India’s 2024 Greenhouse Gas Surge

Why in the News?

India recorded the largest absolute increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2024. In absolute terms India became the third largest emitter in 2024 (after China and the United States), while its per-capita emissions remain well below the global average; highlighting an equity and development tension in climate policy.

Key Highlights

1. About Greenhouse Gases
   1. A greenhouse gas is a gas in Earth’s atmosphere that traps heat and prevents it from escaping into space — much like how glass traps heat inside a greenhouse.
   2. Main Greenhouse Gases
      1. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) – Released from burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas), deforestation, and cement production.
      2. Methane (CH₄) – Emitted from livestock, rice cultivation, landfills, and fossil fuel extraction.

• Nitrous oxide (N₂O) – Comes from agricultural fertilizers and industrial activities.

1. Ozone (O₃) – Naturally present in the upper atmosphere (protects us), but ground-level ozone acts as a GHG and pollutant.
2. Fluorinated gases (HFCs, PFCs, SF₆, NF₃) – Synthetic industrial gases with very high global warming potential, used in refrigeration and manufacturing.

1. How do they work?
   1. The Sun’s energy reaches Earth as shortwave radiation (light).
   2. The Earth’s surface absorbs it and re-emits longwave infrared radiation (heat).

• GHGs absorb some of this outgoing heat and re-radiate it back toward the surface.

1. This process is called the Greenhouse Effect, and it keeps the Earth’s average temperature around 15°C instead of −18°C.

d.     Why does it matter?

1. Without GHGs, Earth would be too cold for life.
2. But excessive GHG buildup from human activity leads to global warming and climate change.

• The balance between natural and anthropogenic GHGs determines how fast the planet warms.

2. Global GHG emissions reached a record high in 2024
   1. Total anthropogenic emissions in 2024 were 57,700 MtCO2e, the highest on record.
   2. This total represented an increase of 1,500 MtCO2e over 2023.
3. Fossil CO₂ remains the dominant driver of the rise
   1. Emissions from burning coal, oil and natural gas accounted for 69% of total GHGs.
   2. Power generation was the single largest source within fossil CO₂, followed by industrial combustion, transportation, and fuel production.
4. Non-CO₂ gases and land use also contributed significantly
   1. Methane (CH₄) accounted for the second largest share (about 16%), largely from agriculture and waste management.
   2. Deforestation and land-use change were notable contributors to the year’s increase, reflecting pressures on land and biomass sinks.
5. India’s absolute and per-capita picture
   1. India added 165 MtCO2e to the global increase — the largest single-country absolute rise.
   2. India’s per-capita GHG emissions in 2024 stood at 3 tCO2e, which is less than half the global average of 4 tCO2e.
   3. However, India’s per-capita emissions grew by 3.7% between 2023 and 2024 — far above the global average growth of 0.04%.
6. Geography of contributors and policy relevance
   1. China and the United States still lead in absolute emissions, but year-on-year changes now show large increases from emerging economies.
   2. The sectoral pattern (power, industry, transport, agriculture, land use) points to a multi-sector challenge requiring both mitigation and structural policy changes.

Implications for India and Global Climate Policy

1. Climate mitigation ambition vs development needs
   1. India’s rapid absolute growth intensifies the debate on how to balance urgent development priorities (electricity access, industrialisation) with emissions control.
   2. It increases pressure on policymakers to design low-carbon growth pathways that preserve socio-economic objectives.
2. Equity and international negotiations
   1. India’s low per-capita emissions but high absolute rise strengthen its diplomatic argument for differentiated responsibilities and for climate finance and technology transfer from historically higher emitters.
3. Energy transition urgency
   1. High contribution from power generation signals the need for accelerated deployment of renewables, grid modernization, energy efficiency, and reduced coal dependence.
4. Agriculture and waste sector focus
   1. Methane’s substantial share implies that agriculture practices, livestock management, and waste treatment must be central to mitigation strategies alongside CO₂ reductions.
5. Adaptation and resilience needs grow
   1. Rising emissions increase the probability of more severe climate impacts; this raises the urgency for adaptation planning, disaster risk reduction, and investments in climate-resilient infrastructure.

Challenges and Way Forward

Conclusion

India’s 2024 emissions profile — the largest absolute increase globally yet low per-capita levels — underscores a central challenge of the climate era: reconciling rapid development with deep decarbonisation. Policymakers must combine accelerated low-carbon energy deployment, sector-specific methane and land-use measures, and finance/capacity solutions to deliver equitable and durable climate action.