A growing number of countries and economies have committed to moving towards achieving carbon neutrality or Net Zero emissions, but how can we navigate the challenges through this transition? What is the next course of action for India towards decarbonisation?

CSEP Distinguished Fellow and climate change expert Montek Singh Ahluwalia discusses the energy transition for developed and developing economies with Chief Economist of BP, Spencer Dale. The discussion is moderated by CSEP Distinguished Fellow, Laveesh Bhandari.

Discussants:

Spencer Dale: Chief economist at BP. He is responsible for advising the board and leadership team on the global energy system and the energy transition. He was Executive Director for financial stability at the Bank of England and a member of the Financial Policy Committee. Between 2008 and 2014, Spencer was chief economist of the Bank of England and a member of the Monetary Policy Committee. Spencer joined the Bank of England in 1989 and served in numerous roles, including private secretary to Mervyn King and head of economic forecasting. Spencer served as a senior advisor at the US Federal Reserve Board of Governors between 2006 and 2008.

Montek Singh Ahluwalia:

Montek Singh Ahluwalia is a Distinguished Fellow at CSEP and has been a notable figure in Indian economic reforms from the early 1980s onwards. He has previously served as the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of India, Finance Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, and as the first director of the Independent Evaluation Office of the IMF. He has written extensively on various aspects of development economics and is a recipient of the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award for public service. He is the author of Backstage: The Story Behind India’s High Growth Years (2020).

Moderator:

Laveesh Bhandari has a joint appointment at CSEP as a Senior Fellow and also heads Indicus Foundation. An economist, entrepreneur and an environmentalist, he is leading the climate change capability at CSEP. His current research spans climate change and sustainability, energy and agriculture transition, and also wider issues of inclusion. Laveesh has published widely on subjects related to sustainable livelihoods, industrial, economic and social reforms in India, economic geography and financial inclusion. As an entrepreneur Laveesh has also founded successful ventures in the research, analytics and digital domains.

All content reflects the individual views of the speakers. The Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP) does not hold an institutional view on any subject.