The human race has no doubt aboutthe impacts of global warming, thanks to rapid industrialization, unplanneddevelopment, and ignoring of nature¡¯s assets,which support the earth. The symptoms of the rise in Earth¡¯s temperature can be seen on various fronts, includingan increasing incidence of heat-related illnesses and respiratory infectiousdiseases, as well as mosquitoes bred malaria and dengue fever. Other apparentimpacts being witnessed are change in weather patterns, loss of habitats onland and also in the ocean, frequent natural disasters, change in the timing ofseasonal events such as flowering and hibernation, and disrupting food chains andwebs.
Global warming is affecting humanhealth in various ways, while also imposing a significant economic impact,triggered by crop failures, water shortages, and increased costs of foodproduction. The impact is far-reaching and poses significant challenges to theworld's economy, environment, and public health. It is important forindividuals, communities, and governments to take action to reduce greenhousegas emissions and mitigate the effects of global warming.
Methane is one of the most potentgreenhouse gases amongst others when considering its impact in the next tenyears. Achieving carbon neutrality, and India's net zero by 2070 commitment,requires a comprehensive approach that addresses all greenhouse gases.
The government is implementingseveral initiatives to reduce methane emissions through various measures, suchas the National Action Plan on Climate Change, the Energy Conservation Act of2001, and the Biofuel Policy of 2003. There are so many more, including thepanchamrit. Thankfully, the country has taken many pro-active approaches interms of achieving carbon neutrality through a mix of measures.
While it is important to addressCO2 as the prime GHG driving gas, non-CO2 gases are becoming more importantwhen the next 10 years goals are being looked at for meeting the target of 1.5degrees centigrade.
We cannot afford to underminemethane, as it has a much higher warming potential than that of carbon dioxide.India is uniquely positioned as about two-thirds of its population is dependenton agriculture, which is at the core of the socio-economic development of thecountry. Agriculture accounts for around 19 percent of the GDP. And methane isstrongly linked with agriculture and livestock, as the greenhouse gas isprimarily emitted through the decomposition of organic matter and through humanactivities such as agriculture. Other important sectors for methane managementare oil and gas, waste (solid and liquid), transport, and coal bed methane formethane-based GHG emissions. India's agriculture sector contributes 61 percentof the total methane emissions, followed by the energy sector (extraction,processing, and distribution) and allied industries, which are responsible for16.4 percent of methane emissions.
Therefore, India¡¯s methane advocacy becomes central to achieving carbonneutrality. We must carefully craft methane advocacy, consisting of targetedmeasures to reduce methane emissions through better management of landfills,agriculture, and natural gas systems. Proper application of mappingtechnologies combined with methane capture and use will not only provide globalbenefits in climate mitigation but also generate jobs and enhance the economyof the country.
Over the past few decades, India¡¯s methane emissions have steadily increased due tounconventional sources. Methane concentrations in the atmosphere have more thandoubled since pre-industrial times, as per the US Environmental ProtectionAgency report. Methane plays an important role in global warming and remains inthe atmosphere for about 12 years, but its global warming potential is 25 timesgreater than that of carbon dioxide, making it a more potent greenhouse gas.This is old. Methane is nearly 28 times more potent than GHG compared to CO2and nearly 80/84 times more potent when compared over a 10-year time horizon.
India's vision of carbonneutrality necessitates a comprehensive approach to mitigating methaneemissions by supplementing its Paris Agreement commitments. The development ofnew sustainable methane policies and strategies is urgently needed for the applicationand scaling of technologies to achieve the carbon neutrality goal. We must alsoconsider introducing a methane management and reduction framework with targetsfor reducing methane emissions to reach carbon neutrality goals by 2070.
By focusing on mitigationopportunities in the oil and gas, agriculture, and livestock sectors, currentlyIndia is pursuing a low-carbon economy by reducing its greenhouse gasemissions, which are among the most attractive pathways to achieving its carbonneutrality goal.
However, India must prioritize thedevelopment of sustainable methane policies, implementing technologies such asmethane capture and tiling, biomass energy, carbon capture and storage, andnatural climate solutions to reduce its methane emissions. The framework shouldfocus on implementing and promoting methane emission-reduction measures,including the development of sustainable agricultural practices and promotionof efficient livestock management practices.
In order to regulate methaneemissions from the agriculture sector, we might need to educate farmers so thatthey can adopt climate-smart practices, such as improved crop and livestockmanagement practices, while the government may continue to attract investmentsin renewable energy technologies and infrastructure and place tighterregulations on the sources of carbon emissions.
One of the studies by the ICCSAsuggests that India can do well if measures are adopted that will add tofarmers and dairy farmers¡¯ incomewith a view to making methane management sustainable and successful. Weunderstand that agriculture emissions are regarded as a key cause of climatechange and are also an integral part of the solution. Reducing methaneemissions from the agriculture sector requires a comprehensive approach thatincludes both technological solutions and changes in farming practices.
Any framework that is developed toaddress methane emissions through agriculture and livestock must address issuesrelated to improved feed management, manure management, rotational grazing,improved rice cultivation practices, agroforestry, and others. Reducing methaneemissions from the agriculture sector requires a comprehensive approach thatincludes both technological solutions and changes in farming practices.
Of the many sectors where methaneabatement is needed, agriculture and livestock¡¯s can take a great leap if theystart scaling up through faster adoption of technologies and practices acrossIndia. The country needs the participation of all stakeholders andknowledge-generating entities to assist India in taking greater strides in thisdomain.