India’s greenhouse gas emissions drop 7.93% in 2020

India’s efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions have borne fruit, as the country’s emissions fell by 7.93 per cent in 2020 compared to the previous year. Data submitted to the UN climate change office reveals a decline in the emission intensity of India’s GDP by 36 per cent from 2005 to 2020. 

The fourth Biennial Update Report (BUR-4) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) shows total national emissions in 2020 at 2,959 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, excluding land use change.



However, emissions are still up by 98.34 per cent since 1994. India is on track with its climate goals, aiming to reduce GDP emission intensity by 45 per cent by 2030 and achieve 50 per cent electric power capacity from non-fossil fuels. 

With a significant share of emissions arising from energy production, agriculture, and industry, India continues to decouple economic growth from emissions, seeking to maintain its development trajectory while addressing environmental concerns.