When it comes to going green, India may well be making others go green-with envy. The country may be the third-largest carbon emitter in the world in terms of absolute numbers, but it also has the lowest per capita GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions. Now, it is well on its way to achieve its committed target of ensuring that 50 per cent of the country's energy is met from decarbonised sources and there is more than 500 GW of green power generation by 2030.
Not only is this remarkable in itself but India seems to be doing much better than other developed countries like the UK and Germany, for instance, in meeting its Nationally Determined Contributions or NDCs. The two countries have, in fact, dialled down their targets in the wake of the pressure on their economies. India plans to hit net zero emissions by 2070, the target set at the most recent global climate change meet.
It is from here on, however, that India's journey will get tricky. For one, our energy needs are expected to grow twofold by 2047. The country's peak power demand is estimated to touch 400 GW in 2031-32 from 245.2 GW currently. Green energy is also expensive, though India is banking on technology to make its production cheaper. Then, there is the timeline. As Czech Canadian scientist and policy analyst Vaclav Smil says, a "widespread transition from one dominant fuel to another typically takes 50-60 years. It will require generations of perseverance".
Finally, for almost all the alternative energy sources available currently, India is dependent on import of raw materials critical to the process as also the machinery, even as China has become an indispensable source of critical minerals and rare earths.
Denne historien er fra August 26, 2024-utgaven av India Today.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra August 26, 2024-utgaven av India Today.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Sporting Q+A Fella
IN NETFLIX’S VIJAY 69, ANUPAM KHER PLAYS A 69-YEAR-OLD WHO DECIDES TO COMPETE IN A TRIATHLON. THE ACTOR TALKS ABOUT WHY HE CONTINUES TO CHALLENGE HIMSELF
Museum Under the Sky
Photographer Ahtushi Deshpande's passion project, Speaking Stones documents the threatened rock art of Ladakh
Reclaiming Our Archives
Sumana Roy contests the negative connotations regarding provincials in this thought-provoking book
TRAVEL AND ITS DISCONTENTS
Shahnaz Habib's Airplane Mode is asensitive dive into the complex and contentious activity that modern-day travel has devolved into
CELEBRATING WORDS
The sixth edition of the Dehradun Literature Festival promises a convergence of literature, cinema and societal issues
MORE THAN A FILM FESTIVAL
The 13th edition of the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) is being held November 7-10 at McLeod Ganj in Dharamshala.
HOLDING THE FORT
PANORAMA EDITIONS, AN INTERNATIONAL ART SALON CURATED BY ARTIST SARAH SINGH, RETURNS WITH A UNIQUE THEATRICAL STAGING AND EXHIBITION IN GWALIOR
A HOMECOMING OF SORTS
Indian contemporary artist Subodh Gupta’s exhibition The Way Home pays homage to Bihar, where his roots lie
Art and the City
Mumbai's leading art fair, Art Mumbai, returns to the iconic Mahalaxmi Racecourse, promising a \"bigger, brighter, and more inventive\" experience for art enthusiasts with a thoughtfully curated display of modern and contemporary art from India, South Asia and beyond.
PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS AN OLD MAN
At 99 and still painting, Krishen Khanna is one of our most venerable artists ever