The neo rich urban middle class Indians match citizens in the developed world in releasing carbon dioxide, which warms up the globe and trigger climate change.
The per capita emission of carbon dioxide gas from Indians with a monthly income higher than Rs 30,000 is 4.97 tonnes, which is comparable with the global average of 5.03 tonnes, says a Greenpeace survey released here on Tuesday.
The emissions come from the electrical and electronic appliances they use at home and offices, cooking fuel and increasing use of two-wheeler and four-wheeler vehicles ignoring the public transport system.
Rich v/s Poor
The per capita emission of this rich group comprising merely one per cent of Indian population, is higher than China’s country average of 3.79 tonnes and much above India’s national average of 1.67 tonnes.
The carbon footprint of a relatively small wealthy class is camouflaged by 823 million poor who are forced to use coal, wood and other biomass for cooking.
India’s large population base particularly for the low income community hides high emission of the rich by bringing down the overall per capita emission figure.
“More than 150 million Indians are emitting above the sustainable limit that needs to be maintained to restrict global temperature rise within the two degrees Celsius limit,” said G Ananthapadmanabhan, executive director of Greenpeace India.
The report is based on energy consumption patterns in 819 households from seven different income classes across four metros, medium and small towns and rural areas. Greenpeace claims that the numbers are “statistically significant”.
Pressure on India
Though India does not have any international commitment on cutting down the green house gas emissions as per the Kyoto Protocol, pressures are now gradually building up to force India for emission reduction commitments after 2012 when the protocol expires.
Asking the government to follow the “polluter pays” principle, Greenpeace says the emissions from the higher income group need to be regulated so that the poor and underprivileged are protected from disastrous consequences of climate change like increase in flood, drought and erratic monsoon.
