Latest news with #VaibhavChaturvedi
The Hindu
6 minutes ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Is ICJ's ruling on climate change merely symbolic?
In a landmark ruling, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on July 23, 2025, announced countries and territories are obligated to combat climate change through efforts to the best of their capabilities. Climate change poses an 'urgent and existential threat,' the court said. It held that climate action is not based on any one law but is rather a mix of international law provisions like the UN charter, and international treaties like the Kyoto Protocol, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the Paris Agreement, among others, and that they should influence the actions that member states take to protect the environment. The Court also ruled that countries bear the responsibility of protecting the earth's climate systems, reduce emissions and limit global warming. Several countries have hailed the Court's decision, saying that it adds heft to humanity's fight against climate change. The ruling hits all the right notes -- it places human rights at the forefront of the fight against global warming. But, is it merely symbolic, given it is an advisory opinion and not enforceable? Guest: Dr. Vaibhav Chaturvedi, The Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) Host: Nivedita V Edited by Sharmada venkatasubramanian Listen to more In Focus podcasts:
Time of India
24-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Not just electric: Auto sector needs cleaner steel & power to really put the brakes on emissions, says study
India's automobile sector—the third-largest in the world—could slash its manufacturing-related emissions by a staggering 87% by 2050, not just by building more electric vehicles (EVs), but by cleaning up how all vehicles—ICEs, hybrids, and EVs—are made. That's the central finding of a new report released Wednesday by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), which stresses that green electricity, low-carbon steel, and cleaner supply chains—not just EVs—are essential to decarbonising the industry. In recent years, top automakers such as Tata Motors , Mahindra & Mahindra, TVS Motors , Ford, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Toyota have set ambitious emission reduction targets and joined the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Many have expanded electric and hybrid offerings—but the study urges the sector to go further by addressing Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, including those from suppliers. 'To lead in a low-carbon global economy, we must decarbonise not just the vehicles we drive, but the industrial processes that build them,' said Dr Arunabha Ghosh, CEO of CEEW. 'Automakers must clean up what powers their factories and how suppliers produce critical materials like steel and rubber.' The Delhi-based think tank's study shows that while production could quadruple to 96 million vehicles by 2050, emissions from manufacturing can be capped—or even dramatically cut—if the sector shifts to 100% green electricity, adopts hydrogen-based and scrap-intensive steelmaking, and makes low-carbon procurement the norm. Today, Scope 3 emissions—mostly from materials like coal-heavy steel and rubber—account for 83% of the industry's carbon footprint in India. Simply electrifying vehicles without addressing these upstream emissions will leave most of the climate problem intact. Hybrids are a temporary bridge CEEW also modelled a 'high-hybrid' scenario, where hybrids dominate before EVs become widespread. While this reduces some energy demand, emissions remain higher than a direct EV transition due to continued combustion engine use. 'Hybrid vehicles may offer short-term efficiency gains, but they're not a substitute for a zero-carbon mobility future,' the report notes. Green manufacturing: Real game changer The report urges OEMs to treat green manufacturing as a strategic lever—not just for climate goals, but for long-term competitiveness. With global supply chains tightening sustainability standards, Indian manufacturers who decarbonise early will have a distinct edge. 'Indian automakers must secure green steel, power factories with renewables, and demand cleaner inputs from suppliers,' said Dr Vaibhav Chaturvedi, Senior Fellow at CEEW. 'Without this, EVs alone won't be enough to meet net-zero goals.' The study calls for a two-pronged strategy: accelerate EV adoption and decarbonise the manufacturing value chain. If done right, it says, the Indian auto sector could become a 'force multiplier' in the country's broader transition to net-zero.
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Auto manufacturing emissions in India can drop 87% by 2050 through clean energy and low-carbon steel: Report
New Delhi: India's automobile industry can reduce its manufacturing-related carbon emissions by as much as 87 per cent by 2050 through a shift to green electricity and low-carbon steel, according to a study released by the Council on Energy , Environment and Water (CEEW). The study tracks the emissions profile of the world's third-largest auto industry across the full value chain and highlights the role of cleaner inputs in aligning the sector with India's net-zero targets. Using a custom version of the Global Change Analysis Model, the CEEW study projects that annual vehicle production in India could grow from 25 million in 2020 to 96 million by 2050 under a business-as-usual (BAU) trajectory. In this scenario, annual emissions from manufacturing are expected to double, reaching 64 million tonnes of CO₂, even as emissions intensity per vehicle declines. The study notes that Scope 3 emissions, which include upstream supply chain emissions from materials such as steel and rubber, currently account for more than 83 per cent of the sector's overall emissions. Scope 1 and 2 emissions, which come from direct factory operations and electricity use respectively, contribute the remaining share. Dr Arunabha Ghosh, CEO, CEEW, said, 'India's auto industry stands at a turning point. To lead in a low-carbon global economy, we must decarbonise not just the vehicles we drive but the industrial processes that build them. Automakers must clean up how their vehicles are made, what powers their factories, and how their suppliers produce critical inputs like steel and rubber.' If original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their suppliers were to align with net-zero by 2050, emissions from the sector could be reduced to just 9 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, down from the projected 64 MtCO₂ under BAU—a reduction of 87 per cent. This would require a shift to 100 per cent green electricity and increasing the share of hydrogen-based energy in steel production to 56 per cent. Coal's share in steelmaking would have to fall below 10 per cent, while scrap-based steel production would need to rise to 48 per cent. Dr Vaibhav Chaturvedi, Senior Fellow, CEEW, said, 'To align India's automobile sector—central to GDP, jobs, and industrial growth—with a net-zero future, we must go beyond electrifying vehicles. We must decarbonise manufacturing itself. Leading OEMs are already making corporate decisions to stay ahead by decarbonising their operations and supply chains.' The study also examines a high-hybrid scenario, where hybrid vehicles dominate initially before EVs take off. While this reduces component suppliers' energy demand by 7 per cent, overall emissions remain slightly higher than in a direct shift to EVs due to continued use of combustion engines. The study recommends a dual approach to achieve net-zero alignment by 2050: accelerate EV adoption and decarbonise the entire manufacturing chain. Since 65–80 per cent of a vehicle's lifetime emissions stem from its use phase, electrification remains the most effective lever to cut total emissions, provided it is coupled with clean manufacturing practices.
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Auto manufacturing emissions in India can drop 87% by 2050 through clean energy and low-carbon steel: Report
India's automobile industry can reduce its manufacturing-related carbon emissions by as much as 87 per cent by 2050 through a shift to green electricity and low-carbon steel, according to a study released by the Council on Energy , Environment and Water (CEEW). The study tracks the emissions profile of the world's third-largest auto industry across the full value chain and highlights the role of cleaner inputs in aligning the sector with India's net-zero targets. Using a custom version of the Global Change Analysis Model, the CEEW study projects that annual vehicle production in India could grow from 25 million in 2020 to 96 million by 2050 under a business-as-usual (BAU) trajectory. In this scenario, annual emissions from manufacturing are expected to double, reaching 64 million tonnes of CO₂, even as emissions intensity per vehicle declines. The study notes that Scope 3 emissions, which include upstream supply chain emissions from materials such as steel and rubber, currently account for more than 83 per cent of the sector's overall emissions. Scope 1 and 2 emissions, which come from direct factory operations and electricity use respectively, contribute the remaining share. Dr Arunabha Ghosh , CEO, CEEW, said, 'India's auto industry stands at a turning point. To lead in a low-carbon global economy, we must decarbonise not just the vehicles we drive but the industrial processes that build them. Automakers must clean up how their vehicles are made, what powers their factories, and how their suppliers produce critical inputs like steel and rubber.' If original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their suppliers were to align with net-zero by 2050, emissions from the sector could be reduced to just 9 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, down from the projected 64 MtCO₂ under BAU—a reduction of 87 per cent. This would require a shift to 100 per cent green electricity and increasing the share of hydrogen-based energy in steel production to 56 per cent. Coal's share in steelmaking would have to fall below 10 per cent, while scrap-based steel production would need to rise to 48 per cent. Dr Vaibhav Chaturvedi , Senior Fellow, CEEW, said, 'To align India's automobile sector—central to GDP, jobs, and industrial growth—with a net-zero future, we must go beyond electrifying vehicles. We must decarbonise manufacturing itself. Leading OEMs are already making corporate decisions to stay ahead by decarbonising their operations and supply chains.' The study also examines a high-hybrid scenario, where hybrid vehicles dominate initially before EVs take off. While this reduces component suppliers' energy demand by 7 per cent, overall emissions remain slightly higher than in a direct shift to EVs due to continued use of combustion engines. The study recommends a dual approach to achieve net-zero alignment by 2050: accelerate EV adoption and decarbonise the entire manufacturing chain. Since 65–80 per cent of a vehicle's lifetime emissions stem from its use phase, electrification remains the most effective lever to cut total emissions, provided it is coupled with clean manufacturing practices.
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Business Standard
22-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
India to exceed 2030 climate target with up to 57% cut in emissions: Report
India is on track to exceed its climate target of reducing the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45 per cent by 2030 as compared to 2005 levels, according to a new analysis. The emissions modelling analysis by Delhi-based think-tank Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE), an NGO, projected that India's energy sector emission intensity could decrease by 48-57 per cent by 2030 as compared to 2005 levels. However, achieving the 2070 net zero target (balancing emissions with removals) will require additional policy interventions, centred around carbon pricing, along with power pricing reforms, fiscal support for clean technologies, enhanced energy efficiency and behaviour change initiatives. The findings, published this week in the international journal Energy and Climate Change', suggest that India's 2035 NDC targets could include reducing emissions intensity of GDP between 55 and 66 per cent relative to 2005 (with most scenarios indicating a 56 per cent reduction) and increasing the non-fossil fuel share in installed power capacity to 60-68 per cent. As per its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) or national climate plans submitted to the UNFCCC in August 2022, India aims to reduce emissions intensity of its GDP by 45 per cent from the 2005 level and achieve 50 per cent cumulative electric installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030. Countries are required to submit their next round of national climate plans for the 2031-2035 period this year. With most countries, including India, missing the February 10 deadline, UN climate change chief Simon Stiell has urged them to submit their plans by September at the latest. India has not yet finalised its new NDCs. Vaibhav Chaturvedi, Senior Fellow, CEEW, said, Since the Paris Agreement, India has demonstrated climate leadership on several fronts. It has also proven that growth and emissions reduction can happen together. This paper reaffirms that with decisive reforms -- across electricity pricing, industrial planning, nuclear electricity, lifestyle change and urban mobility -- India can significantly bend its emissions curve towards net zero." He said India's 2035 NDC must reflect not only enhanced ambition but also economic realism, supported by analytical assessments. A well-calibrated strategy should include an economy-wide emissions intensity target, sector-specific carbon budgets and a push for low-carbon technologies and clean manufacturing, Chaturvedi said. Satish Kumar, President and Executive Director, AEEE, said, By integrating key energy efficiency parameters as endogenous variables in the underlying climate model, our paper breaks new ground in capturing the real-world potential of demand-side interventions. This approach makes the model more robust and reflective of India's development realities. The CEEW-AEEE analysis found that a high-growth scenario aligned with the Viksit Bharat' vision would lead to 63 per cent higher absolute emissions by 2070, compared to the business-as-usual (BAU) scenario. However, the emissions intensity of GDP would still fall by 3 per cent relative to BAU, due to greater adoption of efficient technologies and deeper integration of renewables in India's energy mix, it said. This reduction could be even higher if the Indian industries prioritise electricity-driven, low-emission manufacturing sectors, such as semiconductors. Behavioural and lifestyle changes -- such as reduced private vehicle use, adoption of energy-efficient appliances and optimised residential energy use (modelled under India's Mission LiFE framework) -- could deliver up to 10 per cent emissions reductions by 2050 relative to BAU, as well as reduce the pressure on land resources. Policies that mandate energy-efficient products and prioritise their procurement could deliver substantial gains at relatively low costs. The CEEW-AEEE analysis also found that lower tariffs for industrial and commercial users could accelerate electrification and boost clean energy uptake. Higher residential tariffs, on the other hand, could make rooftop solar more attractive, provided low-income households continue receiving targeted support.
