Methane, black carbon threaten glaciers, warns Himachal report

Shimla: A report released by Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday has emphasised on urgent action against short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) such as methane and black carbon.According to the report titled ‘Scientific Assessment of Tackling Non-CO2 Emissions: Pathways for Himachal Pradesh', these "super pollutants" pose severe environmental and socio-economic risks for the Himalayan state. Black carbon deposits on snow reduce reflectivity, accelerating glacier melt, while methane drives near-term temperature rise, increasing the likelihood of extreme rainfall, floods, and landslides. The report identifies transport, livestock, and residential solid biomass use as the primary sources of SLCPs in Himachal Pradesh, directly affecting air quality and climate stability.
Key findings indicate that under a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario, non-CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions could surge through 2047 due to growing vehicle numbers, industrial expansion, diesel backup power demand, and persistent livestock emissions. While household particulate pollution is expected to decline with continued liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) adoption, transport, industry, and urban dust are likely to become dominant pollution sources.The report outlines practical mitigation pathways aligned with existing state programmes. Vehicle scrappage and accelerated electric vehicle adoption could reduce particulate matter (PM2.5) by 29%, nitrogen oxide (NOx) by 24%, black carbon by 20%, and methane by 60% compared to BAU, according to the report. Balanced feeding, indigenous breed promotion, improved silage, and biogas expansion could cut methane emissions by 12–27%, while boosting farmer incomes. Pollution control devices and solar-plus-storage adoption could lower emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2), NOx, PM2.5, and black carbon by up to 80% for industry and 63% for diesel backup. Recycling and composting could reduce methane and particulate matter by roughly 50%.The report concludes that Himachal Pradesh can achieve significant non-CO2 emission reductions within this decade by combining electric vehicle (EV) expansion, sustainable livestock management, LPG access, industrial scrubbers, reduced diesel dependence, and waste management initiatives, safeguarding the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.