India must embrace green hydrogen

The global carbon emissions from fossil fuels reached a record high in 2024.

- GOVIND SINGH AND AMAN MEHTA

According to the World Meteorological Organisation, Earth's average surface temperature temporarily hit 1.5°C above the pre-industrial era in 2024. Global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels is considered a threshold beyond which we may start experiencing the worst impacts of climate change. Keeping this value below 1.5°C is a key target in international climate negotiations. The temporary breach of the "1.5°C" target is a warning that we are closer to irreversible climate change. We are nearing a tipping point after which limiting future global warming may not be possible. There is thus an urgent need to intensify climate change mitigation efforts.

Decarbonising the economy is at the heart of climate change mitigation since it addresses the primary driver of global warming: emissions of greenhouse gases particularly carbon dioxide. Decarbonising the economy implies reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide emissions from industrial activities. This is done by stopping the use of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas which emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Transitioning from fossil fuels to clean and renewable energy sources, improving energy efficiency and adopting carbon capture technologies are key steps towards decarbonizing the economy. While the transition to solar and other renewable energy sources is picking up pace, it is still slow looking at the increasing impacts of climate change which are occurring faster than predicted.