India’s Climate Leadership Highlighted in UN Report

On 30th December 2024, India reaffirmed its global climate leadership by submitting its 4th Biennial Update Report (BUR-4) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), showcasing remarkable progress in sustainability and emission reduction.

India’s GHG emissions for 2020 decreased by 7.93% compared to 2019, with total emissions at 2,959 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2e), excluding the LULUCF sector.
Including contributions from land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF), net emissions were reduced to 2,437 million tonnes of CO2e, with forest and tree cover offsetting 22% of total carbon dioxide emissions.
The energy sector contributed the largest share of emissions at 75.66%, followed by agriculture at 13.72%, industrial processes at 8.06%, and waste at 2.56%.
India achieved a 36% reduction in emission intensity from 2005 to 2020, signifying decoupling of economic growth from environmental impact.
By October 2024, 46.52% of India’s electricity generation capacity was derived from non-fossil fuel sources, showcasing a significant shift toward renewables.
India’s total renewable energy capacity reached 203.22 GW in 2024, with non-hydro renewables expanding over fourfold between 2014 and 2024.
Forest and tree cover now account for 25.17% of India’s geographical area, creating an additional carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes of CO2e from 2005 to 2021.
Despite contributing minimally to global emissions, India champions principles of equity and “Common but Differentiated Responsibilities” under the Paris Agreement.