According to a new study published in Scientific Data, India is responsible for 0.08 degrees Celsius of global warming from the 1850s through 2021. The research, conducted by a team of experts from Europe and the United States, calculated national contributions to warming due to greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) over time.
The research published in Scientific Data found that India's emissions of CO2, CH4, and N2O have resulted in 0.04°C, 0.03°C, and 0.006°C of global warming over pre-industrial levels, respectively. Overall, India ranks fifth among the top 10 contributors to warming. The United States topped the list, with a contribution of 0.28°C (17.3%) of rise in temperature. China, Russia, and Brazil followed, with India sharing the fifth spot with Brazil.
The researchers noted that emissions from developed nations have contributed significantly to warming since the industrial revolution, and tracking national contributions to climate change can help understand the burden of responsibility carried by each country.
The study also found that the land-use and forestry sector is a significant contributor to half of the countries, with CO2 emissions from land use, land-use change, and forestry in Brazil leading to 0.04°C of warming.
The researchers emphasized that tracking national contributions to climate change can further inform the design of international policies that pursue equitable decarbonisation pathways.