Carbon Footprint of Karnataka: Accounting of Sources and Sinks
83
Karnataka with an increase in built-up and agriculture areas. The total AGB of forests
is about 1013.7 Tg (Teragram) with stored carbon of 506.8 Tg (in 1985) which is now
reduced to 678 Tg and 339 Tg, respectively (2019). The temporal decline of AGB
values in the districts of Kodagu, Shimoga, Uttara Kannada, and Dakshina Kannada
is due to anthropogenic pressure. The districts of Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, Udupi,
Chikmagalur have higher carbon sequestration potential due to high forest cover
as compared with the other parts of the state. Forest ecosystem sequesters 11% of
emissions. The industrial activities (29%), energy generation (28%), transportation
(25%), and paddy cultivation (13%) are the major contributors to the total emission of the state. The grids of Western Ghats have good sequestration potential with
the least emission as compared across the other regions. The state is contributing
5% GHG emissions of India’s total and signifies the necessity of policy interventions. The study has further suggested improving the carbon sequestration potential
by various management initiatives such as promoting reduced use of fossil fuels;
increasing forest cover by large scale afforestation with native species, providing
employment to the rural women for creating nurseries, effectively managing water
resources; promoting alternative or developing inexpensive materials and sustainable technologies for reducing carbon footprint; promoting drought-resistant native
crops; developing disaster-resilient buildings and other infrastructure.
Acknowledgements We are grateful to the European Union for funding the NCAVES Project
and the UNSD and UN Environment for leading the NCAVES Project globally and supporting its
management and implementation in Karnataka, India.
Annexure-I
The major industries of Karnataka (Figure A) and their installed capacity have been
shown in Table A and their respective emissions.
Industries considered and their emissions
Sno
Latitude Longitude Industry
Installed
capacity
Tons
CO 2 Emission
Gg
1
13.830
75.702
Visvesvaraya Iron and
Steel Plant (VISL)
98,280
62.41
2
13.841
75.701
Visvesvaraya Iron and
Steel Plant (VISL)
216,000
137.17
3
12.359
76.630
Mysore steel
150,000
95.26
4
15.177
76.666
JSW Steel, Hospet
12,000,000
7620.43
5
15.337
76.253
Kalyani Steels Ltd
(KSL)
290,000
184.16
6
15.308
76.212
Xindia steels
800,000
508.03
(continued)
83
Karnataka with an increase in built-up and agriculture areas. The total AGB of forests
is about 1013.7 Tg (Teragram) with stored carbon of 506.8 Tg (in 1985) which is now
reduced to 678 Tg and 339 Tg, respectively (2019). The temporal decline of AGB
values in the districts of Kodagu, Shimoga, Uttara Kannada, and Dakshina Kannada
is due to anthropogenic pressure. The districts of Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, Udupi,
Chikmagalur have higher carbon sequestration potential due to high forest cover
as compared with the other parts of the state. Forest ecosystem sequesters 11% of
emissions. The industrial activities (29%), energy generation (28%), transportation
(25%), and paddy cultivation (13%) are the major contributors to the total emission of the state. The grids of Western Ghats have good sequestration potential with
the least emission as compared across the other regions. The state is contributing
5% GHG emissions of India’s total and signifies the necessity of policy interventions. The study has further suggested improving the carbon sequestration potential
by various management initiatives such as promoting reduced use of fossil fuels;
increasing forest cover by large scale afforestation with native species, providing
employment to the rural women for creating nurseries, effectively managing water
resources; promoting alternative or developing inexpensive materials and sustainable technologies for reducing carbon footprint; promoting drought-resistant native
crops; developing disaster-resilient buildings and other infrastructure.
Acknowledgements We are grateful to the European Union for funding the NCAVES Project
and the UNSD and UN Environment for leading the NCAVES Project globally and supporting its
management and implementation in Karnataka, India.
Annexure-I
The major industries of Karnataka (Figure A) and their installed capacity have been
shown in Table A and their respective emissions.
Industries considered and their emissions
Sno
Latitude Longitude Industry
Installed
capacity
Tons
CO 2 Emission
Gg
1
13.830
75.702
Visvesvaraya Iron and
Steel Plant (VISL)
98,280
62.41
2
13.841
75.701
Visvesvaraya Iron and
Steel Plant (VISL)
216,000
137.17
3
12.359
76.630
Mysore steel
150,000
95.26
4
15.177
76.666
JSW Steel, Hospet
12,000,000
7620.43
5
15.337
76.253
Kalyani Steels Ltd
(KSL)
290,000
184.16
6
15.308
76.212
Xindia steels
800,000
508.03
(continued)