4.7% spike in greenhouse emissions
NEW DELHI Despite Center's claims of being committed to the Paris climate agreement, India registered one of the largest increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2016, in contrast to other major emitters, which either saw decrease or stable emissions.
India’s greenhouse gas emissions rose by an alarming 4.7% in 2016, compared to the previous year, according to a report released by Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency on Thursday. The US saw a decline of 2% and even China reported a decrease of 0.3%.
The good news is that global carbon dioxide emissions, which is the primary greenhouse gas, have remained flat in the past two years, registering only a marginal increase of less than 0.5%. The report attributes the downward trend to falling coal consumption and a shift towards cleaner fuels. India, however, bucked this trend, too, with coal consumption rising by 4% in 2016.
Besides carbon dioxide, greenhouse gases include methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases, which constitute 28% of all emissions. In India, they contribute to over 30% of the emissions.
Increase in these gases was one of the major causes for GHG rising in India. The biggest source of methane, the most important non-CO2 greenhouse gas, is cattle — whose global contribution is almost a quarter of the emissions.
With 200 million, India has the largest cattle population in the world. Cattle farts and belches contain methane.
“Although varying per country, non-CO2 emissions constitute a significant share in total GHG emissions. Globally, the combined share of CH4, N2O and F-gas emissions is about 28% in total GHG emissions (19%, 6%, and 3%, respectively), but varies for the largest countries; with 11% for Japan and 31% for India,” the report reveals.
IN CONTRAST TO THE DOWNWARD GLOBAL TREND IN FALLING COAL CONSUMPTION, INDIA‘S RELIANCE ON THE FUEL ROSE BY 4% IN 2016