THE EMISSIONS EQUATION: INDIA’S GREEN INTENSITY RULES

NATIONAL
📅 April 30, 2025
Thematic Focus: Environment | Climate Policy | Sustainable Development

🪶 Intro Whisper:
As the Earth warms in silence, India crafts its laws not just in ink — but in carbon, intensity, and resolve.

🌱 Key Highlights:

• The GEI Target Rules, 2025, notified on April 16 by the Ministry of Environment, set clear emission reduction benchmarks for key industries like aluminium, cement, chlor-alkali, and pulp & paper.
• Baseline emissions for 2023–24 are fixed, with reduction targets for 2025–26 and 2026–27.
• 282 industrial units, including giants like Vedanta and Ultratech, are under the compliance radar.
• Failure to meet targets invites penalties from the Central Pollution Control Board, while carbon credits reward industries adopting low-emission technologies.
• This rule integrates with the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) and supports India’s Paris Climate commitments.

🧭 Concept Explainer:
What is GEI?
Greenhouse Gases Emissions Intensity is the measure of how many GHGs are emitted per unit of product (like one tonne of cement). It reflects efficiency and environmental responsibility.

Why This Matters:
Lowering GEI means producing more with less pollution, aligning with India’s net-zero aspirations by 2070. For instance, a cement factory can cut GEI by using biomass over coal and installing energy-saving kilns.

How Carbon Credits Work:
Industries that over-achieve their reduction targets earn carbon credits. These can be traded on India’s carbon market, incentivising a cleaner industrial economy. Those falling short can buy credits — embedding flexibility into climate compliance.

📘 GS Paper Mapping:
GS Paper 3 – Environment | Sustainable Development | Industrial Policy

• Carbon Credit Mechanisms
• India’s Paris Agreement Pathway
• Regulatory Strategies for Industrial Emissions

🪔 A Thought Spark — by IAS Monk:
“Let the smoke of yesterday become the shadow of tomorrow — in its place, let clarity rise in law, and clean air rise in breath.”

Closing Whisper:
The path to a cleaner future isn’t paved — it’s measured, reduced, traded, and reborn as breath in the sky. 🌫️⚖️