Most black carbon emissions in India arise from burning biomass, such as cow dung or straw, in traditional cookstoves. At the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow in November 2021, India pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070, positioning itself as a frontrunner in the race to carbon neutrality. Read here to learn more about the efforts to curb black carbon 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.
Although carbon dioxide reduction methods have long-term advantages, they must be implemented in tandem with initiatives that offer immediate assistance.
The sooty, dark substance released along with other pollutants when fossil fuels and biomass don’t burn completely is known as black carbon.
It has serious dangers and adds to global warming. Research has indicated a clear connection between black carbon exposure and an increased risk of heart disease, difficult deliveries, and early mortality.
What is Black Carbon?
Black carbon is a component of fine particulate air pollution, produced by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biofuels, and biomass.
- It consists of pure carbon particles that are significantly small in size, allowing them to remain suspended in the atmosphere.
- Black carbon is a major part of soot and is visible as black smoke. Due to its ability to absorb sunlight, black carbon is a potent climate-forcing agent with a significant impact on global warming.
- Its warming effects are felt immediately after emission and can be many times more powerful than carbon dioxide (CO2) on a mass basis in the short term, although black carbon remains in the atmosphere for only days to weeks, while CO2 persists for decades to centuries.
The main black carbon-emitting sectors are:
- Household Energy
- Transport
- Industrial Production
- Agricultural Burning
- Waste Burning
- Fossil Fuels
Why is Black Carbon Harmful for the Environment?
- Climate Change: Black carbon is a strong absorber of sunlight and contributes to global warming by heating the atmosphere. When deposited on snow and ice, it reduces albedo (the reflection of sunlight), causing further warming and accelerated melting.
- Air Quality and Health: As a component of PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 micrometres), black carbon poses serious risks to human health, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and even premature death.
- Ecosystem Impact: The deposition of black carbon on plants can inhibit their ability to photosynthesize, affecting agricultural productivity and forest health.
Global black carbon emissions
In Asia and Africa residential solid fuels contribute 60-80% of emissions, whereas in Europe and North America diesel engines contribute about 70% of emissions.
- Black carbon emissions are declining thanks to improved practices in brick manufacturing, reduced open burning in the agriculture sector, improved fuel and vehicle standards, cleaner household energy, better access to finance and technology, and a global push for clean air.
- They are expected to continue falling as improvements in efficiency and the electrification of cars and other vehicles continue.
Black Carbon Emissions in India
In India, the residential sector is a significant contributor to black carbon emissions, primarily due to the widespread use of traditional biomass (such as wood, crop residues, and dung) for cooking and heating.
- This traditional practice, prevalent in rural areas, results in inefficient combustion and thus high emissions of black carbon.
- Other major sources include emissions from vehicles, industrial processes, and the burning of agricultural residues.
Government initiatives
The Government has taken several measures to control black carbon emissions which inter-alia include the following:
- Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana promotes the use of cleaner household cooking fuels.
- Leapfrogging from BS-IV to BS-VI norms for fuel and vehicles from 1st April 2020.
- The network of metro rails for public transport has been enhanced and more cities are covered.
- Introduction of cleaner / alternate fuels like gaseous fuel (CNG, LPG etc.), and ethanol blending.
- A new initiative, “Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT), has been launched to set up 5000 Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) production plants and make CBG available in the market for use.
- Under the Central Sector Scheme on ‘Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for in-situ management of Crop Residue in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi’, agricultural machines and equipment for in-situ crop residue management are promoted with 50% subsidy to the individual farmers and 80% subsidy for the establishment of Custom Hiring Centres.
- The Central Government is implementing the National Clean Air Programme as a long-term, time-bound, national-level strategy to tackle the air pollution problem across the country in a comprehensive manner with targets to achieve a 40% reduction in particulate matter concentrations by 2025-26.
- Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has identified 131 cities based on ambient air quality levels exceeding national ambient air quality standards, and cities with million plus population.
- City-specific Clean Air Action Plans have been prepared and rolled out for implementation in these cities.
- These plans define time-bound targets to control city-specific air-polluting sources (soil &road dust, vehicles, domestic fuel, municipal solid waste burning, construction material and industries, etc.).
- Annual plans with micro detailing are also prepared for effective implementation of the city plans.
- Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) phase-2 scheme has been rolled out.
- Shifting of brick kilns to zig-zag technology for reduction of pollution. Industrial units shifting to piped natural gas.
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) and Its Impact
Launched in May 2016, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana aims to protect the health of women and children by providing them with a clean cooking fuel – Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), which is a significant step towards reducing the dependence on pollutive cooking fuels like wood, coal, dung cakes, etc.
- The initiative’s primary goals are to reduce health hazards associated with cooking based on fossil fuels and to prevent the degradation of air quality.
Impact on Reducing Traditional Cooking Fuels:
- By providing LPG connections to BPL (Below Poverty Line) families, the scheme has significantly reduced the reliance on traditional cooking fuels, thereby lowering the emissions of black carbon and other pollutants.
- The introduction of clean cooking fuel has also helped in reducing the time spent on cooking and collecting fuel, directly benefiting women’s and children’s health and socio-economic status.
- As of my last update in April 2023, PMUY has resulted in millions of new LPG connections across India, substantially lowering the use of biomass for cooking in rural households. This transition to LPG helps in mitigating the emission of black carbon, thus contributing positively to both local air quality and the global climate.
While PMUY has made substantial strides in reducing the dependency on biomass and improving air quality, the full transition to clean fuels requires continued effort in addressing issues related to refill rates and ensuring sustainable access to LPG for all beneficiaries.
Way forward
Efforts to reduce black carbon emissions include transitioning to cleaner fuels and technologies in transportation, industry, and residential heating/cooking; improving emissions standards and enforcement; and promoting agricultural practices that reduce the need for open burning.
International initiatives and collaborations, like the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), aim to reduce black carbon and other short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) through targeted actions across sectors and countries.
Given its short atmospheric lifetime, reducing black carbon emissions presents an opportunity for rapid benefits for both climate and public health, making it a focus area for environmental policy and action worldwide.
Related articles:
- Photochemical smog and Gothenburg protocol
- Carbon offset
- Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS)
-Article by Swathi Satish
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