A UN report on methane emissions, published on November 17 at COP30, finds that India has become a global hotspot of methane emissions from the burning of crop residue or stubble. Methane emissions from crop residue burning are increasing in India while declining globally.
Stubble burning is already regarded as a key contributor to worsening air pollution across the country as it generates high volumes of toxic particulate pollutants. Experts point out that arresting crop residue burning will be a win-win scenario for controlling both air pollution and climate change in India.
The report, prepared by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has found that India is currently the world’s third largest methane emitter, after China and the US, producing around 31 Mt (million tonnes). “The G-20 group of countries, including India, emits 65 percent of global emissions,” a UNEP expert told this correspondent in Belém, Brazil, where COP30 is being held. Around 360 Mt methane is currently being produced globally.
The report has warned that globally methane emissions are still rising but expressed hope that the situation is likely to improve by 2030. “Reducing methane emissions is one of the most immediate and effective steps we can take to slow the climate crisis … (it) also reduces crop losses, essential for both agriculture productivity and food security,” said Inger Andersen, a UN under-secretary-general and executive director of UNEP.
Agriculture is the biggest source
A copy of the UN report and its analysis carried out by specialised organisations Climate Trends and Climate Analytics, available with The Plurals, show that India is mainly affected from livestock-linked emissions, both enteric fermentation and manure, and rice cultivation; but crop residue burning has turned India into a major hotspot of methane emissions, which are increasing despite a global decline.
“India is associated with waste management challenges that can…raise methane emissions,” says the report. A detailed analysis of the UN report shows that while in India, in 1995, 4.5 Mt of methane emissions was produced from the burning of crop residue or agricultural waste, the figure has jumped to 7.4 Mt in 2020, a 64 per cent growth.
In contrast, during the same period, the global methane emissions from agricultural waste burning has increased 43 percent; 56 Mt in 1995 to 80 Mt in 2020.
The assessment shows that other than the emissions from crop residue burning, India generated 20 Mt and 4.5 Mt of methane from agricultural activities including live-stock emissions and rice cultivation and agriculture-related energy use respectively in 2020.
Co-benefits in stubble burning control
“The new evidence reconfirms the importance of co-benefits from controlling stubble burning in our states. This episodic pollution from seasonal farm fires not only increases heat trapping methane gas and contributes to warming but also co-emits harmful tiny particles and other toxins that harm our health,” said Anumita Roychoudhury, an air pollution expert from India-based environment thinktank Center for Science and Environment (CSE).
“We need focussed programmes to curb this problem across all the affected states to eliminate these pollutants for both clean air and climate change mitigation,” Roychoudhury added.
“India emitted about 31 Mt of methane in 2020, accounting for 9 per cent of global emissions, while the country’s agricultural methane emissions contribute 12 per cent of global agricultural methane, making it one of the highest shares worldwide,” points out report, which also shares that rice methane emissions in India are projected to increase by 8 percent between 2020–2030.
“India does not identify actions to reduce emissions from its largest methane source (agriculture) in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs),” claims the report.
India’s national statement, presented by country’s minister of environment, forest and climate change environment minister Bhupender Yadav on Monday evening, made no mention of any agenda on methane.
Incidentally, the UN report has mentioned about 11 active methane emissions mitigation programmes in India .