Emission intensity of GDP to be reduced by 20-25% by 2020

NEW DELHI: The emission intensity of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will be reduced by 20-25 per cent by 2020 from the 2005 level without reckoning the emissions from agriculture sector, Lok Sabha was informed today.

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said India is a party to Kyoto protocol and the responsibility of reducing the per capita Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission has been given to the developed countries due to their historical emissions.

"India and other developing countries do not have legally-binding emission reduction commitments with regard to reducing GHG. However, government of India has voluntarily announced to reduce emission intensity of GDP by 20-25 per cent by 2020 from the 2005 level without reckoning the emissions from agriculture sector," he said during question hour.

Javadekar said government is implementing the National Solar Mission, National Mission on Enhanced Energy Efficiency, National Mission on Sustainable Habitat and Green India Mission under NAPCC, which are aimed at addressing mitigation of GHG.

Recognising the challenges of climate change, government has released the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) in June 2008 with a view to enhancing the ecological sustainability of India's development path, he said.

NAPCC includes eight National Missions in specific areas of solar energy, enhanced energy efficiency, sustainable habitat, water sustaining the Himalayan eco-system, green India, sustainable agriculture and strategic knowledge for climate change.

Javadekar said the net GHG emissions reported in the initial National Commission submitted to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1994 was 817.023 million ton of CO2 equivalent respectively.

The reason for rise in emission is due to increased need of energy for economic growth and development, he said.

Replying to another question, he said the Coastal Regulation Zone notification 2011 regulates the development activities along the sea coast and tidally influenced water bodies, including bays.

Government is contemplating to examine the reports of National Hydrographic Office, Dehradun and Institute of Remote Sensing, Chennai for elaborating the term 'Bay', he said.