Despite slowdown, Indias CO2 emissions rose in 2012

M. RAMESH
Coal-based power production accounted for almost 70 per cent of all of Indias carbon dioide emissions and !rew b" about
#$ per cent in %0#%.
CHENNAI, NOV. 18:
&espite recordin! its lowest '&( !rowt) * + per cent * in a decade in %0#%, India belc)ed % billion tonnes of carbon di-oide into t)e
atmosp)ere durin! t)e "ear, -.. per cent more t)an in %0##. /)at le0el of !reen)ouse-!as emissions made India t)e fourt) lar!est emitter last
"ear, after C)ina, t)e 1S and t)e European 1nion 2E13.
4ut dont feel bad "et. India simpl" )as more people t)an t)e 1S and t)e E1, so t)e emission per person is neit)er too )i!) nor
unpardonable. In fact, Indias per capita emissions were lower t)an e0en C)inas, despite t)e latter )a0in! more people, notes a report on
/rends in 'lobal C5% Emissions, %0#$. /)e report was brou!)t out b" (46 7et)erlands En0ironmental Assessment A!enc".
/)e report, produced wit) t)e E1 and made public recentl", notes t)at t)e increase in emissions was primaril" caused b" a #0 per cent rise in
coal consumption.
Coal-based power production accounted for almost 70 per cent of all of Indias coal-related C5%emissions and !rew b" about #$ per cent in
%0#%, t)e )i!)est annual !rowt) e0er, sa"s t)e report.
'55& 7E8S '654A669
/)e report points to a )eartenin! trend in t)e !lobal emissions scenario. In %0#%, t)e world let out $+.: billion tonnes of C5%, a !as t)at turns
into a s)ield in t)e upper atmosp)ere, pre0entin! )eat reflected b" t)e eart)s surface from dissipatin! in space * a p)enomenon better
;nown as <!lobal warmin!. 4ut t)e emissions were =ust #.# per cent )i!)er t)an in %0##.
Moreo0er, t)e report found a disconnect between emissions and !lobal economic !rowt) and concluded t)at suc) <decouplin! points to a
>s)ift towards less fossil-fuel intensi0e acti0ities, more use of renewable ener!" and increased ener!" sa0in!.?
C)ina accounted for %@ per cent of !lobal emissions, but on a per capita basis, t)e" were comparable to t)ose of t)e E1 and almost )alf as
muc) as t)e 1S. /)e 1S accounted for #- per cent of emissions w)ile t)e E1 was responsible for ## per cent. /)e low per capita emissions
in India and C)ina are "et anot)er data point for t)e de0elopin! countries to assert t)eir ri!)ts on emissions.
A point t)at !oes in fa0our of t)e 1S and t)e E1 is t)at emissions from bot) re!ions decreased * b" + per cent and # per cent, respecti0el".
C)inas emissions increased at a slower rate of $ per cent compared wit) #0 per cent o0er t)e last decade. Indias and Aapans rose b" -.. per
cent and - per cent, respecti0el".
8)ile t)e report opens on a positi0e note wit) t)e point t)at !lobal emissions !rew onl" #.# per cent, it stresses t)at unless total
C5% emissions between %000 and %0:0 do not eceed #,000 to #,:00 billion tonnes, it would not be possible for t)e world to meet t)e tar!et
of a not-more-t)an % de!rees Celsius increase in !lobal temperature o0er pre-industrial le0els.
A!ainst t)is, )uman bein!s )a0e alread" let out +-- billion tonnes of t)e offensi0e !as between %000 and %0#%.
ramesh.m@thehindu.co.in
(This article was published on November 18, 2013)