research paper on northeast india

Identity and Ethnic Conflict in Northeast India: A Historical and Comparative Approach

17 Pages Posted:

Independent

Date Written: July 13, 2024

This research paper delves into the intricate dynamics of identity and ethnic conflict in Northeast India, a region characterized by its rich ethnic diversity and historical complexities. The study aims to understand the historical, political, and socioeconomic factors contributing to these conflicts. Utilizing a qualitative case study approach, the research draws on historical records and government reports from the National Archives of India, employing thematic analysis to identify key themes. The findings highlight the significant impact of colonial policies, such as the Inner Line Permit, and postindependence policies, like the States Reorganization Act, on the region's ethnic dynamics. The study reveals distinct conflict issues among major ethnic groups, including the Nagas, Bodos, Kukis, Mizos, and Assamese, driven by demands for autonomy, resource control, and identity preservation. Government policies, while aiming to protect tribal areas and promote regional development, often faced challenges in implementation, exacerbating tensions. The analysis also underscores the role of insurgent groups in prolonging conflicts and the critical impact of socioeconomic disparities and migration on ethnic tensions. The research provides practical recommendations for inclusive governance, equitable economic development, peace education programs, and strengthening local institutions. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners working on conflict resolution and peacebuilding in multi-ethnic societies, emphasizing the need for comprehensive and contextspecific approaches.

Keywords: Ethnic conflict, Northeast India, identity politics, autonomy, insurgency, socio-economic development

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Anup Yadav (Contact Author)

Independent ( email ), do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on ssrn, paper statistics, related ejournals, feminist methodology & research ejournal.

Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic

Women, History & Culture eJournal

Conflict studies: effects of conflict ejournal, conflict studies: international relations theory ejournal, conflict studies: intra-state conflict ejournal, anthropology of kinship, gender, the body & sexuality ejournal.

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

North-East India: Land, People and Economy

2014, Advances in Asian Human-Environmental Research

Related Papers

Manjil Hazarika

Swinburne University of Technology Research Bank

Prof. Sanjib Goswami

This Ph.D. thesis focuses on contemporary ethnic and social conflict in India’s North East. t concentrates on the consequences of indirect rule colonialism and emphasises the ways in which colonial constructions of ‘native’ and ‘non-native’ identity still inform social and ethnic strife. This thesis’ first part focuses on history and historiography and outlines the ways in which indirect rule colonialism was implemented in colonial Assam after a shift away from an emphasis on Britain’s ‘civilizing mission’ targeting indigenous elites. A homogenising project was then replaced by one focusing on the management of colonial populations that were perceived as inherently distinct from each other. Indirect rule drew the boundaries separating different colonised constituencies. These boundaries proved resilient and this thesis outlines the ways in which indirect rule was later incorporated into the constitution and political practice of postcolonial India. Eventually, the governmental paradigm associated with indirect rule gave rise to a differentiated citizenship, a dual administration, and a triangular system of social relations comprising ‘indigenous’ groups, non-indigenous Assamese, and ‘migrants’. Using settler colonial studies as an interpretative paradigm, and a number of semi-structured interviews with community spokespersons, this thesis’ second part focuses on the ways in which different constituencies in India’s North East perceive ethnic identity, ongoing violence, ‘homeland’, and construct different narratives pertaining to social and ethnic conflict. Recurring unrest in India’s North East is thus contextualised in its historical dimension. Scholarly discourse has traditionally analysed these conflicts by focusing on a number of binaries: colonial / postcolonial, development / underdevelopment, civilised / uncivilised. Emphasising a triangular system of relationships, this thesis presents an alternative interpretation of the ongoing social and ethnic conflict.

Unequal Land Relations in North East India: Custom, Gender and the Market

Erik de Maaker , Meenal Tula

Contestation over land is at the core of the prolonged political conflicts that mark the recent history of India’s North Eastern region. The rural areas of India’s North East, erstwhile marginal to the ‘modern’ state, are increasingly integrated in a monetized market-oriented economy. Confronted with dominant regimes of development, mobility and citizenship, it is imperative to recognize that increasingly unequal land relations are a main reason for broadening social fissures within and among communities. This volume critically engages with questions such as: How do contestations over the ownership and usage of land challenge customary interpretations of gender? And in what ways can the importance attributed to land, in a symbolic sense, contribute to the redefinition of coordinates of identity, community and belonging? Combining perspectives from political science, social geography, social history, sociology and anthropology, this volume critically engages with received notions of the customary. Presenting case studies by both senior and emerging scholars, it makes mandatory reading for anyone interested in the challenges of governance, citizenship and development faced by the people of India’s North East.

CHANDA G U R U N G GOODRICH

The paper focuses on the tribal communities of Sikkim and Nagaland, where men have come to be seen as ‘providers’, superior to women ‘caretakers’. As agrarian- forest dwellers, both the Lepcha women of Sikkim and Naga women play a key role in agro-biodiversity management and conservation. Their authority over three levels of agriculture — the ecosystem, species and gene — is based on their knowledge (particularly of seeds and plant breeding) and their labour. But, women’s work and knowledge are now being undermined by a market economy that undervalues all non-market transactions. The women’s adaptive livelihood practices are threatened by both global and regional market economies, land tenure issues, and a rapidly increasing population. In a ‘surcharged clash of identities’, women are being sidelined and ‘it is difficult to predict how gender relations, land-related stewardship and sustainable agro-biodiversity conservation will play out’.

Charvak Charvak

The geographical, demographic and historical isolation of the region have exercised considerable influence on the growth of print media in North East.History of Print Media for the North East however remained less documented and read till today. Scholars of mainland India have less interest of conducting research on this area, while scholars of North East lack in terms of resources and scope. In this context, this paper seeks to offer a fundamental reading of the history of print media in the seven states of North East India. It is however by no means, a complete compendium of the history of press in North East India. It does offer only a rudimentary level of historical documentation and attempts to reflect the specificities of advent of print media in the seven sisters of North East India. It is a documentation of the summary of the advent of Print Media in North East both from primary and secondary data.

wiscnetwork.org

Darshana Deka

This is my M.Phil Thesis. I do my M.Phil research work on interconnection between formation of sedentary agriculture, rise of state and social change. This thesis was submitted in January 2021

Archaeology in Northeast India – Recent Trends and Future Prospects – Essays Celebrating 150 Years of Research

The volume attempts to cover the recent research trends of archaeology in Northeast India. Initiated in 1867 by Sir John Lubbock, archaeological investigation in the region has a history of one and half a century. The volume includes 40 research papers contributed by upcoming and senior researchers on a variety of issues such as prehistoric and historical archaeology; art, architecture, iconography and epigraphy; pottery studies; megaliths and mortuary practices; ethno-archaeology and oral history; historical linguistics; material cultural studies; metallurgy and cultural heritage management in different parts of Northeast India. The present volume to mark the 150 years of prolonged research in the region will therefore be an important and essential reading for students and researcher in archaeology and allied disciplines.

Loading Preview

Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.

RELATED PAPERS

H. Srikanth

Remsiama Ngamlai

International Journal of Scientific Research in Science and Technology IJSRST

Northeast Migrants in Delhi: race, refuge and retail

Duncan McDuie-Ra

DVS Publishers

Monali Longmailai

Space and Culture, India

Pranab Sarma

Journal of North East India Studies

Saroj K Rath

Kurukshetra: A Journal of Rural Development

Binod Bhattarai

Nripesh Sengyung

GORKY CHAKRABORTY

Andrea Catalina Silva Tapia

CHIRON OLIVIER

Romesh Bhattacharji

Open Journal of Social Sciences

Leishipem Khamrang, Social Sciences [Faculty RTC]

Ashok Dasgupta

arupjyotichiring Chiring

Rama Shankar

Outlook on Agriculture

Dhrupad Choudhury

B Mohan Kumar

Journal Space and Culture, India Open access Journal

American Research Thoughts

Lh Seitinthang

Dr. Phanindra Kalita

IIAS Publication Series

IIAS Leiden

paper presented in a seminar of hundred years of edward gaits history of assam

North Eastern Social Research Centre; First edition

kusumika ghosh

Journal of Assam University, vol. 1, no. 1, 2006

Prof Mahmood Ansari

Indraneel Bhowmik

Barnali Gorlosa

Bhawani Tahu

Viswanathan Pozhamkandath

Cambridge Scholars Publishing

Priyanka kakoti

African Safety Promotion: A Journal of Injury and Violence Prevention

Cultural Constellations, Place-Making and Ethnicity in Eastern India, c. 1850-1927

Swarupa Gupta

Relocating Contemporary Politics: Issues and Challenges published by Paschimbanga Anchalik Itihas O Loksanskriti Charcha Kendra

Anisha Gogoi

RELATED TOPICS

•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024

North East Indians and Their Contribution to Indian Literature

• First Online: 15 September 2020

Cite this chapter

• Dhurjjati Sarma 5 &
• Venkat Pulla 6 , 7 , 8  

Part of the book series: Mapping Global Racisms ((MGR))

246 Accesses

Literature, both oral and written, has been reflective of the human sensibility that has met with and witnessed changes in the socio-political set-up. The aim here is to explore the idea of ‘marginalisation’ vis-à-vis the relationship of north east Indians with the mainstream Indian culture through the medium of literary expressions, particularly in the context of colonial modernity and postcoloniality. Specific to this is a question: are there any distinct flavours of the north eastern narrative and its linguistic influence that one can see in the larger paradigm of Indian literature? Here is a brief exploration of the movements that have carried forward the literary cultures of the region to the present day into the mainstream Indian culture.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save.

• Get 10 units per month
• Download Article/Chapter or eBook
• 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
• Cancel anytime
• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Compact, lightweight edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info
• Durable hardcover edition

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

The Novel and the North-East: Indigenous Narratives in Indian Literatures

Beyond Black and White: The Italian Reception of the Debate on Native Indian Commentaries in Nineteenth-century Vedic Studies

Introduction: Intellectual Traditions of India in Dialogue with Mikhail Bakhtin

Baral, Kailash C. (2013). Articulating marginality: Emerging literatures from northeast India. In Margaret Ch. Zama (Ed.), Emerging literatures from northeast India: The dynamics of culture, society and identity (SAGE Studies on India’s North East) (pp. 3–13). New Delhi: SAGE.

Google Scholar  

Baruah, M. (2011). Frontier cultures: A social history of Assamese literature . New Delhi: Routledge India.

Basumatary, Jeetumoni. (2019). Community fiction: Mamang Dai’s The Legends of Pensam and Temsula Ao’s These Hills Called Home: Stories from a War Zone . In Bodhisattva Chattopadhyay, Aakriti Mandhwani, and Anwesha Maity (Eds.), Indian genre fiction: Pasts and future histories (Studies in Global Genre Fiction) (pp. 121–138). Oxon & New York: Routledge.

Borah, D. (2017, June 29 and 30). Keynote address delivered at a Sahitya Akademi seminar on ‘Representing Marginality: Texts and Traditions of Eastern Indian Languages’ at Gauhati University.

Buragohain, R. (1989). Cross-currents of the Hinduisation process in medieval Assam . PNEIHA, Tenth Session, Shillong.

Elwin, V. (1960). A philosophy for NEFA (North East Frontier Agency) . S. Roy on behalf of the North-East Frontier Agency.

Elwin, V. (2017). Myths of the north east frontier of India . Delhi: Gyan Publishing House.

Guha, Amalendu. (2015). Medieval and early colonial Assam: Society, polity and economy . Guwahati: Anwesha Publications.

Hussain, Shalim M. (2019). Translating Tanti. In Kamal Kumar Tanti, Post-colonial poems (pp. 45–58). New Delhi: Red River.

Kakati, B. (1921). A new life, letters and a state. In Sankardeva: Vaisnava Saint of Assam . Natesan and Co.

Kakati, B. (1948). The mother goddess Kamakhya: Or, studies in the fusion of Aryan and primitive beliefs of Assam . Guwahati: Lawyer’s Book Stall.

Mackenzie, Alexander. (1995). The north-east frontier of India . New Delhi: Mittal Publications.

Narzary, P. J. (2017, June 29 and 30). Representing marginality: Texts and traditions with reference to Bodo language and literature. Lecture delivered at a Sahitya Akademi seminar on ‘Representing Marginality: Texts and Traditions of Eastern Indian Languages’ at Gauhati University.

Neog, M. (2006). Sri sri Sankardeva . Dibrugarh & Guwahati: Dr. Maheswar Neog Publications Trust.

Saikia, Kamal Ch. (2017, June 29 and 30). Chairperson’s lecture delivered at a Sahitya Akademi seminar on ‘Representing Marginality: Texts and Traditions of Eastern Indian Languages’ at Gauhati University.

Sharma, J. (2012). Empire’s garden: Assam and the making of India . Ranikhet: Permanent Black.

Singh, P. B. (2017, June 29 and 30). Marginality as represented in Manipuri literature: A bird’s eye view. Lecture delivered at a Sahitya Akademi seminar on ‘Representing Marginality: Texts and Traditions of Eastern Indian Languages’ at Gauhati University.

Tanti, Kamal Kumar. (2019). An adivasi & an Assamese. In Kamal Kumar Tanti, Post-colonial poems (pp. 106–109). New Delhi: Red River.

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, India

Dhurjjati Sarma

Senior Research Fellow (Adjunct), ILWS, Charles Sturt University, NSW, Australia

Venkat Pulla

Sessional Academic, Charles Darwin University, NT, Australia

Foundation Professor, Brisbane Institute of Strengths Based Practice, NSW, Australia

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

Senior Research Fellow (Adjunct) ILWS, Charles Sturt University, NSW, Australia

Research Consultant & Editor-in-Chief Space and Culture, North Shields, UK

Rituparna Bhattacharyya

Professor, Department of Social Work, University of Delhi, Delhi, India

Sanjai Bhatt

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Sarma, D., Pulla, V. (2020). North East Indians and Their Contribution to Indian Literature. In: Pulla, V., Bhattacharyya, R., Bhatt, S. (eds) Discrimination, Challenge and Response. Mapping Global Racisms. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46251-2_6

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46251-2_6

Published : 15 September 2020

Publisher Name : Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-030-46250-5

Online ISBN : 978-3-030-46251-2

eBook Packages : Behavioral Science and Psychology Behavioral Science and Psychology (R0)

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

Journal of North East India Studies

In JNEIS we publish well researched papers which are theoretically informed and empirically rich data. Only papers with sufficient quality which make meaningful academic contribution, by at least filling a research gap , will be processed for review. JNEIS is among Szczepanski’s List of Open Access Journals , free high-quality e-journals in the world.

The fulltext contents of JNEIS are also available in EBSCOhost and Zenodo .

___________________________________________________________________________

Current Issue

Volume 13, Issue 2, 2023

1.  Shrinking Academic Space  – Thongkholal Haokip

2. Land Use and Livelihood: The Case of Shifting Cultivation among the Kukis  – M. Mangkholen Haokip

3.  State and Local Conservation Traditions: A Comparative Study of Fortress Conservation and Traditional Forest Forts  – Rajiandai Bariam

4.  Inter-state Border Disputes in North-East India: A Case of Assam and Meghalaya  – Bitupan Doley, Parimita Bhuyan, and Jayanta Krishna Sarmah

5.  Border Disputes in North East India: A Study of Assam-Mizoram Border – Jangkhongam Doungel

6. Unveiling Women’s Economic Contribution: A Study of Livelihood Activities in Tousem Village, Manipur – Kamei Beeju and Pounga Newme

Book Review

7.  Roluahpuia, Nationalism in the Vernacular: State, Tribes, andthe Politics of Peace in Northeast India, Cambridge:Cambridge University Press, 2023  – Reviewed by George Chakma

_________________________________________________________________

Forthcoming…

1. Mizoram Assembly Election 2023: Bucking Bipolarity and Regurgitating Ethnicity and Governance – V. Bijukumar

• Business Today
• India Today
• India Today Gaming
• Cosmopolitan
• Harper's Bazaar
• Brides Today
• Aajtak Campus

• Budget 2024
• Magazine Cover Story Editor's Note Deep Dive Interview The Buzz
• BT TV Market Today Easynomics Drive Today BT Explainer
• Market Today Trending Stocks Indices Stocks List Stocks News Share Market News IPO Corner
• Tech Today Unbox Today Authen Tech Tech Deck Tech Shorts
• Money Today Tax Investment Insurance Tools & Calculator
• Mutual Funds
• Industry Banking IT Auto Energy Commodities Pharma Real Estate Telecom
• Visual Stories

INDICES ANALYSIS

Mutual funds.

• Cover Story
• Editor's Note
• Market Today
• Drive Today
• BT Explainer
• Trending Stocks
• Stocks List
• Stocks News
• Share Market News
• Unbox Today
• Authen Tech
• Tech Shorts
• Tools & Calculator
• Commodities
• Real Estate
• Economic Indicators
• BT-TR GCC Listing

How Will Sheikh Hasina’s Ouster Impact India-Bangladesh Trade Ties?

• Aug 08, 2024,
• Updated Aug 08, 2024, 11:24 AM IST

India’s finance ministry is closely monitoring the unfolding crisis in Bangladesh, concerned about its potential impact on trade and economic stability between the two nations. Sheikh Hasina's tenure saw a significant boost in trade relations between India and Bangladesh, with a notable trade surplus in India's favour. Her exit could disrupt these gains, affecting the movement of goods and people and stalling a potential free trade agreement (FTA) between the two nations, say experts. Bangladesh has been a crucial ally to India since Prime Minister Hasina came to power in 2009, helping to eliminate anti-India terrorist groups and fostering strong economic, social, and cultural ties. Their bilateral trade reached $13 billion in the financial year 2023-24, with Bangladesh being the top destination for India's cotton exports and a significant importer of petroleum products and cereals. India imports ready-made garments from Bangladesh, contributing $391 million to their trade. The FTA discussions initiated in October 2023 aimed to reduce or eliminate customs duties on goods traded between the two countries, potentially boosting Bangladesh’s exports to India by up to 297% and India’s exports by 172%, as estimated by a World Bank working paper. However, the future of these discussions remains uncertain with the interim Bangladeshi government. Infrastructure and connectivity projects have been pivotal in strengthening Indo-Bangladesh ties. India has extended $8 billion in credit since 2016 for the development of road, rail, shipping, and port infrastructure in Bangladesh. The Akhaura-Agartala cross-border rail link and the Khulna-Mongla Port rail line, inaugurated in November 2023, are expected to enhance trade and people-to-people exchanges. A disruption in these ties could restrict India’s access to the Northeast, currently connected through narrow land corridors. The existing bus routes and agreements for using Chittagong and Mongla ports also face potential risks. India had a $9.2 billion trade surplus with Bangladesh in FY24, with top exports including cotton, coffee, tea, vegetables, vehicles, and electrical machinery. The ongoing unrest has already caused issues such as internet disruptions affecting banking transactions and difficulties in issuing letters of credit, causing concern among exporters, particularly those in Kolkata. With a significant portion of exports to Bangladesh falling outside the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement and most imports from Bangladesh benefiting from zero tariffs, the current unrest poses a substantial risk to the trade dynamics between the two countries. The next few days will be critical in determining the extent of the impact on trade and economic stability in the region. Watch Business Today TV Managing Editor Siddharth Zarabi in conversation with Suman Chowdhury, Chief Economist & Head of Research, Acuite Ratings and Research, Veena Sikri, Former High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh and Prasenjit Bose, Economist.

• India Bangladesh Relations
• sheikh hasina
• Indian economy
• Suman Chowdhury

• Advertise with us
• Privacy Policy
• Terms and Conditions
• Press Releases

Copyright©2024 Living Media India Limited. For reprint rights: Syndications Today

Add Business Today to Home Screen

Create an account

Create a free IEA account to download our reports or subcribe to a paid service.

Global Energy Crisis

How the energy crisis started, how global energy markets are impacting our daily life, and what governments are doing about it

• English English

What is the energy crisis?

Record prices, fuel shortages, rising poverty, slowing economies: the first energy crisis that's truly global.

Energy markets began to tighten in 2021 because of a variety of factors, including the extraordinarily rapid economic rebound following the pandemic. But the situation escalated dramatically into a full-blown global energy crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The price of natural gas reached record highs, and as a result so did electricity in some markets. Oil prices hit their highest level since 2008. 

Higher energy prices have contributed to painfully high inflation, pushed families into poverty, forced some factories to curtail output or even shut down, and slowed economic growth to the point that some countries are heading towards severe recession. Europe, whose gas supply is uniquely vulnerable because of its historic reliance on Russia, could face gas rationing this winter, while many emerging economies are seeing sharply higher energy import bills and fuel shortages. While today’s energy crisis shares some parallels with the oil shocks of the 1970s, there are important differences. Today’s crisis involves all fossil fuels, while the 1970s price shocks were largely limited to oil at a time when the global economy was much more dependent on oil, and less dependent on gas. The entire word economy is much more interlinked than it was 50 years ago, magnifying the impact. That’s why we can refer to this as the first truly global energy crisis.

Some gas-intensive manufacturing plants in Europe have curtailed output because they can’t afford to keep operating, while in China some have simply had their power supply cut. In emerging and developing economies, where the share of household budgets spent on energy and food is already large, higher energy bills have increased extreme poverty and set back progress towards achieving universal and affordable energy access. Even in advanced economies, rising prices have impacted vulnerable households and caused significant economic, social and political strains.

Climate policies have been blamed in some quarters for contributing to the recent run-up in energy prices, but there is no evidence. In fact, a greater supply of clean energy sources and technologies would have protected consumers and mitigated some of the upward pressure on fuel prices.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine drove European and Asian gas prices to record highs

Evolution of key regional natural gas prices, june 2021-october 2022, what is causing it, disrupted supply chains, bad weather, low investment, and then came russia's invasion of ukraine.

Energy prices have been rising since 2021 because of the rapid economic recovery, weather conditions in various parts of the world, maintenance work that had been delayed by the pandemic, and earlier decisions by oil and gas companies and exporting countries to reduce investments. Russia began withholding gas supplies to Europe in 2021, months ahead of its invasion of Ukraine. All that led to already tight supplies. Russia’s attack on Ukraine greatly exacerbated the situation . The United States and the EU imposed a series of sanctions on Russia and many European countries declared their intention to phase out Russian gas imports completely. Meanwhile, Russia has increasingly curtailed or even turned off its export pipelines. Russia is by far the world’s largest exporter of fossil fuels, and a particularly important supplier to Europe. In 2021, a quarter of all energy consumed in the EU came from Russia. As Europe sought to replace Russian gas, it bid up prices of US, Australian and Qatari ship-borne liquefied natural gas (LNG), raising prices and diverting supply away from traditional LNG customers in Asia. Because gas frequently sets the price at which electricity is sold, power prices soared as well. Both LNG producers and importers are rushing to build new infrastructure to increase how much LNG can be traded internationally, but these costly projects take years to come online. Oil prices also initially soared as international trade routes were reconfigured after the United States, many European countries and some of their Asian allies said they would no longer buy Russian oil. Some shippers have declined to carry Russian oil because of sanctions and insurance risk. Many large oil producers were unable to boost supply to meet rising demand – even with the incentive of sky-high prices – because of a lack of investment in recent years. While prices have come down from their peaks, the outlook is uncertain with new rounds of European sanctions on Russia kicking in later this year.

What is being done?

Pandemic hangovers and rising interest rates limit public responses, while some countries turn to coal.

Some governments are looking to cushion the blow for customers and businesses, either through direct assistance, or by limiting prices for consumers and then paying energy providers the difference. But with inflation in many countries well above target and budget deficits already large because of emergency spending during the Covid-19 pandemic, the scope for cushioning the impact is more limited than in early 2020. Rising inflation has triggered increases in short-term interest rates in many countries, slowing down economic growth. Europeans have rushed to increase gas imports from alternative producers such as Algeria, Norway and Azerbaijan. Several countries have resumed or expanded the use of coal for power generation, and some are extending the lives of nuclear plants slated for de-commissioning. EU members have also introduced gas storage obligations, and agreed on voluntary targets to cut gas and electricity demand by 15% this winter through efficiency measures, greater use of renewables, and support for efficiency improvements. To ensure adequate oil supplies, the IEA and its members responded with the two largest ever releases of emergency oil stocks. With two decisions – on 1 March 2022 and 1 April – the IEA coordinated the release of some 182 million barrels of emergency oil from public stocks or obligated stocks held by industry. Some IEA member countries independently released additional public stocks, resulting in a total of over 240 million barrels being released between March and November 2022.

The IEA has also published action plans to cut oil use with immediate impact, as well as plans for how Europe can reduce its reliance on Russian gas and how common citizens can reduce their energy consumption . The invasion has sparked a reappraisal of energy policies and priorities, calling into question the viability of decades of infrastructure and investment decisions, and profoundly reorientating international energy trade. Gas had been expected to play a key role in many countries as a lower-emitting "bridge" between dirtier fossil fuels and renewable energies. But today’s crisis has called into question natural gas’ reliability.

The current crisis could accelerate the rollout of cleaner, sustainable renewable energy such as wind and solar, just as the 1970s oil shocks spurred major advances in energy efficiency, as well as in nuclear, solar and wind power. The crisis has also underscored the importance of investing in robust gas and power network infrastructure to better integrate regional markets. The EU’s RePowerEU, presented in May 2022 and the United States’ Inflation Reduction Act , passed in August 2022, both contain major initiatives to develop energy efficiency and promote renewable energies. 

The global energy crisis can be a historic turning point

Energy saving tips

1. Heating: turn it down

Lower your thermostat by just 1°C to save around 7% of your heating energy and cut an average bill by EUR 50-70 a year. Always set your thermostat as low as feels comfortable, and wear warm clothes indoors. Use a programmable thermostat to set the temperature to 15°C while you sleep and 10°C when the house is unoccupied. This cuts up to 10% a year off heating bills. Try to only heat the room you’re in or the rooms you use regularly.

The same idea applies in hot weather. Turn off air-conditioning when you’re out. Set the overall temperature 1 °C warmer to cut bills by up to 10%. And only cool the room you’re in.

2. Boiler: adjust the settings

Default boiler settings are often higher than you need. Lower the hot water temperature to save 8% of your heating energy and cut EUR 100 off an average bill.  You may have to have the plumber come once if you have a complex modern combi boiler and can’t figure out the manual. Make sure you follow local recommendations or consult your boiler manual. Swap a bath for a shower to spend less energy heating water. And if you already use a shower, take a shorter one. Hot water tanks and pipes should be insulated to stop heat escaping. Clean wood- and pellet-burning heaters regularly with a wire brush to keep them working efficiently.

3. Warm air: seal it in

Close windows and doors, insulate pipes and draught-proof around windows, chimneys and other gaps to keep the warm air inside. Unless your home is very new, you will lose heat through draughty doors and windows, gaps in the floor, or up the chimney. Draught-proof these gaps with sealant or weather stripping to save up to EUR 100 a year. Install tight-fitting curtains or shades on windows to retain even more heat. Close fireplace and chimney openings (unless a fire is burning) to stop warm air escaping straight up the chimney. And if you never use your fireplace, seal the chimney to stop heat escaping.

4. Lightbulbs: swap them out

Replace old lightbulbs with new LED ones, and only keep on the lights you need. LED bulbs are more efficient than incandescent and halogen lights, they burn out less frequently, and save around EUR 10 a year per bulb. Check the energy label when buying bulbs, and aim for A (the most efficient) rather than G (the least efficient). The simplest and easiest way to save energy is to turn lights off when you leave a room.

5. Grab a bike

Walking or cycling are great alternatives to driving for short journeys, and they help save money, cut emissions and reduce congestion. If you can, leave your car at home for shorter journeys; especially if it’s a larger car. Share your ride with neighbours, friends and colleagues to save energy and money. You’ll also see big savings and health benefits if you travel by bike. Many governments also offer incentives for electric bikes.

6. Use public transport

For longer distances where walking or cycling is impractical, public transport still reduces energy use, congestion and air pollution. If you’re going on a longer trip, consider leaving your car at home and taking the train. Buy a season ticket to save money over time. Your workplace or local government might also offer incentives for travel passes. Plan your trip in advance to save on tickets and find the best route.

7. Drive smarter

Optimise your driving style to reduce fuel consumption: drive smoothly and at lower speeds on motorways, close windows at high speeds and make sure your tires are properly inflated. Try to take routes that avoid heavy traffic and turn off the engine when you’re not moving. Drive 10 km/h slower on motorways to cut your fuel bill by around EUR 60 per year. Driving steadily between 50-90 km/h can also save fuel. When driving faster than 80 km/h, it’s more efficient to use A/C, rather than opening your windows. And service your engine regularly to maintain energy efficiency.

Analysis and forecast to 2026

Fuel report — December 2023

Europe’s energy crisis: Understanding the drivers of the fall in electricity demand

Commentary — 09 May 2023

Where things stand in the global energy crisis one year on

Commentary — 23 February 2023

The global energy crisis pushed fossil fuel consumption subsidies to an all-time high in 2022

Commentary — 16 February 2023

Fossil Fuels Consumption Subsidies 2022

Policy report — February 2023

Background note on the natural gas supply-demand balance of the European Union in 2023

Report — February 2023

Analysis and forecast to 2025

Fuel report — December 2022

How to Avoid Gas Shortages in the European Union in 2023

A practical set of actions to close a potential supply-demand gap

Flagship report — December 2022

Subscription successful

Thank you for subscribing. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of any IEA newsletter.