Research Papers

India's achievements in energy efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions

Publication Year: 1999

Author(s): Rajendra K Pachauri, Sudhir Sharma

Abstract:

​Energy plays a central role in India’s development efforts and its mandate to alleviate poverty. For this reason, promoting energy efficiency, conservation, and renewable energy technologies are key aspects of India’s development objectives. Although overall energy use is expected to continue to rise along with India’s population and GDP, government initiatives and policies, particularly since 1990, are affecting India’s CO2 emission intensity (emission from energy use per unit GDP), which has levelled off and shows signs of declining. Energy efficiency has shown improvement as well, in large part because of a change in pricing structures and a reduction of energy subsidies. India’s promotion of renewable energy, especially for rural areas, represents another significant action to limit greenhouse gases (GHGs). Though India, like other developing countries, has not taken on specific commitments to mitigate CO2 emissions, it is making progress in this direction

Source: Promoting development while limiting greenhouse gas emissions: trends and baselines: 59-74p.

Publisher/Organisation: New York: United Nations Development Programme