Coal Dependence: Lives in an Extractive Economy Photo Exhibition

The photo exhibition "Coal Dependence: Lives in an Extractive Economy", curated as a part of the "Just Transition: Understanding and the Implications of Moving Away from Coal" project supported by the MacArthur Foundation, was held in the Seminar Hall, Ground Floor, TERI, India Habitat Centre from July 25th to July 26th 2024. The exhibition intended to illuminate the lives of communities that are intricately connected to the coal economy, which is at the heart of the just energy transition debate.

This curation of poignant visuals aims to shed light on the lives of communities intricately tied to the coal economy which is central to the just energy transition debate. Through a series of compelling photographs, the exhibition examined the everyday realities of individuals engaged in selling, extracting, and transporting coal which happens in the absence of alternate lucrative means of income. These images poignantly highlighted the vulnerabilities faced by these communities as we transition towards cleaner energy sources, which inevitably entails moving away from carbon intensive energy sources.

The photo exhibition was inaugurated by the Director General of TERI, Dr. Vibha Dhawan, and graced by Mr. Ajay Shankar and Mr. Jiwesh Nandan, Distinguished Fellows at TERI. The inauguration also involved the release of "Voices from the Ground: A Travelogue" documenting stories of people living in India's coal belt and the perspectives of various stakeholders.

This was followed by the release of a video documentary "As She Changes: Seeding People-Centric Transitions in India's Coal Belt" which details the work done among women in Giridih, Jharkhand - a major coal producing district - to capacitate them towards entrepreneurship, culminating in the creation of self run businesses equipped with market linkages to ensure sustainability.

The event underscored the critical need for a people-centric approach in the just energy transition. It served as a poignant reminder of the human dimension in our collective pursuit of sustainable energy solutions, stressing the importance of supporting those most affected by this inevitable change.