BS EDIT: India’s climate crisis calls for urgent policy action

By Business StandardPublished On Jan 3, 2025

2024: Hottest year on record

India’s hottest year since 1901 mirrors a global trend, surpassing the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C threshold

Coal dominates energy mix

Coal powers 77% of India’s energy, despite renewables making up 46.3% of installed capacity

Renewables face challenges

Lack of storage and pricing issues hinder the adoption of solar and wind energy

Misleading forest data

Plantations inflate forest cover stats but don’t act as effective carbon sinks

Urbanisation worsens the crisis

Unplanned growth cuts greenery, increasing heat and reliance on fossil fuels

Act now on climate

India’s distant net-zero goal needs faster, realistic actions to counter the crisis