How can Indians reduce their carbon footprint?

February 18, 2023

India is the world's second-most-populous country, with over 1.3 billion people, and its emissions are rising. To reduce India's carbon footprint and positively impact the climate, citizens need to understand their role in this matter.

India is the world’s second-most-populous country, with over 1.3 billion people, and its emissions are rising. India is also one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and with more people coming online and driving cars, the country’s carbon footprint will only increase. To reduce India’s carbon footprint and positively impact the climate, citizens need to understand their role in this matter. This post will explore how Indians can reduce their carbon footprint.

According to a recent study by the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, the top 20% of high-expenditure households in India are responsible for seven times the emissions traceable to the poor who spend less than $1.9 (Rs 140) per day. This means that these households release 7x more carbon into the atmosphere than people living on incomes below Rs 140 per day.

The report also found that biodiversity is decreasing rapidly even as population growth remains high in most parts of India, attributing this trend largely to unsustainable agricultural practices such as deforestation, overgrazing, improper irrigation systems, and unbalanced animal husbandry.

This alarming finding highlights how important it is for all of us – not just those within wealthy brackets – to take measures to reduce our personal environmental impact!

By learning about ways to make small changes in our daily lives that will have a large impact on climate change, we can start making real progress toward solving this global problem together.

The study found a wide variation in household carbon footprints across different income levels. The widest variation was observed between the higher and highest expenditure households, not between the low- and medium-expenditure households. This suggests that it doesn’t matter how much money you make – you can still reduce your carbon footprint by making small changes to your lifestyle.

According to a new study, poverty eradication measures that seek to move the bottom 20% of the population to the low-expenditure category will cause a rise of only 1.97% in carbon emissions. This indicates that pro-poor development causes little environmental damage. However, this would not be true if India’s economic policies continued to help it is rich and upper-middle-class at the expense of its poor and lower class.

Also, India’s climate crisis is becoming increasingly dire, and the country needs to address inequalities if it wants to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius. The study found that economic growth does not necessarily translate into reduced emissions in India; rather, rising incomes among India’s middle classes could lead them to consume more food and energy products, which would then cause even more emissions. India can control this potential explosion by reworking its policies on food and energy use.

Know how can we reduce our carbon footprint

There are several ways that Indians can reduce their carbon footprint. Here are three examples:

1. Use public transportation whenever possible

Take public transportation, carpool, or walk when possible. Taking public transportation instead of driving your car is also a good way to save on fuel costs and emissions. However, when it comes to carbon footprints, detergents and other household consumables are the biggest culprits. According to a recent study by The Carbon Trust, these consumables drove more emissions in lower-expenditure households than rich ones – making up 17% of total emissions. In contrast, higher demand for durable goods (8.3%) and private transport (7.2%) led to the list of emission-causing factors among higher expenditure households than others.

2. Use appliances wisely

Indians’ carbon footprints are higher than the global average because of their high electricity consumption. India has been working to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, but more needs to be done. For Indian households to reduce their carbon footprints, they need to make wise choices when it comes to using appliances and other forms of energy. For example, they should avoid using electric appliances unnecessarily or switching them on and off frequently. They should also upgrade outdated equipment or insulate themselves better against cold temperatures. And lastly, they can help promote renewable energy sources by participating in solar installations and wind power schemes.

As the world moves towards a lower-carbon future, Indians need to reduce their carbon footprints. Food is one of the major drivers of carbon emissions, and consumption patterns vary greatly across households in India.

While low- and medium-expenditure households mostly relied on grains (41%-49%), the rich showed only 28.7% of grains in their food basket.

Agriculture, including crops and livestock, is India’s leading source of greenhouse gas emissions. Around 22% of India’s total greenhouse gas emissions came from this sector in 2016. This includes the production (22%), preparation (10%), processing (2%), and transport (1%) sectors.

This 2010 study done by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute found that around 87% of the greenhouse gas emissions related to food items occur during production, followed by preparation (10%), processing (2%), and transport (1%). So, to reduce our contribution to climate change, we must focus on reducing food-related emissions.

Fertilizer production and use are major contributors to air pollution. In 2019, a study found that fertilizer production and use accounted for 44% of emissions during the cultivation of cereals, and irrigation and machinery 38% and 18%, respectively. Electricity consumption for agricultural use in 2017-18 was over 2,00,000 gigawatt-hour annually, around 18% of the total national consumption. So it’s important to be mindful of your fertilizer choices when deciding how much electricity you need to power your farm or ranch!

3. Recycle where possible

Please get rid of old furniture by donating it to charity auction sites or putting it up for sale at local thrift stores; recycle magazines and newspapers instead of dumping them into the trash; and compost what you can instead of throwing away whole waste objects like plastic bottles and cans.

West emits more than the east! This is according to a new study that has found that carbon emissions vary widely in rural and urban India. The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Maryland, USA, and it used data from satellite imagery to measure how much land each region uses for different purposes. They then calculated each district’s carbon footprint based on this information.

The results showed that mega districts like Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata showed carbon footprints well above the national per capita average of 0.56 tonnes. Gurugram topped the charts at 2.04 tonnes, 10 times the emissions from Boudh, a central district in Odisha that reported the lowest carbon footprint at 0.21 tonne.

According to study author Ranjitha Narayanan: “These findings demonstrate just how important it is for policymakers in both developed and developing countries to pay attention not only to their own environmental priorities but also those of their neighbours.”

Being a responsible environmental citizen is not just about adopting eco-friendly habits but also considering our choices’ impact on the environment.

We can be more proactive in reducing carbon emissions if we start thinking and acting beyond our comfort zones. It’s time to lead by example and make sustainable decisions that will benefit future generations.

We know that India is one of the top carbon polluters in the world. And to make matters worse, we also have one of the worst transportation and public transport infrastructures. Some experts believe that by 2050 there will be more cars than people in India.

The way forward lies in changing lifestyle habits and making small changes in our everyday life. While these steps might seem trivial initially, their long-term impact can be huge. So do not wait anymore – start reducing your carbon footprint today!

FAQ

Are there any specific activities that are most damaging to the environment?

Several activities are damaging to the environment. These activities include deforestation, air pollution, water contamination, and poor waste management.

What role can the private sector play in reducing India's carbon footprint?

The private sector can play a role in reducing India's carbon footprint by investing in more energy-efficient infrastructure and products and encouraging sustainable consumption practices.

What are some of the biggest challenges that Indian authorities face regarding reducing carbon emissions?

The biggest challenges that Indian authorities face when it comes to reducing carbon emissions include ensuring a flexible and timely response to changing economic conditions and promoting sustainable consumption practices among the public.