India’s current climate policies are expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 4 billion tons between 2020 and 2030, and drive a 24% reduction in coal power generation. File | Photo credit: AP
India’s current climate policies are expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 4 billion tons between 2020 and 2030, and drive a 24% reduction in coal power generation, according to a new report.
That’s significant considering the fast-growing South Asian country, now the world’s fifth-largest economy, pledged at COP26 in Glasgow to cut emissions by 1 billion tonnes by 2030.
Research by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), an independent think tank based in Delhi, shows that policies in India’s power, residential and transport sectors have reduced 440 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (MtCO2) between 2015 and 2020.
In the power industry alone, policies to promote renewable energy are expected to lead to a 24% decline in coal power generation by 2030, relative to the no-policy scenario, the report said.
“This is equivalent to avoiding the construction of 80 GW of coal-fired power plants that would otherwise be installed to meet India’s rapidly growing electricity demand,” CEEW said.
Currently, about 71% of India’s electricity is generated from coal.
In addition, through strategic support and competitive bidding, the share of solar and wind power in India’s energy mix is expected to increase from about 3% in 2015 to 26% in 2030 and 43% in 2050.
The shift would decisively reduce reliance on coal, which currently accounts for nearly half of the country’s carbon dioxide emissions. This shift is critical to India’s downward bending of the emissions curve, but achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 will require more ambitious action.
India has been working to increase the share of renewable energy in the energy mix, increase the adoption of electric vehicles, and improve the energy efficiency of household air conditioning and lighting. It also launched programs such as the National Solar Mission, FAME I and II programmes, standards and labeling programmes, and the UJALA programme, which will continue to influence future energy demand and supply.
CEEW CEO Arunabha Ghosh said: “In the past decade, India has demonstrated strong climate leadership, from expanding the scale of renewable energy to improving energy efficiency and electric transportation through policies. This has not only diversified our energy mix and doubled our energy security , but also creates new markets and significantly reduces CO2 emissions.
“The path to net zero requires bolder action and there is no time to let up. To advance efforts in the Global South, COP29 must ensure that climate finance flows to developing countries like India without any strings attached. This will deepen renewable Energy markets and sustainable development for a future for all.
In the transport sector, CEEW research found that policies such as the FAME (2015-2022) program have laid the foundation for significant growth in the electric vehicle market.
Forecasts show that by 2030, sales of electric two-wheelers and four-wheelers will account for 19% and 11% of their respective market segments respectively. This could lead to a 13% reduction in oil and gas demand this decade.
By 2050, the figures for these two EV categories are expected to rise significantly to over 65%, resulting in a 55% reduction in oil and gas demand from the industry relative to the no-policy scenario.
In the residential sector, the 2006 Standards and Labeling Scheme significantly improved energy efficiency in the air conditioning and refrigeration sectors.
The study found that air-conditioning-related electricity consumption in Indian households is expected to double between 2020 and 2030 and soar nearly 10 times by 2050. , also due to lower electricity prices and higher penetration of renewable energy.
UJALA plans to promote and distribute more than 367 million energy-saving LED light bulbs since 2015 and is expected to reduce residential lighting electricity consumption by 48% by 2030 and 59% by 2050 relative to the no-policy scenario.
Vaibhav Chaturvedi, senior fellow at CEEW and lead author of the study, said: “Our findings suggest that current policies have put India on the right path. New policies building on existing climate policies are already being developed to accelerate progress towards the goals. effort.
“Immediate measures should include expanding investment in renewable energy, strengthening domestic carbon credit trading schemes and focusing on energy efficiency in key sectors such as industry, transport and buildings,” he added.
Published – November 7, 2024, 6:34 pm (IST)
