India burns more coal despite climate pledges

• 1 year, 5 months ago (2022-11-21)
• David Flin

Asia 851 Coal 278

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India’s coal-fired power output has surged much faster than any other country in the Asia-Pacific region since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Coal fuels nearly 75 per cent of India’s power output, which is the world’s third largest greenhouse gas emitter. India presented its decarbonisation strategy at COP27, the last of the world’s five largest economies to do so, while already failing to meet the targets it set.

India’s power ministry has declined to comment.

India’s coal-fired power output increased more than 10 per cent year-on-year from March to October, to 757.82 TWh. The Indian government expects this output to continue to grow.

India is the only major country in Asia, besides Japan, where the contribution of coal-fired power in overall electricity production increased in the six months from March.

The consultants Wood Mackenzie said that it expects India’s coal-fired power output to grow 10 per cent in 2022 over 2021. India’s government has said that it was committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2070.