UPSC Prelims 2025 Q38: India's CO2 Emissions Profile — Explained
Consider the following statements:
I. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in India are less than 0.5 t CO2/capita.
II. In terms of CO2 emissions from fuel combustion, India ranks second in Asia-Pacific region.
III. Electricity and heat producers are the largest sources of CO2 emissions in India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- I and III only
- II only
- II and III only
- I, II and III
Answer: (c) II and III only
Statement-wise explanation
- I: incorrect — India emits roughly 2 tonnes of CO2 per person a year, about four times the 0.5 t limit in the statement. World Bank data put India's CO2 emissions, excluding land use (LULUCF), at about 2.2 t per capita in 2024. India's per capita emissions are low, at roughly one-third of the global average, but they are not that low.
- II: correct — International Energy Agency (IEA) fuel-combustion data rank China first in the Asia-Pacific region and India second. India is well ahead of Japan, Indonesia, South Korea and Australia. India is also the world's third-largest emitter overall, after China and the United States.
- III: correct — India's power comes mainly from coal, so electricity and heat producers form the largest single source of CO2. IEA data put this sector at about half of India's fuel-combustion CO2, ahead of industry and transport. India's Fourth Biennial Update Report (BUR-4) to the UNFCCC shows the same pattern. Energy made up 75.66% of India's 2020 GHG emissions, and electricity production alone was about 39% of the total.
How to eliminate
Statement I can be cut from basic knowledge. India is often described as a low per-capita emitter at about one-third of the world average. The world average is around 4.5–5 t CO2, so India sits near 2 t, not below 0.5 t. Without I, only two options are left: the one with II alone and the one with II and III. Statement III follows from a fact every aspirant knows: about three-quarters of India's electricity comes from coal, so power plants must be the biggest CO2 source. Statement II needs one ranking fact: China is first in Asia-Pacific and India second, both in absolute emissions. Three things to remember are India's per capita CO2 (about 2 t), its rank (third in the world, second in Asia-Pacific) and its top sector (electricity and heat).
Know more
Three ways to measure a country's emissions. UPSC often mixes these up on purpose.
| Metric | What it measures | India's position |
|---|---|---|
| Absolute emissions | Total tonnes emitted a year | 3rd in the world (after China, US); 2nd in Asia-Pacific |
| Per capita emissions | Tonnes per person | About 2 t CO2, roughly one-third of the world average |
| Emissions intensity of GDP | Emissions per unit of GDP | Fell 36% between 2005 and 2020 (BUR-4) |
India's climate diplomacy relies on the last two figures and the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR). Critics point to the first figure.
Where India's GHGs come from (BUR-4, 2020 inventory, excluding LULUCF):
| Sector | Share |
|---|---|
| Energy | 75.66% |
| Agriculture | 13.72% |
| Industrial processes and product use | 8.06% |
| Waste | 2.56% |
Total emissions in 2020 were 2,959 Mt CO2e. Including land use and forests (LULUCF), which absorb carbon, the figure falls to 2,437 Mt CO2e. Emissions were 7.93% lower than in 2019, mostly because of the pandemic year. Inside the energy sector, coal-based power generation is the largest single source. Industry (steel, cement) and transport follow.
Reporting instruments. Biennial Update Reports and National Communications go to the UNFCCC. Under the Paris Agreement, Biennial Transparency Reports are replacing BURs. India's updated NDC (2022) targets a 45% cut in emissions intensity from 2005 levels by 2030, about 50% of installed power capacity from non-fossil sources, and net zero by 2070.
In the news
India sent its Fourth Biennial Update Report to the UNFCCC in December 2024, with its 2020 emissions inventory and sector shares. Around the same time, the government kept repeating that India's per capita emissions are a fraction of the global average. The statements also follow the format of the IEA's 'CO2 Emissions from Fuel Combustion' country profile for India.
NCERT Concepts to Revise
- Carbon intensity: Separating emissions per unit of GDP from per capita and absolute emissions is the key to reading India's figures in this question.