India says road to net zero must go through fossil fuels

India defended its use of fossil fuels, citing energy security priorities, even as the country pledged to continue its decarbonisation efforts.

The country, one of the world’s largest coal producers, has often opposed calls to curb its use of the dirtiest fossil fuels, arguing that they are key to energy security and economic development. The war in Ukraine has brought energy to the forefront of the developed world’s agenda, many of which have revived the use of coal after the decline in Russia’s oil and gas supplies.

According to India’s economic survey presented to parliament on Tuesday, “European countries’ actions in 2022 very understandably show that energy security has returned as a major national requirement. “So it stands to reason that the same is true for developing countries.”

Developing countries bear the burden of the global transition to green fuels, despite their lower contribution to cumulative emissions compared to developed countries, which prospered against the backdrop of “unlimited use of fossil fuels” are being asked to, the economic survey said. Filed on the eve of the annual budget, the document describes the government’s achievements and ambitions for different sectors of the economy.

The claim reflects the country’s willingness at the COP27 summit in November to push the debate on fossil fuels, not just coal, and hold rich countries accountable for their use of natural gas and oil.

In addition to energy security, potential job losses in the fossil fuel supply chain (from coal mines to refineries) is another issue India is concerned about. The country’s largest fuel producer, state-owned mining company Coal India, is one of the country’s largest employers with around 242,000 employees. Hundreds of thousands more work in other mines, wells and processing facilities.

Experts say clean energy can create more jobs, but economic research says, “In practice, it rarely works this smoothly.”

Still, the country is “firmly committed to combating climate change,” the document said, expanding clean energy capacity, planting more trees for carbon sequestration and promoting a green, hydrogen-based economy. Shows effort to The country has set a target of zero emissions by 2070.

While the study documented India’s position on carbon emissions, it did not mention air pollution, a domestic problem caused in part by coal burning.

Environmentalists blame fuel and other factors, such as crop burning, construction dust and vehicle exhaust, for the country’s toxic air, which reaches alarming rates each winter. .