Coal India Limited (CIL), the state-run mining company with the largest workforce among government undertakings, is expected to cut 73,800 jobs by 2050 as India commits to transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. This information comes from a research report released by the US-based think tank Global Energy Monitor (GEM) on October 10.

The concept of a 'just transition' is likely to result in over a million job cuts worldwide by 2050, according to the report, based on the climate commitments of various countries. India and China will be the hardest hit, with an estimated 73,800 and 241,900 layoffs, respectively, by mid-century. China's coal industry, the world's largest, employs over 1.5 million individuals.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) defines a 'just transition' as the process of transitioning to a greener economy in a fair and inclusive manner, providing decent employment opportunities and ensuring that no one is left behind.

India, the world's second-largest coal producer, has a workforce approximately half the size of China's Shanxi province. Officially, India employs around 337,400 miners at operational mines, although some studies suggest that the local mining sector has four 'informal' employees for every direct employee.

The GEM report emphasizes the importance of government involvement in planning for the transition of coal workers and notes that Coal India is "facing the most potential layoffs" of 73,800 direct workers by 2050.