Coal-CCUS combo can fortify India’s energy security and uphold NDCs

Amidst a global economy complicated by trade wars and shifting ESG regulations, India has been an exemplar when it comes to upholding sovereign climate commitments. By 2024, India had reduced its GHG intensity (greenhouse gas emissions per GDP) by 39% compared to 2005 levels, making substantial progress toward its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) goal of a 45% reduction by 2030. In fact, various models project that India will accomplish a 48-57% reduction in GHG intensity by 2030, far outperforming its commitment. As on mid-2025, India’s share of installed energy capacity from non-fossil sources surpassed 50%, five years ahead of its 2030 NDC target. Based on current trajectory, the nation’s total non-fossil capacity is also expected to better its 2030 goal of 500 gigawatts. Earlier this June, India promulgated its Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), a market-based carbon pricing mechanism that will go live by 2026. This scheme will help cascade NDC accountability to high-emissions sectors and add further momentum to business sector decarbonisation.