Regional and sectoral assessment of greenhouse gas emissions in India

Abstract

In this paper the authors have estimated for 1990 and 1995 the inventory of greenhouse gases CO2, CH4 and N2O for India at a national and sub-regional district level. The district level estimates are important for improving the national inventories as well as for developing sound mitigation strategies at manageable smaller scales. Our estimates indicate that the total CO2, CH4 and N2O emissions from India were 592.5, 17, 0.2 and 778, 18, 0.3 Tg in 1990 and 1995, respectively. The compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of these gases over this period were 6.3, 1.2 and 3.3%, respectively. The districts have been ranked according to their order of emissions and the relatively large emitters are termed as hotspots. A direct correlation between coal consumption and districts with high CO2 emission was observed. CO2 emission from the largest 10% emitters increased by 8.1% in 1995 with respect to 1990 and emissions from rest of the districts decreased over the same period, thereby indicating a skewed primary energy consumption pattern for the country. Livestock followed by rice cultivation were the dominant CH4 emitting sources. The waste sector though a large CH4 emitter in the developed countries, only contributed about 10% the total CH4 emission from all sources as most of the waste generated in India is allowed to decompose aerobically. N2O emissions from the use of nitrogen fertilizer were maximum in both the years (more than 60% of the total N2O). High emission intensities, in terms of CO2 equivalent, are in districts of Gangetic plains, delta areas, and the southern part of the country. These overlap with districts with large coal mines, mega power plants, intensive paddy cultivation and high fertilizer use. The study indicates that the 25 highest emitting districts account for more than 37% of all India CO2 equivalent GHG emissions. Electric power generation has emerged as the dominant source of GHG emissions, followed by emissions from steel and cement plants. It is therefore suggested, to target for GHG mitigation, the 40 largest coal-based thermal plants, five largest steel plants and 15 largest cement plants in India as the first step.