Indian Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data Released

New data from India has revealed it to be the fifth most polluting nation on Earth: only the likes of the US, Russia and China produce emissions at a higher level.

It’s been more than 15 years since the country last disclosed data relating to greenhouse gas production levels and the new study – which used information relating to 2007 – showed the boost in industry that’s taken place in the country in recent years.

In all, 1.9 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions left India in 2007, compared to 1.2 billion 15 years earlier. This represented a 58 per cent increase and, of the new figure, over 719 million tons were energy-related and over 140 million tons linked to the transport industry.

Indian Emissions Data

The latest Indian emissions data showcased the country’s fossil fuel reliance, with coal-based electricity providing 9/10ths of its power, and over 30 per cent of national emissions linked to fossil fuels.

Introducing the emissions report, Jairam Ramesh – India’s Minister of State for Environment and Forests – stated that, from now on, Indian emissions data would enter the public domain once every two years, and that this would make the country a role model for other nations.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions: India

Despite India’s greenhouse gas emissions growth, it has some way to go before it reaches the levels produced by the top-four international emitters. “Interestingly, the emissions of the United States and China are almost four times that of India in 2007”, Ramesh advised media representatives, adding: “It is...noteworthy that the energy intensity of India's GDP declined by more than 30 per cent during the period 1994-2007, due to the efforts and policies that we are proactively putting into place.

“This is a trend we intend to continue.”

Another Indian environmental study is scheduled to be release soon, which will assess how climate change is affecting the nation. According to the emissions report, intense rainfall is a rising trend, while average temperatures have increased by 0.4 degrees Centigrade since the late 1950s.

“The continuous warming and the changing rainfall pattern over the Indian region may jeopardise India's development by adversely impacting the natural resources such as water forests, coastal zones, and mountains on which more than 70% of the rural population is dependent”, the report stated.

See also:

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