India has reaffirmed its commitment to combating climate change by submitting its Fourth Biennial Update Report (BUR-4) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on December 30, 2024. This report updates the Third National Communication and includes the National Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory for 2020. It also highlights India’s national circumstances, mitigation efforts, and the associated challenges and needs in finance, technology, and capacity building.
The data in BUR-4 reveal a significant reduction in India’s GHG emissions. In 2020, total emissions decreased by 7.93% compared to 2019. Excluding land use and forestry contributions, emissions were 2,959 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, while net emissions dropped to 2,437 million tonnes after accounting for these factors.
Notably, India's forests and tree cover sequestered approximately 522 million tonnes of CO2 in 2020, offsetting 22% of the total emissions for the year. The energy sector emerged as the largest contributor, accounting for 75.66% of total emissions, followed by agriculture at 13.72%, industrial processes and product use at 8.06%, and waste at 2.56%.
India’s progress in decoupling economic growth from emissions is evident. Between 2005 and 2020, the emission intensity of GDP fell by 36%. By October 2024, non-fossil sources constituted 46.52% of the country’s installed electricity generation capacity, with renewable power installations witnessing a 4.5-fold growth since 2014. Forest and tree cover has also steadily increased, now covering 25.17% of India’s geographical area.
Despite a minimal contribution to global emissions historically, India continues to take proactive measures to combat climate change. These efforts align with the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities under the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement.
