Keynote Speakers

Gregory Trencher is an associate professor at the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies at Kyoto University in Japan. He obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo in 2014 and held previous posts at Clark University in the USA and Tohoku University in Japan. His research focuses on decarbonisation and energy policy and the governance of energy and sustainability transitions. Current projects are investigating topics such as fossil-fuel phase-out policies, company decarbonisation behaviour, voluntary carbon markets, next-generation mobility and smart cities. He serves on the editorial board for Energy Research & Social Science and as an editor for Frontiers in Sustainable Cities. His research has been published in journals such as Nature, Nature Communications, One Earth, Environmental Research Letters, PLOS One, Climatic Change and Technological Forecasting and Social Change. His research and opinion have featured in media outlets such as The Guardian, New York Times, Le Monde, Nikkei Asia, Channel NewsAsia (CNA), ABC Australia and Carbon Brief.

 

Speech title "Collaborations with Japanese companies to decarbonise coal power in Asia via abatement and retirement: Two roads to nowhere?"

Abstract---Aligning global electricity generation with Paris Agreement targets requires an urgent phase-out of coal-fired power plants (CFPPs). While many Western countries have made headway in retiring aged CFPP assets, decarbonisation faces exceptional hurdles in rapidly expanding Asian economies dominated by young fleets. As new construction virtually ceases, the mitigation challenge has shifted to transitioning existing CFPPs via two competing pathways: (1) climate-optimal early retirement; or (2) asset-protecting technological abatement, such as carbon capture and ammonia co-firing. Although literature shows that foreign state and corporate actors profoundly steer regional decisions, a critical knowledge gap remains regarding which pathway dominant external incumbents are actively promoting. To resolve this, we examine cross-border interventions by Japan—historically the region's second-largest coal financier and technology provider after China. Utilizing a novel dataset compiled from corporate and government announcements, we evaluate the quantitative scale, qualitative features, institutional drivers, and implementation barriers characterising these efforts. Our analysis reveals that Japanese engagement heavily favours asset-protecting technological abatement, with scant evidence of concrete early retirement initiatives. Crucially, however, despite their high quantity, these abatement projects exhibit are of low operational quality, remaining confined to preliminary feasibility studies and pilot demonstrations that lack definitive implementation timelines. We conclude that current collaborations between local and Japanese actors fail to provide an effective strategy to align Asia’s coal fleet with global climate objectives.

 

Dr. Sarita Agrawal is a retired professor in Economics from Centre for Studies in Economics and Planning, School of Social Sciences, Central University of Gujarat. Prior to this she also worked with Department of Business Economics in The M.S. University of Baroda. Her areas of interest include education, gender, labour and human development. She was a member of the Scientific Committee for the international conference on Enterprise and Family Research organised by Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, during 2018. She has been the editor of Open Journal of Social Sciences and Co-Chief Editor of Research Journal of Education. She has also been a member of board of studies of several universities.

 

Speech title " India’s Growth Story: A Human Development Approach"

Abstract---At the dawn of India’s independence, the country faced a severe challenge of systematically organizing its economy on the one hand and bringing the economy out of abject poverty on the other. Recognizing that mass poverty could only be addressed through comprehensive economic planning, the government of India turned to economic planning through mixed economy model. India began its journey to growth in 1951. During the early years, the rate of economic growth was slow termed as the Hindu rate of Growth. After the two oil price shocks in the 1970s followed by the gulf war in the 1980s, the country passed through the severe macroeconomic crisis and had no choice but to adopt structural reforms in the 1990s. The process of reforms was adopted via policies of, liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation. A major redirection was followed by this generation of reforms in the economy—the ‘command’ type of the economy moved towards a market-driven economy, private sector (domestic as well as foreign) to have greater participation in the future. This marked the growth of Indian economy. India’s growth during the post reform period has been remarkable. Presently, India is one of the fastest growing country in the world aspiring to become the third largest economy in the world in the near future. Since the 1990s, the concept of growth is not restricted to just rise in income and is much more broad based and includes several other aspects of human development. Where are we now? Has rise in income resulted in improvement in life and living of the masses? Has growth trickled down to the poorer sections of the society? These are some of the questions that this paper attempts to answer.