Carbon emissions see 1041% spike in past 44 years

NEW WOE Ranked third largest CO2 emitter after China and USA

MUMBAI: India ranked the third highest carbon dioxide (CO2) emitter in the world in 2015 after China and USA, found the International Energy Agency, the Paris-based energy policy advisor to 29 countries globally rallying for clean energy.

The study titled ‘CO2 Emissions from Fuel Combustion (Highlights) 2017’ released last week saw CO2 levels from fuel combustion increase in India from 181 million tonnes (MT) in 1971 to 2066 MT in 2015 – a 1041% increase. Excluding China, India’s emissions accounted for 46% of total emissions in Asia.

Globally, emissions have been higher in China for the past 44 years but their percentage increase has been marginally lesser than India – 1038% (798.4 MT in 1971 to 9084.6 MT in 2015). The study also found that rise in emissions in India over the years was higher than combined emissions by Australia, Israel, Japan, Korea and New Zealand.

Experts said rising levels of carbon dioxide with the use of fossil fuels changed global or regional weather patterns from the mid to late 20th century onwards. This led to a host of resolutions under the Climate Change agreement by different countries to ensure global temperatures should not rise by more than 2 degrees Celsius by curtailing individual emissions.

“In 2016, the average concentration of CO2 was 403 parts per million (ppm), 40% higher than in the mid-1800s, with an average growth of 2 ppm/year in the last ten years,” read the study.

In 2015, the world emitted a total of 32.3 gigaton CO2, of which China was responsible for 9 gigaton, USA 5 gigaton, and India 2 gigaton, the study finds. “Over two-thirds of global emissions for 2015 originated from just ten countries, with the shares of China (28%), the United States (15%), and India (6%) far surpassing those of all others.”

CO2 emissions per capita in India rose by 394% during the same period (1971-2015) — from 0.32 tonnes to 1.58 tonnes.

Experts said several such studies over the years have portrayed India as one of the largest global emitters. “This is how the West wants us to be portrayed,” said Sunita Narain, director general of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

“We had to increase our carbon dioxide emissions over the past few years as a direct result of our population increase and our development needs. All other developed countries had already done that long back, but to balance our huge energy demand, it was but natural for us to see this process happen.”

She said the last agreement said leading emitters will reduce their emissions and India will be allowed an increase. “However, the former did not reduce, and as a result we are not supposed to increase ours. This is completely inequitable,” said Narain.