BharatNotes Decarbonisation
nounUsage in a UPSC answer
India's pursuit of net-zero by 2070 hinges on the decarbonisation of its power and transport sectors, demanding a calibrated shift towards renewables, green hydrogen, and electric mobility without compromising energy security or the livelihoods tied to coal-dependent regions.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word Family
decarbonise (v), decarbonised (adj), decarbonising (v pres.p), decarbonisation (n), decarboniser (n)
Root
Latin de- = removal/reversal + carbo = coal, charcoal + -isation = process of making
Etymology
From English de- ("removal") + carbon (from Latin carbo, "coal, charcoal") + -isation (suffix denoting a process); earliest known use in the 1830s, originally referring to removal of carbon from metals, with the climate-policy sense emerging in the late 20th century.
Memory Hook
De- (remove) + carbon — literally "de-carbon-ising" the economy: take the carbon OUT of how we make energy.
How This Word Works in UPSC Writing
The reduction and eventual elimination of carbon dioxide emissions from an economy. The distinction that carries most of the argument is between absolute and intensity targets, since an absolute target caps total emissions while an intensity target limits emissions per unit of output or GDP, permitting the total to rise if the economy grows faster, and India's Nationally Determined Contribution uses the second, which is the crux of its equity position. Sectorally the task divides unevenly: power and transport are comparatively tractable through renewables and electrification, whereas steel, cement, fertiliser and refining are hard to abate because the emissions arise from process chemistry rather than from the energy source, which is precisely why green hydrogen matters. India's market instrument is the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme under the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2022, in which around 740 obligated entities across notified sectors hold intensity targets, with the first compliance date for 2025-26 falling on 31 July 2026.
Don’t Confuse It With
Decarbonisation removes carbon dioxide from an economy's activity, whereas net zero permits residual emissions provided they are balanced by removals, so the two are not synonyms. An absolute target caps total emissions while an intensity target limits them per unit of output, allowing totals to rise if output grows faster. Cap and trade fixes a quantity of emissions and lets the price adjust, whereas India's baseline and credit design sets an intensity benchmark and issues credits for beating it. Hard to abate names sectors whose emissions come from process chemistry rather than energy use.
Hindi Meaning
डीकार्बनीकरण; कार्बन उत्सर्जन में कमी descriptively.
Common Questions
- What is the difference between an absolute and an intensity emissions target?
- An absolute target caps total emissions, while an intensity target limits emissions per unit of output or GDP, so total emissions may still rise if the economy grows faster than intensity falls.
- How does India's carbon credit scheme work?
- Obligated entities receive emission intensity targets per unit of output; those who beat their target earn tradable Carbon Credit Certificates, and those who miss it must buy and surrender certificates to comply.
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