NTPC world's third biggest polluting firm

NEW DELHI: China and India, the world's two fastest growing economies, have earned the dubious distinction of being home to some of the biggest polluting firms across the globe, with power producer NTPC occupying the third position worldwide in terms of carbon dioxide emission.
   
Within India, 17 of the 20 biggest polluters happen to be public sector enterprises, including NTPC, according to a list culled out from Carbon Monitoring for Action (CARMA), a US-based database.

The three private sector firms among India's 20 biggest emitters of carbon dioxide include -- RPG Group's CESC Ltd, Aditya Birla group's Hindalco Industries and Anil Ambani group's Reliance Energy at 16th, 18th and 20th positions respectively.

Worldwide, China's state-run Huaneng Power International has been ranked the largest polluter, with South Africa's Eskom placed second. China Huadian Group and China Power Investment Corp ended up as the fourth and fifth largest polluters in the global list.

CARMA is financed by Confronting Climate Change Initiative of Washington-based independent think-tank Center for Global Development.

The study compiled data on all firms involved in power generation - for commercial or captive use. The companies were ranked on the basis of factors including carbon emissions, energy generated, intensity, and usage of fossil, hydro, nuclear and other renewable sources.

In terms of total carbon emission in a country, the US was named as the most polluting nation with 2,790 million tons of emissions, followed by China and Russia at the second and third positions. India was ranked at the fourth spot with 583 million tons, while Japan occupied the fifth rank with 400 million tons.

However, according to CARMA, as many as 533 companies out of 936 in the power producing business in India have zero carbon dioxide emissions.

In the top-five of the global list, China's Huaneng Power International emits the maximum amount of carbon dioxide (292 million tons), followed by South Africa's Eskom (214 MT), NTPC (182 MT), China Huadian Group (176 MT) and China Power Investment Corp (173 MT).

After NTPC, the next Indian company on the global list is Maharashtra State Power Gen Co, ranked at 44th position.

The top-ten Indian list is dominated by state electricity utilities of Maharashtra (2nd), Gujarat (3rd), Uttar Pradesh (4th), Andhra Pradesh (5th), Tamil Nadu (7th), West Bengal (8th), Madhya Pradesh (9th) and Punjab (10th).

Neyveli Lignite Corp stood at the sixth position, while Damodar Valley Corp figured in the 11th spot. The next four positions were occupied by state utilities of Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Karnataka.
   
Public sector firms ONGC, Coal India, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam and India Oil also figured among the 50 top polluting firms in India, along with private sector firms like Reliance Industries, Tata Power, GMR, GVK Industries, JSW Energy, ACC and Grasim-Aditya Birla Cement.
    
In the global list, Anil Ambani group's REL was ranked at 556th.

Suzlon Energy, Adani Group, Larsen and Toubro, Torrent Power, Ultratech Cement Ltd, Uttar Pradesh Jal Vidyut Nigam and Tehri Hydro Development Corp were named among companies with zero carbon levels.