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ENVIRONMENT NEWS
$467 BILLION NEEDED UNTIL 2030 TO DECARBONISE FOUR
OF INDIA’S EMISSION-HEAVY SECTORS: STUDY
emissions from these two sectors, but also the
incremental emissions that are likely to arise as
a result of the expected growth of these indus-
tries by 2030, the study said.
The power sector, which is already undergoing
a rapid transformation due to deployment of
renewables, would need about $47 billion ad-
ditional investment until 2030, while road trans-
port would require $18 billion, the study said.
Although it covers only four sectors, and about
lthough it covers only four sectors, and half of India’s annual CO2 emissions, the CSEP
about half of India’s annual CO2 emis- assessment is significantly lower than previous
Asions, the CSEP assessment is signifi- estimates of India’s requirement of climate fi-
cantly lower than previous estimates of India’s nance till 2030. Some of these estimates, done
requirement of climate finance till 2030. a few years earlier, have projected India’s needs
to be well over a trillion dollars till 2030.
AN ADDITIONAL investment of about $467 bil-
lion between now and 2030 would be needed The authors said the cumulative $467 billion
to enable a significant decarbonisation of four of would help India not just easily achieve its inter-
India’s most emissions-intensive sectors, a new national commitments for 2030 under the Paris
study has found. Agreement, but advance much further on the
road to low-carbon development. The decar-
The study, by Janak Raj and Rakesh Mohan of bonisation of just the power, cement and steel
the Centre for Social and Economic Progress sectors would lead to mitigation of about 6.9 bil-
(CSEP), is the first-of-its-kind bottoms-up sector- lion tonnes of CO2 emissions between now and
specific assessment of requirements of climate 2030, they said. They did not account for car-
finance in India. The authors studied the needs bon reductions in the road transport sector due
of power, steel, cement and road transport sec- to lack of adequate data.
tors, which together account for over half of In-
dia’s CO2 emissions. India has already achieved one of its 2030 climate
targets — ensuring that at least 50 per cent of its
Not surprisingly, the steel and cement industry, electricity installed capacity was based on non-
two sectors that are amongst the most diffi- fossil fuel sources — earlier this year. Another
cult to decarbonise, would need the maximum of its targets, relating to creation of 2.5 to 3 bil-
amounts of investments to get rid of their car- lion tonnes of additional carbon sinks in forests
bon footprint through installation of technolo- and trees, has also most likely been achieved,
gies like carbon capture and storage. The study but still to be confirmed by fresh set of data. The
assessed the steel sector’s requirement till 2030 third target — reduction of emissions intensity
as $251 billion and that of cement to be $141 bil- by at least 45 per cent from 2005 levels — is ex-
lion. This scale of capital expenditure, over and pected to be attained well before 2030.
above what the industries are already putting in,
would ensure the mitigation of not just existing Source - https://indianexpress.com
September 2025 PLASTICS NEWS 35
