·         The draft choices taken at COP28 in Dubai, the UAE have suggested the decrease and expulsion of fossil fuel byproducts utilizing Carbon Catch and Capacity (CCS) and Carbon-Dioxide Evacuation (CDR) advancements.

·         The combustion of fossil fuels without the use of CCS technologies to capture their emissions is referred to as "unabated fossil fuels."

·         Draft choice texts highlight a need to "get rid of" such unabated petroleum products.

CCS and CDR: what are they?

Carbon Capture and storage (CCS):

·         CCS alludes to innovations that can catch carbon dioxide (CO₂) at a wellspring of discharges before it is delivered into the air.

·         These sources incorporate the petroleum derivative industry (where coal, oil and gas are combusted to create power) and modern cycles like steel and concrete creation.

Removal of Carbon Dioxide (CDR):

·         Direct air capture, in which machines imitate trees by absorbing CO2 from their surroundings and storing it underground, is one form of CDR. Other forms of CDR include natural methods like afforestation or reforestation and technological ones like CDR.

·         Additionally, there are more intricate CDR technologies like enhanced rock weathering, in which rocks are chemically broken down; CO2 can be removed from the atmosphere by the rock particles that result.

·         Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and other technologies capture and store CO2 from burning biomass like wood.

How well do CCS and CDR have to work?

·         The IPCC's 6th Evaluation Report (AR6) vigorously depends on these advances for projections in accomplishing the objective of restricting a dangerous atmospheric devation to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

·         The IPCC's assessed scenarios assume that the world can sequester 5 billion tonnes of CO2 by 2040, with a chance of less than 50% of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. India's current annual CO2 emissions are exceeded by this scale of sequestration.

·         There's no pathway in AR6 to accomplish the 1.5 degrees Celsius focus without the mix of CDR advances.

·         Within seven years, there is a significant risk of exceeding the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit due to current emission rates. Relieving outflows exclusively through direct measures (like sustainable power reception) would be almost incomprehensible at this stage, requiring significant dependence on CDR.

What difficulties do CCS and CDR present?

Bounce back Outflows Concerns:

·         There are concerns that the presence of CCS and CDR may unintentionally provide additional space for continued emissions.

·         This peculiarity could prompt expanded outflows or delayed dependence on petroleum derivatives as opposed to changing to environmentally friendly power sources.

Petroleum product Reliance:

·         By injecting captured CO2 into oil fields, CCS has sometimes been used to extract more oil, potentially prolonging rather than reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

Problems with Land Equity:

·         The need for land limits CDR techniques like afforestation, reforestation, BECCS, and direct air capture.

·         Land in the Global South is frequently regarded as "viable" and/or "cost-effective" for the implementation of other large-scale CDR methods and the planting of trees.

As a consequence of this, CDR projects of this kind have the potential to have a negative impact on the rights to land held by indigenous communities, biodiversity, and other forms of land use, such as agriculture, which is essential for ensuring food security.

·         The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution issued a directive to restrict the production of ethanol from sugarcane juice and syrup, an essential component of Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP).

·         The Indian government has carried out rigid measures to sustain homegrown sugar accessibility. At first, it forced a restriction on sugar trades.

What is Ethanol Mixing?

Ethanol:

·         It is one of the primary Biofuels, which is normally delivered by the maturation of sugars by yeasts or through petrochemical cycles like ethylene hydration.

Ethanol is 99.9% unadulterated liquor that can be mixed with petroleum.

Ethanol Mixing Project (EBP):

·         It aims to cut carbon emissions, increase farmers' incomes, and lessen the country's reliance on crude oil imports.

·         The Public authority of India has progressed the objective for 20% ethanol mixing in petroleum (likewise called E20) to 2025 from 2030.

·         The average amount of ethanol mixed with gasoline in India has increased from 1.6% in 2013-2014 to 11.8% in 2022-23.

Why has the government prevented sugar from being diverted to the production of ethanol?

Concerns About a Lack of Sugar:

·         There are worries about a possible lack of sugar production.

·         The transition to limit the redirection of sugarcane juice or syrup for ethanol creation is pointed toward tending to this expected lack.

Putting food ahead of fuel:

·         The decision shows that food production (sugar) is more important than fuel production (ethanol).

·         By underlining the development of sugar, a basic item in India, the public authority lines up with the need of guaranteeing Food Security and accessibility for purchasers.

Overseeing Supply-Request Elements:

·         The sugar market's delicate equilibrium between supply and demand is being attempted to be managed by the government. It hopes to stabilize sugar availability and possibly reduce market price volatility by limiting diversion for ethanol production.

What Effects Will This Action Have?

Effect on the Production of Ethanol:

·         This decision reduces the volume of ethanol produced from this high-value feedstock, which affects approximately 28% of total ethanol production.

·         Sugar mills' earnings are expected to be impacted by the prohibition on using sugarcane juice or syrup for ethanol production, given that these feedstocks are more expensive than others.

Obstacles for Ethanol Blending Companies:

The public authority plans to raise the ethanol fuel-mixing objective from 12% to 15% in 2023-24 and has set an objective of accomplishing 20% ethanol mixing in petroleum by 2025-26.

·         However, meeting these goals may become more difficult given the restriction on the use of sugarcane syrup and juice for the production of ethanol.

What other sources of ethanol production are there?

·         Grains: Starch in cereal grains like wheat, barley, and corn (maize) can be fermented into sugars that can be used to make ethanol.

·         Cellulosic Biomass: Agrarian buildups (corn stover, wheat straw), ranger service deposits, committed energy crops (switchgrass, miscanthus), and metropolitan strong waste contain cellulose and hemicellulose that can be separated into sugars for ethanol maturation.

·         Rice: Excess rice, including broken or harmed grains, can likewise act as a hotspot for ethanol creation. The starch content in rice can be changed over into sugars for aging.

Leafy foods: Grapes and potatoes, two examples of high-sugar fruits and vegetables, can be used to make ethanol.