India’s per capita carbon emissions remain low: Union Power Minister

New Delhi: Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy RK Singh has said that India’s per capita carbon emissions are grossly underreported amid growing concerns over climate change. The statement was made during the 14th Clean Energy Ministerial and 8th Mission Innovation meeting in Goa.

Ministers from more than 30 countries as well as representatives of international organizations participated in the ministerial meeting chaired by RK Singh. The primary objective of the gathering was to discuss the challenges related to energy transition and find possible solutions.

RK Singh emphasized that India’s per capita carbon emissions are around 2.29 tonnes, which is much lower than the global average of 6.3 tonnes. He attributed this achievement to the simple lifestyle adopted by the Indian public. He further emphasized that everyone should play an active role in combating climate change and collective efforts are necessary to ensure a sustainable future.

The minister underlined India’s commitment to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and increase renewable energy generation. He announced ambitious targets, aiming to meet 50% of the country’s energy needs from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030. Additionally, India is striving to achieve 500 GW of renewable energy generation by the same year.

Singh told the ministerial meeting that there is a Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme for industries in India, which encourages them to implement sustainable practices, resulting in reduction of 105 million tonnes of emissions per year.

“We are exploring various renewable sources including solar, wind and hydrogen to accelerate the energy transition. We have also focused on energy efficiency in the lighting sector with schemes like UJALA, Star Rating and LED street lights. These have resulted in reduction of 278 million tonnes of emissions per year,” he said.

NITI Aayog member Vijay Kumar Saraswat stressed on the importance of moving away from fossil fuels to secure a sustainable future for humanity. He emphasized that the global community must work together to promote clean energy solutions and reduce carbon emissions.

Hailing India’s leadership in the global energy transition, US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm acknowledged the importance of collaborative efforts among nations, businesses, cities and institutions to effectively combat climate change. He highlighted the important role of emerging technologies in achieving the Net Zero goal.

The Mission Innovation (MI) initiative, represented by 23 countries and the European Commission, aims to accelerate progress towards the clean energy revolution and the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement, including pathways to achieving net-zero emissions Are.

As the event unfolded, Brazil announced its intention to host the MI ministerial meeting next year alongside its G20 presidency.

Updated: July 21, 2023, 07:48 PM IST