India's carbon paradox: third-largest emitter but per-capita footprint ranks 131st globally

India is the world's third-largest greenhouse gas emitter, responsible for 8.3% of global emissions, but its per-capita footprint ranks 131st, well below the global average. Emissions have grown at 3.6% annually since 1990, more than twice the global rate of 1.5%. This gap reflects India's large population, which now makes up nearly 18% of the world's total. The power sector overtook agriculture as the top emissions source in 2010, and the gap has widened since. Prime Minister Modi argues that responsibility for emissions has been wrongly placed on developing countries. The article highlights the tension between absolute emissions and per-capita fairness, and points to grid decarbonization as the main lever for future reductions.