ID :
17631
Mon, 09/01/2008 - 09:26
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/17631
The shortlink copeid
India third biggest CO2 emitter in world; N.T.P.C. tops list
Priyanka Tikoo
Miami, Aug 31 (PTI) India is the third biggest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world, with state-owned N.T.P.C. topping the list of companies belching the deadly gas, according to new data released by a Washington-based think tank which has advocated an "energy revolution" in the country based on solar power.
The Center for Global Development (C.G.D.) said that India figures at the third position in the list of biggest CO2 emitters through power generation after China and the United States.
When contacted, N.T.P.C. officials said in Delhi, "We are
among the most efficient producers of power using fossil
fuels. N.T.P.C. is the second best in the world, emitting only
800 grams of CO2 per kwh of electricity generation."
Out of 638,000,000 tons of CO2 emission by India every
year, N.T.P.C. alone contributes for 186,000,000 tons which
constitutes about 30 percent of the total gas release, the
data revealed and Talcher power plant in Orissa operated by
the company has the notoriety of emitting the biggest quantity
of CO2.
As many as 16 power plants, operated by N.T.P.C., one of
the Navratna companies of India, are in C.G.D.'s "Red Alert"
category for spewing out the deadly gas in the country.
The findings, part of a recent report by C.G.D. on "China
surpassing the U.S. as the world's biggest emitter of CO2 from
power generation", also name Russia, Germany, Japan, U.K.,
Australia, South Africa, and South Korea among the world's
top-ten power sector emitter in absolute terms.
Describing the recent data as a "cause of serious
concern", C.G.D. said the climate scientists warn that the
amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere
must be quickly stabilised to avert climate catastrophe, which
will hit first and worst in the developing world, with
declining agricultural productivity, droughts, floods and
rapid sea level rise hitting densely populated, low-lying
regions.
"A number of power companies have expressed desire for
national policies to limit emissions and promote alternative
energy," Kevin Ummel, who manages C.G.D.'s Carbon Monitoring
for Action (C.A.R.M.A.) database, told P.T.I.
"But without financial incentives for big emitters to
change their behaviour, they will continue operating and
building carbon-intensive plants - and Earth's climate moves
closer to the breaking point," Ummel said.
The new data shows that emissions from power generation
are racing in the wrong direction, says C.G.D. senior fellow
David Wheeler. "We urgently need to cut power related CO2
emissions and to very rapidly bring down the price of proven,
zero-carbon renewable power sources, such as wind and solar".
The N.T.P.C. official also said that coal is being used
as a main fuel, so CO2 emission is natural "but our effort is
that it is produced in an efficient manner to produce minimum
CO2".
Pointing out that India and other developing countries
have not presented any specific emission targets or timetable
in last month's climate-themed G-8 Summit, Ummel said Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh in his speech had assured of pooling
all scientific, technical and managerial talents in the
country, with financial sources, to develop solar energy as a
source of abundant energy to power India's economy and to
transform the lives of people there.
"This is a forceful and welcome statement, especially
since the scientific, technical and managerial talents in
India are no small contribution to this fight.
"The engineering skills found in Indian universities and
large corporations such as the Tata Group are some of the best
in the world. Deployed in earnest, they would poise India for
an energy revolution exceeding even the agricultural
revolution of 40 years ago in its scale and impact" Ummel
said.
Advocating cooperation between India and other countries
to build resources for solar power, he said certainly there is
political appetite in the U.S. for such cooperation, as
evidenced by the pledge of a recent bipartisan Congressional
delegation to India, led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, to
expand "partnerships for facilitating trade and development of
clean energy technologies."
Anyone looking to support American 'green-collar jobs'
would see a tremendous opportunity in India's ambitious clean
tech goals, he added. PTI PYK
Miami, Aug 31 (PTI) India is the third biggest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world, with state-owned N.T.P.C. topping the list of companies belching the deadly gas, according to new data released by a Washington-based think tank which has advocated an "energy revolution" in the country based on solar power.
The Center for Global Development (C.G.D.) said that India figures at the third position in the list of biggest CO2 emitters through power generation after China and the United States.
When contacted, N.T.P.C. officials said in Delhi, "We are
among the most efficient producers of power using fossil
fuels. N.T.P.C. is the second best in the world, emitting only
800 grams of CO2 per kwh of electricity generation."
Out of 638,000,000 tons of CO2 emission by India every
year, N.T.P.C. alone contributes for 186,000,000 tons which
constitutes about 30 percent of the total gas release, the
data revealed and Talcher power plant in Orissa operated by
the company has the notoriety of emitting the biggest quantity
of CO2.
As many as 16 power plants, operated by N.T.P.C., one of
the Navratna companies of India, are in C.G.D.'s "Red Alert"
category for spewing out the deadly gas in the country.
The findings, part of a recent report by C.G.D. on "China
surpassing the U.S. as the world's biggest emitter of CO2 from
power generation", also name Russia, Germany, Japan, U.K.,
Australia, South Africa, and South Korea among the world's
top-ten power sector emitter in absolute terms.
Describing the recent data as a "cause of serious
concern", C.G.D. said the climate scientists warn that the
amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere
must be quickly stabilised to avert climate catastrophe, which
will hit first and worst in the developing world, with
declining agricultural productivity, droughts, floods and
rapid sea level rise hitting densely populated, low-lying
regions.
"A number of power companies have expressed desire for
national policies to limit emissions and promote alternative
energy," Kevin Ummel, who manages C.G.D.'s Carbon Monitoring
for Action (C.A.R.M.A.) database, told P.T.I.
"But without financial incentives for big emitters to
change their behaviour, they will continue operating and
building carbon-intensive plants - and Earth's climate moves
closer to the breaking point," Ummel said.
The new data shows that emissions from power generation
are racing in the wrong direction, says C.G.D. senior fellow
David Wheeler. "We urgently need to cut power related CO2
emissions and to very rapidly bring down the price of proven,
zero-carbon renewable power sources, such as wind and solar".
The N.T.P.C. official also said that coal is being used
as a main fuel, so CO2 emission is natural "but our effort is
that it is produced in an efficient manner to produce minimum
CO2".
Pointing out that India and other developing countries
have not presented any specific emission targets or timetable
in last month's climate-themed G-8 Summit, Ummel said Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh in his speech had assured of pooling
all scientific, technical and managerial talents in the
country, with financial sources, to develop solar energy as a
source of abundant energy to power India's economy and to
transform the lives of people there.
"This is a forceful and welcome statement, especially
since the scientific, technical and managerial talents in
India are no small contribution to this fight.
"The engineering skills found in Indian universities and
large corporations such as the Tata Group are some of the best
in the world. Deployed in earnest, they would poise India for
an energy revolution exceeding even the agricultural
revolution of 40 years ago in its scale and impact" Ummel
said.
Advocating cooperation between India and other countries
to build resources for solar power, he said certainly there is
political appetite in the U.S. for such cooperation, as
evidenced by the pledge of a recent bipartisan Congressional
delegation to India, led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, to
expand "partnerships for facilitating trade and development of
clean energy technologies."
Anyone looking to support American 'green-collar jobs'
would see a tremendous opportunity in India's ambitious clean
tech goals, he added. PTI PYK
