A research report released on the 11th by a research institute under India’s Ministry of Environment and Forests stated that India’s annual greenhouse gas emissions increased from 1.23 billion tons of CO2 equivalent in 1994 to 1.9 billion tons of CO2 equivalent in 2007, an average annual increase of 3.3%.
The report indicates that India's power sector is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, increasing from 355 million tons of CO2 equivalent in 1994 to 719 million tons of CO2 equivalent in 2007, an average annual growth of 5.6%. The agricultural sector follows closely behind, with emissions showing a slight decrease, remaining at 344 million tons of CO2 equivalent in 2007.
As of 2007, besides the power industry, other sectors in India with significant annual increases in greenhouse gas emissions included waste management, cement, and transportation, with annual growth rates of 7.3%, 6%, and 4.5%, respectively. The report notes that while India's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP decreased by 30% from 1994 to 2007, per capita carbon dioxide emissions increased from 1.4 tons to 1.7 tons.
At the report's release conference, Indian Minister of State for Environment and Forestry, Jailam Ramesh, stated that the decline in CO2 emissions per unit of GDP was due to government efforts and the implementation of proactive measures, and that India would continue these efforts. In late 2009, India announced plans to reduce CO2 emissions per unit of GDP by 20% to 25% from 2005 levels by 2020 as a measure to combat global warming. The report was completed by the Indian Climate Change Assessment Network, established by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in October 2009. This research institution, comprised of 120 institutions and 220 scientists nationwide, will publish a report on India's greenhouse gas emissions every two years.
– Reference source: Xinhua Net, 2010-05-12
