- Prelims: Current events of international importance, carbon tax, black carbon, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY),COP, etc
- Mains GS Paper II: Bilateral, regional and global grouping and agreements involving India or affecting India’s interests, Important international institutions etc
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
- At the COP26 climate in Glasgow(2021). India pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070.
- According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, India has installed a renewable energy capacity of over 180 GW by 2023 and is expected to meet its target of 500 GW by 2030.
INSIGHTS ON THE ISSUE
Context
Black carbon:
- It is the dark, sooty material emitted alongside other pollutants when biomass and fossil fuels are not fully combusted.
- It contributes to global warming and poses severe risks.
- There is a direct link between exposure to black carbon and a higher risk of heart disease, birth complications, and premature death.
- Most black carbon emissions in India arise from burning biomass, such as cow dung or straw, in traditional cookstoves.
- According to study(2016):
- The residential sector contributes 47% of India’s total black carbon emissions.
- Industries contribute a further 22%, diesel vehicles 17%
- open burning 12%, and other sources 2%.
Role of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY):
- It provides free liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) connections to households below the poverty line.
- Primary objective was to make clean cooking fuel available to rural and poor households and reduce their dependence on traditional cooking fuels.
- The PMUY has established infrastructure to go with LPG connections, including free gas stoves, deposits for LPG cylinders, and a distribution network.
- The programme has played a vital role in reducing black carbon emissions.
- It offers a cleaner alternative to traditional fuel consumption.
- The programme has provided connections to over 10 crore households as of January 2024.
Issues:
- According to RTI data(2022-2023): 25% of all PMUY beneficiaries availed either zero LPG refill or only one LPG refill
- They still relied entirely on traditional biomass for cooking.
- The average PMUY beneficiary household consumes only 3.5-4 LPG cylinders per year instead of the six or seven a regular non-PMUY household uses.
- Half of all the energy needs of a PMUY beneficiary household are still met by traditional fuels.
- A shortage of LPG and higher usage of traditional fuels affect women and children disproportionately.
- They are more prone to higher levels of indoor air pollution, causing many health issues and leading to premature deaths.
- In October 2023, the government increased the LPG subsidy to ₹300 from ₹200. But rapid increase in LPG prices over the last five years
- most PMUY beneficiaries find the price too high
- Cow dung, firewood, etc. are ‘free’ alternatives.
- Lack of last-mile connectivity in the LPG distribution network:
- It results in remote rural areas depending mostly on biomass.
- It can be solved by The local production of coal-bed methane (CBM) gas by composting biomass.
- CBM is a much cleaner fuel with lower black-carbon emissions and investment.
- Panchayats can take the initiative to produce CBM gas locally at the village level, ensuring every rural household can access clean cooking fuel.
Way Forward
- As India navigates its responsibilities on the global stage towards long-term decarbonisation, there is an urgent need to act.
- Prioritizing black carbon reduction through initiatives such as the PMUY scheme can help India become a global leader in addressing regional health concerns
- It will help meet its Sustainability Development Goal of providing affordable clean energy to everyone and contributing to global climate mitigation.
- A high carbon tax across China, the U.S., India, Russia, and Japan alone (more than 60% of global effluents), with complementary actions, could have a notable effect on global effluents and warming
- It could also pave the way to seeing decarbonisation as a winning development formula.
QUESTION FOR PRACTICE
Describe the major outcomes of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). What are the commitments made by the India conference? (UPSC 2021) (200 WORDS, 10 MARKS)
