India submits its 4th Biennial Update Report to the United Nations

Current Context: The report is titled "India's Fourth Biennial Update Report (BUR-4) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)".

• It was released by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, on December 30, 2024
• The report highlights India's decisive progress in climate action, showcasing a 7.93% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 compared to 2019.
• It also includes India's National Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory for 2020, along with insights on mitigation actions, constraints, and financial, technological, and capacity-building requirements.
• Key achievements mentioned in the report include:
• Emission Intensity Reduction: India reduced its emission intensity of GDP by 36% between 2005 and 2020, surpassing its target of a 33-35% reduction by 2030.
• Renewable Energy Growth: By October 2024, 46.52% of India's installed electricity generation capacity came from non-fossil fuel sources.
• Forest and Tree Cover Expansion: India's forest and tree cover sequestered 522 million tonnes of CO2, offsetting 22% of total CO2 emissions in 2020.

Question:

1 What was the percentage reduction in India's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2020 compared to 2019, as highlighted in the BUR-4?

• A) 7.93%
• B) 6.8%
• C) 5.5%
• D) 8.5%

Answer: A) The report emphasizes India's significant progress in climate action, with a 7.93% reduction in GHG emissions in 2020 compared to 2019.