Energy sector biggest greenhouse gas emitter in India, says national communication to UNFCCC

More climate models needed for improving future projections: scientists

Environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan made public India's second report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on May 9 in New Delhi in the presence of about 100 scientists. The report, referred to as national communication, gives details of the country's greenhouse gas emissions and impacts and vulnerability assessments.

According to the report, India's gas emissions in 2000 was 1.3 billion tonnes CO2 equivalent. This was 5.9 per cent more than the emissions in the first national communication report submitted in 2004, which used baseline data of 1994.

The energy sector has emerged as the largest contributor of greenhouse gases, accounting for two-thirds of the total emissions, followed by agriculture (20 per cent) and industrial processes (see 'Natcom report highlights').

Natcom report highlights

The total net emissions for the year 2000 is 1,301.3 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent
This is a 5.9 per cent more than the emissions data in the first national communication of 2004
The energy sector accounts for two-thirds the total emissions, followed by agriculture (20 per cent), industrial processes (5.8 per cent) and waste (3.4 per cent)
The forestry sector was a net absorber; carbon absorption by forests amount to 222,567 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent
Among gases, CO2 is the largest contributor to GHG emissions at 67.25%, followed by methane with a contribution of 26.73% and nitrous oxide, 5%
Future projections indicate temperature increase of 3.5°C to 4.3°C towards the end of the century
Rainfall is not expected to decrease significantly in most of the country except for the southern peninsula
The percentage of forests deemed vulnerable will be 30 per cent by 2050 and this figure will increase to 45 per cent towards the end of the century
Rice yields will increase, but quality of the produce will be affected. If adaptation strategies are not adopted, wheat yields could decrease by 6 million tonnes with a temperature increase of 1°C