greenhouse gases

The link between rising levels of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and changing climatic patterns was first definitively put forth in 1898 by Svante Arrhenius, a Swedish scientist. In the decades since Arrhenius, climate science has developed considerably, establishing with even greater conviction that climate change is closely connected to anthropogenic GHG emissions. As a result, there is a growing global awareness of the importance of reducing emissions in an effort to mitigate climate change.

Highlights

To increase the reliability of India's national emissions inventory, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) must consider developing 'country-specific' emission factors using real- time measurements across all sectors. At present, many of the employed emission factors are either defaults or global estimates.

The optimal approach to decarbonise cooking is to start using a clean and low-carbon fuel. It is essential to ensure that the shift to modern, clean cooking fuels and the use of energy-efficient technologies go hand-in-hand. Transition to electricity-based cookstoves will offer similar or higher decarbonisation outcomes and lower the risks on energy security.
 

Anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide weighted by global warming potentials,
constitute by far, the largest part of the emissions of greenhouse gases. Of these carbon dioxide emissions, those that are produced from fuel combustion make up the great majority. The carbon dioxide emissions from burning biomass that a majority of rural households use for cooking is not considered, as biomass is considered to be carbon neutral.

The threat of climate change is a serious global concern. There is near consensus among scientists that the threat is due to man-made emissions of Greenhouse Gases (such as Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxides, etc).