![]() ![]() In a pathway to net zero emissions by 2070, we estimate that most of the growth in energy demand this decade would already have to be met with low-carbon energy sources. India’s sheer size and its huge scope for growth means that its energy demand is set to grow by more than that of any other country in the coming decades. The same is true of energy consumption: the average household in India consumes a tenth as much electricity as the average household in the United States. However, India’s CO 2 emissions per person put it near the bottom of the world’s emitters, and they are lower still if you consider historical emissions per person. The rapid growth in fossil energy consumption has also meant India’s annual CO 2 emissions have risen to become the third highest in the world. This includes adding new electricity connections for 50 million citizens each year over the past decade. Coal and oil have so far served as bedrocks of India’s industrial growth and modernisation, giving a rising number of Indian people access to modern energy services. Every year, India adds a city the size of London to its urban population, involving vast construction of new buildings, factories and transportation networks. Its economic growth has been among the highest in the world over the past two decades, lifting of millions of people out of poverty. The scale of transformation in India is stunning. India is pioneering a new model of economic development that could avoid the carbon-intensive approaches that many countries have pursued in the past – and provide a blueprint for other developing economies. India’s announcement that it aims to reach net zero emissions by 2070 and to meet fifty percent of its electricity requirements from renewable energy sources by 2030 is a hugely significant moment for the global fight against climate change. This commentary was first published by The Times of India. ![]()
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