India reports decline in greenhouse gas emissions and GDP emission intensity

NEW DELHI: India’s overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions dropped by 7.93 per cent in 2020 as compared to 2019, as per the data submitted to the UN climate change office.
The country’s emission intensity, greenhouse gases emitted per unit of GDP, dropped by 36 per cent between 2005 and 2020, as highlighted in the fourth Biennial Update Report (BUR-4) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Apart from land use, land-use change, and forestry (LULUCF), India’s emissions in 2020 stood at 2,959 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e). Including LULUCF, emissions were 2,437 MtCO2e, reflecting a significant reduction compared to the previous year.
Despite this, emissions have nearly doubled, reaching 98.34 per cent, since 1994.

Decoupling growth from emissions

India has made progress in decoupling economic growth from GHG emissions. Between 2005 and 2020, the country’s GDP emission intensity dropped by 36 per cent, reaffirming its commitment to sustainable development.
As of October 2024, non-fossil fuel sources accounted for 46.52 per cent of the country’s power generation capacity. India’s climate targets under the Paris Agreement include reducing GDP emission intensity by 45 per cent by 2030 (from 2005 levels) and achieving 50 per cent cumulative installed capacity from non-fossil fuel energy resources by 2030.

India also aims to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5–3 billion tonnes through forest and tree cover by 2030. Between 2005 and 2021, the country established a carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes.

Sector-wise emissions

In 2020, the energy sector was the largest contributor to India’s emissions at 75.66 per cent, followed by agriculture (13.72 per cent), industrial processes and product use (IPPU) (8.06 per cent), and waste (2.56 per cent). The LULUCF sector acted as a net carbon sink, reducing the net national emissions to 2,436,656 gigagrams of carbon dioxide equivalent (GgCO2e).
India’s main emission sources include carbon dioxide from fossil fuel combustion, methane from livestock, and emissions linked to aluminium and cement production.
Although India accounts for 18 per cent of the global population, its annual per capita primary energy consumption in 2022 was 25.4 gigajoules (GJ), significantly lower than the global average of 78 GJ per person. High-income countries averaged 119 GJ, while the US consumed 277 GJ per person.
The report emphasises that in order to meet its developmental goals, India must substantially increase its energy consumption while maintaining its commitment to climate action.