India’s emissions from ACs equal to that of cars now, set to double by 2035: Report

NEW DELHI: Air conditioners will become India’s biggest greenhouse gas-emitting appliance by 2030, with total emissions projected to more than double to 329 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) by 2035, a new survey has found.

The national survey by Delhi-based think tank iFOREST said ACs released 156 million tonnes CO2e in 2024 alone, equal to emissions from all passenger cars in the country. Of this, 52 million tonnes CO2e came from refrigerant leaks.

The report suggested extended producer responsibility, a national refrigerant database…