Responsible Renewable Energy Summit 2023
The Responsible Renewable Energy Summit was organised by the Responsible Energy Initiative with The Nature Conservancy, Vasudha Foundation, National Solar Energy Federation of India and Climate Trends, and TERI helped with the organising and management of the event. It was held on the 14th of February, 2023 from 10am-4pm at the Desire Hall, Le Meridien, Delhi.
The first Responsible Renewable Energy Summit, aims to bring together renewable energy experts, sector pioneers, policy makers, innovators, and civil society representatives to discuss how RE can set a benchmark for responsibility and the value it can create for every citizen in India for generations to come.
India has set a target of Net Zero by 2070. Rapid decarbonisation will be powered by the deployment of renewable energy (RE) on a massive scale, with an updated NDC goal of 50 percent renewable energy installed capacity by 2030. The discussions at COP27 reinforced the need to increase RE deployment globally; while at the recent G20 Summit, India encouraged the countries to set ambitious RE goals. These commitments were accompanied by a focus on ensuring resilience, climate justice and energy security, issues that are key to enabling a just energy transition globally, in Asia and India.
The RE sector is growing rapidly in India as the energy transition picks up pace. Renewable energy has the potential to offer much more value to India beyond decarbonisation, including by expanding access to affordable, clean energy; creating decent jobs that champion equity, driving a circular economy and helping the nation's economy to thrive; reducing pollution and regenerating natural ecosystems.
As the RE sector grows, so will the need to manage risks such as unsustainable pressures on resources including critical minerals, land for generation and transmission, and the skilled workforce needed to support the energy transition. RE actors have a remarkable opportunity - and a responsibility - to ensure that the imperative to reduce emissions from energy is achieved in a manner that is responsible - ecologically safe, socially just and contributing to building a thriving, resilient India.
The Responsible Energy Initiative India is a multi-year programme led by Forum for the Future, TERI and WRI India, along with expert partners Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, CEEW, Climate Group, Consensus Building Institute, Landesa and WWF India.