Lok Sabha Question No. 2478 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-13
Subject: Emission of Methane
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Maneka Sanjay Gandhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2478

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2021

## Emission on Methane

## 2478.   SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJAY GANDHI:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the fact that India is the third largest emitter of methane globally;
- (b) the reasons for not signing up for the Global Methane Pledge at COP26 in Glasgow;
- (c) the sector-wise breakdown of methane emissions in the country;
- (d) whether the  Government plans to reduce positive methane emissions  and if  so,  the details thereof; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) Different databases rank countries differently in respect of their methane emissions. As per the Global Methane Initiative (GMI) website, China, Russia and USA are the top three methane emitters. India ranks fourth, and its methane emissions are nearly one-third that of China.  As  per  India's  third  Biennial  Update  Report  to  the  United  Nations  Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), methane emissions accounted for 409 million tons  CO2e  i.e.  14.43%  of  India's  total  Greenhouse  Gas  (GHG)  emissions  in  2016.  The agriculture sector in the year 2016 registered a decrease of 2.25 % in GHG emissions since 2014.
- (b) India has not signed up for the Global Methane Pledge. The Pledge was proposed by the European Union and the United States of America at the Major Economies Forum (MEF) on Energy and Climate on September 17, 2021 targeting at 30% reduction in global methane emissions from 2020 levels by 2030. India is a Party to the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement and remains steadfast in its commitment in framing and implementing its actions to combat climate change. The Pledge is outside the ambit of the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement. Under  the  Paris  Agreement,  India  has  submitted  its  Nationally  Determined  Contributions (NDCs) in 2015, which do not include sector or gas specific emissions reduction targets. In exercise of its right of sovereign, national determination 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  decided  not  to  sign  the  'Global  Methane  Pledge'.  The  salient  reasons  and related information are as below:

- The two predominant sources of methane emissions in India are enteric fermentation and paddy  cultivation.  These  emissions  result  from  the  agricultural  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.
- 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 agricultural 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.
- Agriculture  was  not  included  in  the  emission  intensity  target  as  per  India's  pre-2020 voluntary commitments.
- As per the 6 th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the predominant gas responsible for climate change is CO2 which has a lifetime of 100-1000 years.  This  Pledge  shifts  the  CO2  reduction  burden  to  methane  reduction,  which  has  a lifetime of just 12 years.
- Also, India has the largest cattle population in the world, which is a source of livelihood 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 agricultural byproducts and unconventional feed material.
- (c) India's  methane  emissions  in  2016  (excluding  LULUCF)  were  409  million  tonne CO2e of which,  73.96%  was  from  Agriculture  sector,  14.46%  from  Waste  sector,  10.62% from Energy sector and 0.96% was from Industrial Processes and Product Use sector.

(d) and (e) The Government is taking a number of initiatives to reduce methane emissions such as:

- (i) Through initiatives like ' The Gobar (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources) - Dhan' 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 GHG emissions.
- (ii) The  Department  of  Animal  Husbandry  and  Dairying  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.
- (iii) System  for  Rice  Intensification -  The  technique  has  potential  to  enhance  rice yield from 36-49% with about 22-35% less water than conventional transplanted rice.
- (iv) 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.
- (v) Crop  Diversification  Programme -  Methane  emissions  is  avoided  due  to diversion  of  paddy  to  alternate  crops  like  pulses,  oilseeds,  maize,  cotton  and agroforestry.
- (vi) A total of 216 WtE plants with aggregate capacity of 370.45 MWeq have been set up  in  the  country  to  generate  power  or  biogas/biomethane  or  Bio-CNG  from agricultural, urban, industrial and municipal solid wastes.
- (vii) Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is implementing Swachh Bharat Mission -  Urban .  The  Mission  along  with  promulgation  of  Solid  Waste  Management Rules, 2016, Construction & Demolition (C&D) Waste Rules, 2016, Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 and various policy interventions by MoHUA encourages conversion of waste to value added products viz. waste to energy, electricity etc. In 2021, the Mission has resulted in methane reduction of 231 Gigagram per year.

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