India’s climate policies expected to reduce CO2 emissions by around 4 bn tonnes by 2030: Report

New Delhi, Nov 7: India’s current climate policies are projected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around four billion tonnes between 2020 and 2030, and drive a 24-per cent reduction in coal-based power generation, according to a new report.
This is significant considering India had committed to reducing emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030 at COP26 in Glasgow.
The study by Delhi-based independent think tank Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) said policies for India’s power, residential and transport sectors have already saved 440 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (MtCO2) between 2015 and 2020.
According to the report, in the power sector alone, policies promoting renewable energy are expected to drive a 24-per cent decline in coal-based electricity generation by 2030, relative to a no-policy scenario. This is equivalent to avoiding 80 GW of coal-based power plants that would have otherwise been installed to meet India’s burgeoning power demand, CEEW said.
At present, India generates around 71 per cent of its electricity using coal.
Further, with strategic support and competitive tenders, the share of combined solar and wind power in India’s energy mix is projected to rise to 26 per cent by 2030 and 43 per cent by 2050, up from only around 3 per cent in 2015.
This shift will decisively reduce reliance on coal, which is currently the source of nearly half of India’s total CO2 emissions. This transition is crucial for bending India’s emissions curve downward, but achieving net zero by 2070 will require even more ambitious action.
India has been pushing for a higher share of renewables in its energy mix, increased adoption of electric vehicles and improved energy efficiency in domestic air-conditioning and lighting. It has also launched programmes like the National Solar Mission, the FAME I and II schemes, the Standards and Labelling scheme and the UJALA programme, which will continue to affect future energy demand and supply.
Projections show that by 2030, electric two-wheeler and four-wheeler sales could account for 19 per cent and 11 per cent of their respective segments. This could lead to a 13-per cent reduction in oil and gas demand in this decade. (PTI)