According to two officials privy to the United Nations' most recent assessment, India's greenhouse gas emissions rate fell 33% more quickly than anticipated in 14 years as renewable energy generation increased and forest cover expanded.
India is on track to satisfy its commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to reduce emissions intensity by 45 percent from 2005 levels by 2030, according to the report's findings.
The total quantity of greenhouse gas emissions emitted per unit increase in gross domestic product (GDP) decreased by 33% between 2005 and 2019, according to officials privy to the preparation of the Third National Communication (TNC) report.
Numerous nations are producing TNC reports to provide the UNFCCC with an update on their efforts to reduce emissions.
In the period 2016-2019, India's average annual rate of emission reduction increased to 3% from roughly 1.5% in the period 2014-2016.
It was the fastest reduction to date, which was primarily attributable to the government's push towards renewables, despite the continued dominance of fossil fuels in the energy mix.
"India has been able to completely decouple its economic growth from its greenhouse gas emissions," a government official told Reuters, declining to be identified.
The second official stated that the progress made in reducing emissions intensity should help India avoid pressure from developed nations to cease using coal.
According to this official, a substantial increase in forest cover and programmes promoting non-fossil generation and targeting emissions in the industrial, automotive, and energy sectors have resulted in a significant decrease in India's emissions intensity.
As of 2019, forests and trees covered 24.56 percent of India, or 80.73 million hectares.
India has also recently attempted to promote green hydrogen, which is produced by separating water molecules using renewable energy.
A third official stated that the federal cabinet has not yet approved the report.
The Indian environment ministry did not respond to Reuters' questions sent on Monday.
Non-fossil fuel-based power, including hydro, nuclear, and renewable energy, accounted for 25.3% of India's total power generation in the fiscal year that ended in March, up from 24.4% three years earlier, according to data from the Central Electricity Authority.
73% of the electricity consumed is still generated by thermal power plants, down from about 75% in 2019.
Last month, the Group of 20 (G20) major economies failed twice to reach an agreement on phasing out the use of fossil fuels and setting concrete emission reduction objectives.
Developing nations, including India, oppose stricter emission reduction targets, contending that the unrestricted use of fossil fuels by industrialised nations has depleted natural resources.
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