Comparative Assessment of Energy Consumption and CO2 Emission

Abstract

Continuous emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from human activities are likely to result in significant changes in climate. The issues of climate change are a part of major dispute for sustainable development because effects of climate changes are visible in various forms such as rise in the sea level, melting of glaciers and natural disasters etc. The climate change debate has long been on mitigation and adaptations to reduce GHGs across the world. The accountability for GHGs emissions lies basically with the developed countries however; the developing countries are often blamed for excess emission of GHGs which contradicts the available facts. So the issues of climate change require a rational policy approach as well as coordinated action at national and global level. It requires a fair and comparative assessment of energy consumption and emission of CO2 which is a chief constituent of GHGs. Therefore, the objectives of this paper are twofold: (i) to provide an inter-regional comparative estimation of energy consumption and CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and (ii) to present measures to mitigate carbon emission in India.