- Hezbollah chief admits 'unprecedented' blow in device blasts
- Sales of US existing homes slip slightly in August
- Fear, panic haunt Lebanese after devices explode
- Labuschagne sparks Australia fightback in England ODI opener
- S.Africa's HIV research power couple says fight goes on
- Why is Israel focusing on border with Lebanon?
- Mpox vaccines administered in Rwanda, first in Africa
- US Fed rate cut is 'very positive sign' for economy: Yellen
- Unknown Mozart string trio discovered in Germany
- 'Are we five-year-olds?' F1 drivers won't mind their language
- Brazil judge orders X to reimpose block or face hefty fine
- Munich to rename stadium street after Beckenbauer
- Champions Italy to face Argentina in Davis Cup Final 8
- The winding, fitful path to weight loss drug Ozempic
- Italians defeat American Magic to reach Louis Vuitton Cup final
- Norris has 'nothing to lose' as he hunts Verstappen in Singapore
- Kyiv 'outraged' at Swiss showing of Russian war film
- French city renames Abbe Pierre square after abuse claims
- Footballer charged after huge cannabis seizure at UK airport
- Vatican recognises Medjugorje shrine, but not Virgin's messages
- Bank of England freezes rate after jumbo US cut
- Playing Nadal is 'kind of a nightmare', says Alcaraz
- Portugal tackles last of deadly northern forest fires
- Ton-up Ashwin lifts India to 339-6 against Bangladesh
- Departing NATO chief warns US against 'isolationism'
- Coming winter 'sternest test yet' for Ukraine energy grid
- Evacuations as tail of Storm Boris floods northeast Italy
- Lebanon's Hezbollah reeling after second wave of deadly blasts
- Taiwan recognises same-sex marriages between Chinese, Taiwanese
- Stock markets rally after jumbo US rate cut
- Gabon's ousted leader Bongo says renouncing politics for good
- Lebanon device blasts: what we know about deadly attacks
- Late Harrods owner Al-Fayed accused of rape: BBC
- Hong Kong man sentenced 14 months for wearing 'seditious' T-shirt
- Lebanon's Hezbollah in disarray after second wave of deadly blasts
- Meta and Spotify blast EU decisions on AI
- Hasan takes three as Bangladesh rattle India in first Test
- Two killed during police operation in New Caledonia
- Flood-hit region leaders to meet in Poland to discuss EU aid
- Sri Lanka to vote in first poll since economic collapse
- Hong Kong probe finds Cathay Airbus defect could cause 'extensive' damage
- AI development cannot be left to market whim, UN experts warn
- All Blacks primed for 'hell' of a Wallabies clash
- Zoom fatigue? Try some nature in your background: study
- Japan walkie-talkie maker says investigating after Lebanon blasts
- Slipper to become most-capped Wallaby in All Blacks clash
- Tokyo surges on weak yen as Asian traders cheer big US rate cut
- Vast France building project sunk by sea level rise fears
- UK campaigners in green energy standoff reject 'nimby' label
- Rainbow warriors: Three things to watch at cycling world championships
CMSC | -0.18% | 25.01 | $ | |
BCC | 3.98% | 142.745 | $ | |
AZN | 0.58% | 79.035 | $ | |
SCS | -7.3% | 13.15 | $ | |
CMSD | 0.08% | 25 | $ | |
BP | 2.25% | 33.175 | $ | |
BTI | -0.53% | 37.68 | $ | |
NGG | -2.08% | 68.625 | $ | |
GSK | -1.05% | 41.99 | $ | |
RYCEF | 5.48% | 6.93 | $ | |
JRI | -0.45% | 13.38 | $ | |
BCE | -0.44% | 35.455 | $ | |
RBGPF | 5.79% | 60.5 | $ | |
VOD | -1.78% | 10.051 | $ | |
RIO | 3.84% | 65.425 | $ | |
RELX | 1.25% | 47.97 | $ |
India coal expansion risks massive methane growth: report
India's plans to expand coal mining could double emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane from its domestic coal sector by 2029, threatening its climate goals, a report warned Thursday.
Methane is the second-most abundant greenhouse gas produced by human activity, after carbon dioxide. It breaks down faster but has a more powerful effect in the short term.
Coal mining is a key source of methane, which leaks from vents, open pits and cracks in the ground.
India is already one of the world's leading sources of coal-mine methane emissions, as well as the second-biggest producer, importer and consumer of the fossil fuel.
To meet rapidly growing energy demand, it plans to boost domestic coal production from 982 million tonnes to more than 1.5 billion tonnes by 2030, according to the coal ministry.
The planned expansions could more than double coal mine-related methane emissions by 2029 from a decade earlier, the report by independent energy think tank Ember said.
That projection is based on the methodology India uses to calculate its existing coal mine-linked methane emissions.
India has committed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070.
But the planned coal expansion "poses a considerable risk for the country's domestic emissions reduction plans and will have a profound short-term warming impact", Ember warned.
India, the world's most populous country, faces a conundrum as it seeks to honour its climate commitments while meeting skyrocketing demand for energy and supporting its fast-growing economy.
Ember acknowledged that the "unprecedented increases" in demand for electricity in India are outstripping renewables capacity.
It proposed that India should invest in mitigation technology that could capture methane and even allow it to be used in place of imported gas, potentially saving money.
The European Union and the United States launched a "Global Methane Pledge" in 2021 under which countries commit to slashing emissions of the greenhouse gas 30 percent from 2020 levels by the end of this decade.
More than 150 countries have signed up -- but not China, India or Russia.
Researchers found this month concentrations of methane are rising at an accelerating pace and quicker than those of any other major greenhouse gas.
While methane is also produced by agriculture and landfills, much of the increase is linked to coal extraction and oil and gas production.
A report last week also sounded the alarm on methane emissions from planned Chinese coal mine expansions.
Global Energy Monitor, an NGO, said China has an additional 1.2 billion tonnes of coal capacity in development, more than half the global pipeline.
E.Ramalho--PC