Lok Sabha Question No. 1827 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-13
Subject: Global Methane Pledge
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST, AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1827

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.02.2023

## Global Methane Pledge

## 1827. SHRI T. R. BAALU:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is true that India has stayed away from signing the Global Methane Pledge at the recently held Glasgow Climate Change Conference held under the aegis of the United Nations while over 90 countries have endorsed the Pledge;
- (b) if so, the reasons for rejecting the Green House Gas Methane removal pledge; and
- (c) the  plans  and  strategies  prepared  for  curbing  methane  emissions  by  trapping  it  for meeting our energy needs and ensure our cooperation and contribution to the global community  in  the  common  shared  responsibility  of  reducing  Green  House  Gas emissions and reduce global warming?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a)to(c) India has not signed the Global Methane Pledge proposed by the European Union and the United States of America to target 30% reduction in global methane emissions from 2020 levels by 2030. In exercise of its right of sovereign and nationally determined nature of its climate  actions,  and  as  per  the  assessments  by  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Farmers Welfare, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and  Climate  Change,  the  Government  of  India  decided  not  to  sign  the  'Global  Methane Pledge'. The salient reasons and related information are as follows:

- i. The two predominant sources of methane emissions in India are enteric fermentation and paddy cultivation. These emissions result from the agriculture activities of small marginal,  and  medium  farmers  across  India,  whose  livelihood  stands  threatened  by the aforesaid Pledge. In contrast, agriculture in developed countries is dominated by industrial agriculture.
- ii. In  the  context  of  food  security,  the methane emissions are 'survival'  emissions and not  luxury  emissions.  In  addition  to  impacting  farmers      income,  this  can  impact agriculture production, especially that of paddy. India is one of the largest producers and  exporters  of  rice.  Therefore,  this  pledge  also  has  the  potential  to  affect  India's trade and economic prospects.
- iii. Agriculture was not included in the emission intensity target as per India's pre 2020 voluntary commitments.
- iv. As  per the Reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,  the predominant gas responsible for climate change is CO2, which has a lifetime of 1001000 years. This Pledge shifts the CO2 reduction burden to methane reduction, which has a lifetime of just 12 years.
- v. Also,  India  has  the  largest  cattle  population  in  the  world,  which  is  a  source  of livelihoods  to  a  large  section  of  population.  The  contribution  of  Indian  livestock  to global pool of enteric methane is very low, as Indian livestock utilizes large volumes of agriculture by-products and unconventional feed material.
- vi. India  is  a  Party  to  the  United  Nations  Framework  Convention  on  Climate  Change (UNFCCC) and its Paris Agreement. The pledge is outside the ambit of the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement.

Under  the  Paris  Agreement,  India  has  submitted  its  Nationally  Determined  Contribution (NDC), which do not include sector or gas specific emission reduction targets. India remains steadfast  in  its  commitment  in  framing  and  implementing  its  actions  to  combat  climate change. The ongoing measures to reduce methane gas emissions are as follows:

- i. The National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), implemented by Ministry of  Agriculture  &  Farmers  Welfare  (MoA&FW),  involves  climate  resilient  practices including methane reduction practices in rice cultivation.
- ii. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under National Innovations in Climate  Resilient  Agriculture  (NICRA)  project  has  developed  several  technologies with mitigation potential for methane from rice viz. System for Rice Intensification the technique has potential to enhance rice yield to 36-49% with about 22-35% less water than conventional transplanted rice; Direct Seeded Rice - the system reduces methane emissions, as it does not involve raising nurseries, puddling and transplanting. Unlike transplanted paddy cultivation, standing water is not maintained in this system; and Crop Diversification Programme - Methane emissions is avoided due to diversion of paddy to alternate crops like pulses, oilseeds, maize, cotton and agro forestry.
- iii. Capacity building programmes are conducted through Krishi Vigyan Kendras across the country for creating awareness on climate resilient practices.
- iv. The  Department  of  Animal  Husbandry  and  Dairying  (DAHD)  is  implementing National  Livestock  Mission,  which  inter  alia,  includes  Breed  Improvement  and Balanced  Rationing.  Feeding  livestock  with  superior  quality  balanced  ration  is helping to reduce methane emissions from the livestock.
- v. Government of India promotes green fodder production, silage making, chaff cutting, and  total  mixed  ration  under  National  Livestock  Mission  with  a  view  to  reduce methane emission from livestock.
- vi. Through initiatives like  'The  GOBARDHAN  (Galvanizing  Organic  Bio-Agro Resources)  scheme and New National Biogas and Organic Manure Programme, cattle waste  utilisation  is  being  incentivised,  in  addition  to  production  of  clean  energy  in villages.  The  Gobardhan  scheme,  inter  alia,  supports  biodegradable  waste  recovery and conversion of waste into resources and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions

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