Monsoon and renewables cool India’s emissions

India’s carbon emissions saw a rare pause in 2025, with CO₂ output declining slightly and breaking a long-standing trend of steady growth, reported The Times of India. It marked the first recorded drop during normal economic conditions, unlike earlier declines seen during disruptions such as the 2020 pandemic or the 1970s oil shocks.

The fall was mainly driven by cyclical factors, including a strong and early monsoon, along with continued expansion in renewable energy. Cooler weather and heavy rains reduced electricity demand, particularly for air conditioning and farm irrigation. As a result, power consumption growth slowed to 1.4% in 2025, compared to over 6% in previous years, with cooling demand notably lower.

That softness in power demand fed straight into coal, still the backbone of India’s power mix. Coal-fired generation slipped by around 3%—only the third such decline in half a century. Weather alone is estimated to have reduced coal demand by roughly 8 million tonnes of coal equivalent, cutting more than 20 million tonnes of CO 2 emissions.


At the same time, the supply side grew cleaner. Generous rains lifted hydropower output, while renewables continued their rapid ascent. India added nearly 50GW of solar capacity in 2025, pushing total renewable additions up by about 60%, the fastest pace among major economies. Wind installations, though smaller in scale, also doubled to more than 6GW. With demand subdued and cleaner generation rising, natural-gas use fell by 3.5%, including a near 10% drop in gas-fired power.

Elsewhere, weather conditions had a notable impact on emissions. In America, a cold winter and higher gas prices encouraged a switch back to coal, nudging emissions up. Europe’s emissions continued to fall, though more slowly, as weaker wind and hydro output coincided with stronger heating demand. China, by contrast, managed a modest decline of around 0.5%, as rapid additions of renewables and nuclear power displaced coal in electricity generation.

Globally, the pattern was unusual. For the first time in nearly three decades, emissions in advanced economies grew faster than in emerging ones: rising by 0.5% in the former, while slowing to 0.3% growth in the latter.

(With inputs from TOI)