickly could create more problems than it solves.
Kant emphasized the need to balance the urgency of the clean energy transition with fairness and shared responsibility. He noted that the Supreme Court of India and High Courts have played a significant role in protecting the environment, including holding a copper mining company accountable for polluting water. Kant suggested that courts should learn from each other's experiences to facilitate a smoother transition to clean energy without placing undue burdens on their populations.
He urged courts to be open to adopting useful ideas and approaches from other Commonwealth countries while adapting them to their unique circumstances. Kant stressed the importance of finding solutions that protect the environment without disregarding the legitimate needs of development, and recognizing that the two objectives need not be mutually exclusive.
He cited a case where the Supreme Court ordered extensive compensatory afforestation instead of halting a road widening project to access a super specialty hospital for wounded paramilitary forces. Kant concluded by emphasizing that courts have a responsibility to find innovative ways to promote both environmental preservation and development through judicial creativity.
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