India sorely needs fuel saving for transport: CSE

More than 40 percent of the oil and oil products in India go into running vehicles, but no serious efforts towards a fuel saving roadmap for the sector are in sight, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said Wednesday.

The report from the CSE says India is the only major vehicle producing country in the world without fuel saving standards for cars.

"More than 40 percent of the oil and oil products in the country go into running vehicles. In fact, if this guzzling continues unabated, it can virtually wipe out the gains of fuel savings from all other steps, and undermine all efforts at reducing climate change risks," said Sunita Narain, CSE director general.

According to the analysis that the CSE presented, India will be importing 94 percent of its crude oil by 2030. However, the country is making no serious efforts to prepare a fuel saving roadmap for all modes of transport.

"Our oil import bill is already close to seven percent of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and import dependence has made India vulnerable to oil price shocks," she said.

"At the same time, the environment ministry inventory shows that the transportation sector is the fourth largest emitter of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in India, while it remains the key emitter of toxics. Cities are becoming energy guzzlers and heat trappers," she said.

The CSE said that while the Indian government is dreaming big on energy security, a nightmare scenario is unfolding, with the potential to shatter all visions of energy independence.

"Estimates show that by delaying enforcement of standards, the country is losing enormous quantities of fuel," the analysis said.

The CSE said the flip-flop on car fuel conservation standards is delaying standards for other vehicle segments like buses.

"The bus sector is already facing enormous fuel cost burden because of worsening fuel efficiency of buses. While CNG bus fuel efficiency in Delhi is stagnating, diesel bus fuel efficiency in other cities like Bengaluru are worsening. Increased fuel prices are compounding the operational costs," the report said.