Energy justice in post-Paris India: Unpacking consensus and conflict through storylines and discourse coalitions

The paper investigates the discursive consensus and conflict that unfolded in the first five years after the Paris Agreement while making decisions on the pivotal justice principles in Indian energy policy. It employs discourse network analysis and draws on the concepts of storylines and discourse coalitions to analyze media discourse as well as the prominent state and non-state actors that frame it. Our findings identify three major themes in the discourse: first, a strong consensus on the intersection of energy poverty with other intra-generational injustices and renewables as a solution for ensuring energy justice; second, a mild conflictual narrative resulting in three discourse coalitions that underscores the lack of affordability, appreciation of inter-generational justice, and due process in the policies targeted to improve energy availability; and third, a strong conflict between availability and sustainability in the discussion around fossil fuel, non-fossil fuel, and renewables, resulting in three coalitions in favour of each. The paper concludes by highlighting the need to strengthen the due process component for an inclusive policy directed towards enhanced and renewable-based energy access.