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India's Emissions Slow but Remain on Upward Trajectory
13 Nov
Summary
- India's emissions to rise 1.4% in 2025, slower than previous years
- Global emissions to reach record 38.1 billion tonnes in 2025
- Natural sinks weakening, absorbing less CO2 due to climate change
According to a report published on November 13, 2025, India's carbon dioxide emissions are projected to rise by 1.4% in 2025, marking a slower increase compared to previous years. This moderation is attributed to an early monsoon that reduced cooling demand and to rapid growth in renewable energy, which kept coal use almost flat.
Despite this slowdown, the report warns that India's emissions continue to grow overall. Globally, fossil-fuel carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are expected to reach a record 38.1 billion tonnes in 2025, up about 1.1% from 2024. China's emissions are projected to rise by about 3% in 2025, driven mainly by continued industrial activity and growth in coal consumption, while the United States, the world's second-largest emitter, is expected to see its emissions fall by around 2.2% due to declining coal use and slower oil demand. The European Union's emissions are projected to drop by 4.2%.
The report also notes that the planet's ability to absorb CO2 through land and ocean sinks is weakening, with about 8% of the increase in atmospheric CO2 since 1960 attributed to climate change reducing the effectiveness of these natural sinks. The land sink dropped sharply during the 2023-24 El Nino and is only partly recovering, while the ocean sink has shown little growth since 2016 due to warmer water holding less CO2.
