Why in the News?
The Environment Ministry has released the Draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Intensity (GEI) Target Rules, 2025, as part of the government’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) from energy-intensive sectors.
About Greenhouse Gases Emissions Intensity (GEI):
- GHGs trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere, contributing to global warming.
- Major GHGs include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and synthetic fluorinated gases (CFCs, HCFCs).
- GEI measures the amount of GHGs emitted per unit of output (e.g., per tonne of product like cement or aluminium).
- It uses tCO2e (tonnes of CO2 equivalent) to account for the impact of all GHGs.
- Reducing GEI is vital to mitigate climate change, promoting the use of cleaner technologies in industries to lower environmental footprints.
Key Provisions of Draft GEI Target Rules, 2025:
- Target Setting for Industries: Specific emission intensity reduction targets are set for energy-intensive sectors like aluminium, cement, and pulp and paper, for the periods 2025-26 and 2026-27.
- Baseline Emissions & Gradual Reduction: Baseline GHG emissions for 2023-24 are established, with targets for gradual reduction over time.
- Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS): Industries meeting GEI targets will earn carbon credits that can be traded on India’s carbon market. Those failing to meet targets will need to buy credits or face penalties.
- Sector-Specific Applicability: Targets apply to 13 aluminium plants, 186 cement plants, 53 pulp and paper plants, and 30 chlor-alkali plants.
- Penalties & Incentives: Non-compliant industries must buy carbon credits or face penalties. The rules encourage clean technologies, like using biomass instead of coal in production.
- Alignment with Paris Agreement: The rules support India’s climate commitments, aiming for a 45% reduction in emissions intensity of GDP by 2030 compared to 2005 levels.
- Monitoring & Compliance: The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) will oversee the carbon credit market, ensuring compliance through regular progress reports from industries.
| [UPSC 2022] Climate Action Tracker’ which monitors the emission reduction pledges of different countries is a:
Options: (a) Database is created by coalition of research organisations* (b) Wing of “International Panel of Climate Change” (c) Committee under “United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change” (d) Agency promoted and financed by United Nations Environment Programme and World Bank |
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