NEWS – India has recently submitted its Biennial Update Report (BUR) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), highlighting the nation’s progress on climate action and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction efforts. This report serves as a critical part of India’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and includes a detailed analysis of its emissions inventory, sectoral contributions, and progress toward achieving climate goals.

WHAT IS THE BIENNIAL UPDATE REPORT (BUR)?

The Biennial Update Report (BUR) is a mandatory submission by developing countries under the UNFCCC, detailing their climate actions, emissions reductions, and efforts towards achieving their climate commitments. As part of the Paris Agreement, BUR provides a comprehensive overview of national emissions, mitigation actions, and the support received for climate actions.

The key components of the BUR include:

• A national GHG inventory
• Information on national action plans and mitigation strategies
• Updates on the financial, technological, and capacity-building support received to combat climate change.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF INDIA’S BUR-4

India’s BUR-4, which updates the third national communication, was submitted to the UNFCCC on December 30, 2022. It presents a detailed inventory of India’s GHG emissions for the year 2020 and progress towards its climate targets. The report emphasizes that India is on track to meet its climate commitments under the Paris Agreement.

1. GHG Emissions Inventory

• Total Emissions: In 2020, India’s total GHG emissions stood at 2,959 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. After accounting for carbon absorption by the forestry sector, net emissions were 2,437 million tonnes.
• Emission Intensity Reduction: Between 2005 and 2020, India reduced the emissions intensity of its GDP by 36%. India aims to achieve a 45% reduction in GDP emission intensity by 2030, compared to 2005 levels.
• Sectoral Contributions:
  • Energy Sector: The energy sector was the largest contributor to GHG emissions, accounting for 75.66%, with electricity production alone responsible for 39% of emissions.
  • Agriculture: Contributed 13.72% of the emissions.
  • Industrial Processes & Product Use and Waste: Contributed 8.06% and 2.56%, respectively.
• Breakdown by GHGs:
  • CO2: 80.53%
  • Methane: 13.32%
  • Nitrous Oxide: 5.13%
  • Others: 1.02%

2. India’s Climate Commitments and Progress

India has committed to ambitious climate goals, including:

• Reduction of Emission Intensity: A 45% reduction in GDP emission intensity by 2030 compared to 2005 levels.
• Non-Fossil Fuel-Based Power Generation: Achieving 50% of electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
• Carbon Sink Creation: India aims to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through enhanced forest and tree cover by 2030. Between 2005 and 2021, 2.29 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent were already sequestered.
• Net Zero Target: India has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.

As of October 2024, non-fossil fuel-based power generation capacity in India stood at 46.52%, showing substantial progress toward the 2030 target.

3. Climate Mitigation Actions and Achievements

India has implemented several key initiatives aimed at reducing emissions, such as the Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) Scheme, which focuses on improving energy efficiency across various industries. Key achievements include:

• Energy Savings: The scheme has led to significant energy savings, including 3.35 Mtoe in cement, 6.14 Mtoe in iron and steel, and 7.72 Mtoe across the thermal power sector.
• Emission Reduction: The PAT scheme has helped prevent the emission of 28.74 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent until 2021-2022.

4. Technological Needs for Climate-Conscious Growth

India faces significant challenges in adopting advanced technologies for low-carbon growth. The report highlights several areas where technology transfer is essential:

• Energy Sector: Technologies such as ultra-efficient photovoltaic cells, advanced floating wind turbines, and geothermal energy are needed to enhance clean energy generation.
• Industrial Sector: Carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies are crucial for industries like cement and steel that are difficult to decarbonize.
• Water Sector: Solar and wind-powered desalination technologies are needed to address water scarcity in arid regions.

India has emphasized that slow technology transfer, intellectual property rights, and funding barriers are hampering the adoption of critical technologies.