India’s overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have steadily increased over the years, measured in megatonnes of CO2 equivalent per year (Mt CO2eq/yr). According to the newly-released European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) 2024 report, GHG emissions increased from 3,270.4 Mt CO2eq/yr in 2014 to 4,133.6 Mt CO2eq/yr in 2023. The growth has been quite sharp at 6 per cent in 2023, 5.9 per cent in 2022 and 7.2 per cent in 2021.
GHG emissions refer to the release of gases into the atmosphere that trap heat, contributing to the greenhouse effect and ultimately leading to global warming. The main GHGs include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2O), and others.
The report states that India’s share of global GHG emissions was 7.8 per cent in 2023, ranking third after China (30.1 per cent) and the US (11.3 per cent).
The data show that the power industry, industrial combustion and the transport sector are the main contributors to rising GHG emissions in India. In 2023, these sectors accounted for 46.6 per cent, 20.9 per cent, and 11.5 per cent share of total emissions, respectively. The European Commission JRC 2024 report adds, “The increase in GHG emissions from 1990 in India is mainly due to the increase in CO2 emissions from power industry, processes and transport, which were six and five times higher respectively in 2023 compared with 1990.”
India’s share
The data also show that India’s historical contribution to cumulative global GHG emissions is only 4 per cent, despite accounting for around 17 per cent of the world’s population between 1850 and 2019. India’s GHG emissions per capita reached 2.9 CO2eq/cap/yr in 2023, up from 2.5 CO2eq/cap/yr, according to the JRC report.
Ulka Kelkar, Executive Director, Climate, WRI India, explained, “The energy sector is a major factor, as India is primarily dependent on fossil fuels. Large industries and factories burn coal or gas, and vehicles run on petrol and diesel. Consequently, most of our energy production and consumption comes from fossil fuels. However, we are also utilising renewable energy sources such as solar and wind.”
Fossil fuels accounted for 88 per cent of primary energy consumption in India and 77 per cent of total electricity generation in 2022.
According to the Paris-based International Energy Agency’s ‘CO2 Emissions in 2023 Report,’ India’s carbon emissions have significantly increased over this decade, rising from 2 Gigatonnes (Gt) in 2013 to 2.8 Gt in 2023, marking a 40 per cent growth.
In 2023, India was the third-highest emitter of CO2 globally, surpassing the combined CO2 emissions of the European Union and Japan. China leads the list with emissions totalling 12.6 Gt, registering a 27.2 per cent growth. The US follows with 4.5 Gt despite seeing an 11.7 per cent decrease in emissions.