MoFCC announced Greenhouse Gases Emissions Intensity (GEI) Target Regulations for the year 2025

What is the Emissions Intensity of Greenhouse Gases (GEI)? GEI denotes the quantity of greenhouse gases (GHGs) released per unit of product output, such as per tonne of cement or aluminum. GHGs encompass carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), ozone (O₃), and water vapor, in addition to synthetic gases like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs).

GEI is quantified in tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e), a standardized unit that reflects the global warming potential of all GHGs. Proposed GEI Target Regulations The emissions intensity targets, using 2023–24 as the baseline year and 2025–26 and 2026–27 as the target years, are designed to gradually decrease emissions intensity to foster low-carbon industrial development.

The draft regulations focus on 282 industrial units across four energy-intensive sectors: 13 aluminum plants, 186 cement plants, 53 pulp and paper facilities, and 30 chlor-alkali plants.

Alignment with National Climate Objectives: This initiative supports India’s pledge to lower the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45% by 2030 relative to 2005 levels.

Government Initiatives The Perform Achieve and Trade (PAT) Scheme, launched in 2012, is a market-driven approach aimed at enhancing energy efficiency in energy-intensive industries by setting specific energy consumption reduction targets for designated consumers (DCs).

The Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) of 2023 offers a framework for generating, trading, and utilizing carbon credits, allowing entities that reduce emissions below their targets to sell excess credits.

Carbon Markets are frameworks established to assign a monetary value to carbon emissions, thereby fostering economic incentives for reducing emissions, commonly referred to as 'carbon credits'. A carbon credit is a tradable certificate that, according to United Nations criteria, represents the removal, reduction, or sequestration of one tonne of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

As stipulated in Article 17 of the Kyoto Protocol, nations with excess emission allowances have the ability to sell these to countries that exceed their designated limits, thus facilitating an international carbon market.

Voluntary offsets encompass initiatives undertaken by private individuals, such as afforestation, which can capture carbon dioxide as part of commercial ventures. These initiatives also produce carbon credits, which companies are currently selling on an international scale to those needing them for compliance with regulatory standards.

In conclusion, the draft GEI Target Rules signify a pivotal advancement in steering India's industrial sector towards low-carbon development. By integrating obligatory targets with a market-oriented strategy, India is harmonizing environmental sustainability with economic efficiency, which is essential for fulfilling its climate objectives.