Govt adds 4 new sectors to mandatory greenhouse gas reduction regime

Three months after bringing four traditionally high-emission sectors such as aluminium, cement, chlor-alkali and pulp and paper into targeted greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity reduction regime, Centre has included four more sectors — petroleum refinery, petrochemicals, textiles and secondary aluminium — in its ambit to help meet specific reduction targets by 2026-27 compared to a 2023-24 baseline.The rules, notified by environment ministry last week, make it mandatory for as many as 208 industrial units spread across the country to reduce GHG emissions per unit of product (emission intensity), beginning 2025-26.These industrial units will be liable to pay a penalty for non-compliance. The rules — Greenhouse Gases Emission Intensity Target (Amendment) Rules — have been notified under the compliance mechanism of the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme, 2023.Among the 208 industrial units are 173 textile units across sectors such as spinning, processing, fibre and composite; 21 petro refineries; 11 petrochemical units; and 3 secondary aluminium units.

PSEs ONGC, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum, Indian Oil and Numaligarh Refineries and large private-sector groups such as Reliance Industries have been covered under petroleum refinery and petrochemicals sectors.

The GEI targets (in tonnes of CO₂ equivalent) for 2025-26 have been calculated on a pro-rata basis for the remaining months of the current financial year. Overall reduction till 2026-27 will be in range of 3-7 per cent compared to 2023-24 levels.