Limiting global warming will require major transitions in the energy sector and this will mean drastically reducing fossil fuel use, widespread electrification, improved energy efficiency, and the use of alternative fuels, a consortium of scientists part of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said in a statement on Monday. These scientists were part of the Working Group 3, or those with expertise to analyse how best the impact of greenhouse gas emissions could be mitigated.
An aspect of the report, of particular relevance to India, is that there is no place for new coal plants. The panel finds that all coal-fired power plants, without the technology to capture and store carbon (CCS), need to be shuttered by 2050 if the world aspired to limit global temperature rise to 1.5c.
According to the Central Electricity Authority, India has about 211 GW of operational coal-fired power plants — roughly 10% of global capacity. As per Global Energy Monitor data, another 31 GW was being constructed and about 24 GW in various pre-construction phases. None of the existing under construction coal-fired power plants in India have CCS facilities.
