Explained: India’s emissions inventory & efforts at mitigation

Sub : Env

Sec: Climate change

Why in news:

Biennial Update Report (BUR):

The Biennial Update Report (BUR) is a report submitted every two years by developing countries under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to meet their obligations under the Paris Climate Agreement.
The BUR provides an overview of national circumstances, socio-economic factors, and the country’s climate action efforts.
It includes a detailed inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, their sources, and natural sinks, along with updates on mitigation actions, measurement methods, and financial, technological, and capacity-building support received.

BUR-4 Highlights:

Emissions Intensity Reduction: India’s BUR-4 highlights that from 2005 to 2020, India reduced its emissions intensity of GDP by 36%. GDP emission intensity refers to the GHG emissions per unit of economic output.
Total GHG Emissions: In 2020, India’s total GHG emissions amounted to 2,959 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. After accounting for absorption by forestry sector and land resources, the net emissions were 2,437 million tonnes. Although the total emissions in 2020 showed a 7.93% decrease compared to 2019, emissions have increased by 98.34% since 1994.
Emissions Breakdown: The main contributors to GHG emissions include:
- CO2 emissions: 80.53%
- Methane emissions: 13.32%
- Nitrous oxide emissions: 5.13%
Sectoral Contributions to Emissions:
- Energy sector: 75.66% of emissions, with electricity production alone accounting for 39%.
- Agriculture: 13.72%
- Industrial Process and Product Use: 8.06%

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs):

India updated its NDCs in 2022, which include:

Reducing GDP emissions intensity by 45% by 2030 (from 2005 levels).
Achieving 50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
Creating an additional carbon sink of 5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through forest and tree cover by 2030.
India has also committed to reaching carbon neutrality by 2070.

Progress on Key Targets:

As of October 2024, India achieved 52% of its electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources.
From 2005 to 2021, India has created an additional carbon sink of 29 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
Additionally, the country has achieved significant energy savings in industries through the Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme, reducing CO2 emissions in various sectors.
However, challenges like slow technology transfer and intellectual property rights are hindering progress.