India Sees Carbon Emissions Climb 190 MT In 2023, Owing To GDP Growth: IEA

The per capita emissions in the country remained way below the global average, the global body revealed. The emission addition climbed 490 MT in 2022, marking a rise of 1.3 per cent

India clocked an increase in energy-related carbon emissions by about 190 million tonne (MT)  in 2023, credited to robust GDP growth and a tepid monsoon, the International Energy Agency said. However, the per capita emissions in the country remained way below the global average, the global body revealed. The emission addition climbed 490 MT in 2022, marking a rise of 1.3 per cent.

Energy-related carbon emissions jumped by 1.1 per cent on the global level in 2023, rising by 410 MT to touch a fresh peak of 37.4 giga tonne (Gt), data from the IEA revealed. The energy body said that China logged the largest increase in emissions, gaining about 565 MT in 2023, reported PTI. Compared to other advanced economies, China clocked 15 per cent higher per capita emissions. 

At the same time, China also led the global clean energy additions. IEA further said that India saw an addition of 190 MT in emissions due to robust GDP growth. A weak monsoon also led to a rise in demand for electricity and affected hydro production, accounting for nearly one-quarter growth in the total emissions in the reviewing period. The per capita emissions in the country stood below the global average.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated that nations need to work together to lower emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane by 43 per cent by the end of the decade to restrict global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. 

Coal emissions contributed to over 65 per cent of the addition in emissions, while the global hydropower capacity grew by nearly 20 gigawatts (GW) in 2023. “Had the availability of the hydropower plant fleet in 2023 remained consistent with 2022 levels, an additional 200 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity would have been generated globally.This would have avoided the emission of around 170 million Mt CO2 from fossil fuel-based power plants. It would also have meant that electricity sector emissions would have fallen globally in 2023, instead of rising moderately,” the energy body said.