Reducing emissions of black carbon
- At Glasgow’s COP26 climate conference (2021). By 2070, India aims to attain net-zero emissions.
- India is anticipated to reach its aim of 500 GW by 2030, having developed a renewable energy capacity of over 180 GW by 2023, according to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
Black Carbon:
- It is the sooty, dark substance released when fossil fuels and biomass don’t burn completely, coupled with other contaminants.
- It has serious dangers and adds to global warming.
- Black carbon exposure is directly associated with an increased risk of heart disease, difficult deliveries, and early mortality.
- Burning biomass in conventional cookstoves, such as cow dung or straw, is the primary source of black carbon emissions in India.
As per the 2016 study:
- Fourteen percent of India’s total emissions of black carbon come from the residential sector.
- A further 22% comes from industries, and 17% from diesel cars.
- 12% from open burning and 2% from other sources.
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY): What is its role?
- For houses below the poverty line, it offers free hookups to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
- The main goal was to lessen rural and impoverished households’ reliance on conventional cooking fuels by providing them with clean cooking fuel.
- In order to support LPG connections, the PMUY has set up a distribution network, free gas stoves, and deposits for LPG cylinders.
- The initiative has been essential in lowering emissions of black carbon.
- It provides a more environmentally friendly option to conventional gasoline usage.
- As of January 2024, the initiative had connected nearly 10 crore households.
Problems:
- 25% of all PMUY beneficiaries received either zero or one LPG refill, according to RTI statistics (2022–2023).
- For cooking, they still only used conventional biomass.
- Compared to a conventional non-PMUY household that uses six or seven LPG cylinders annually, the average PMUY beneficiary household utilises only 3.5–4 LPG cylinders annually.
- For a household receiving PMUY assistance, traditional fuels still provide half of their energy demands.
- Women and children are disproportionately affected by the LPG shortage and the increased use of traditional fuels.
- They are more vulnerable to greater indoor air pollution levels, which can result in numerous health problems and early deaths.
- The government raised the LPG subsidy from ₹200 to ₹300 in October 2023. However, within the past five years, LPG costs have increased rapidly.
- Most PMUY recipients believe the cost is excessive.
- “Free” substitutes include firewood, cow manure, etc.
- The LPG distribution network’s lack of last-mile connectivity
- As a result, isolated rural communities rely primarily on biomass.
- Composting biomass can produce coal-bed methane (CBM) gas locally, which can solve the problem.
- With less expenditure and emissions of black carbon, CBM is a far cleaner fuel.
- In order to guarantee that every rural household has access to clean cooking fuel, panchayats can take the initiative to generate CBM gas locally at the village level.
The Way Ahead:
- There is an urgent need to act as India navigates its global commitments towards long-term decarbonisation.
- Making the reduction of black carbon a priority through programmes like the PMUY plan can help India take the lead globally in tackling regional health issues.
- It will assist in achieving its Sustainable Development Goal of reducing global warming and making clean energy affordable for all.
- Together with supplementary measures, a high carbon tax across China, the United States, India, Russia, and Japan alone (which account for more than 60% of global effluents) might have a significant impact on global effluents and warming.
- It might also open the door to the idea that decarbonisation is a successful development strategy.
