According to official figures released on Tuesday, India's greenhouse gas emissions increased by 58 percent between 1994 and 2007. This growth was largely driven by the coal-reliant power sector, which almost doubled its emissions during this period. In 2007, total emissions reached 1.9 billion tonnes, compared to 1.2 billion tonnes in 1994. The industry and transport sectors also saw an increase in emissions, solidifying India's position as one of the top five carbon polluters globally. Despite this significant growth, India still has relatively low per-capita emissions, about one-tenth of the United States. The power sector was responsible for 719.30 million tonnes of emissions in 2007, up from 355.03 million tonnes in 1994, while the transport sector's emissions increased from 80.28 million tonnes to 142.04 million tonnes during the same period. Industrial emissions increased by more than 30 percent during the same period, while emissions from the agriculture sector decreased slightly from 1994 to 2007. The report emphasizes India's growing importance in U.N.-led climate negotiations to replace the Kyoto Protocol, stressing the need for major developing nations to be included in global efforts to combat climate change. Figures from the government report, released by Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh in New Delhi, reveal that India is nearing Russia as the world's third largest greenhouse gas emitter, with nearly 2.2 billion tonnes emitted in 2007. China remains the largest emitter of greenhouse gases. The United States is ranked second in emissions, with Russia's emissions increasing at a slower rate than India's. India's economy is growing rapidly at about 8 percent a year as it works to bring millions out of poverty, leading to investments in various industries including coal-fired power stations, steel mills, cement plants, mining, and renewable energy. In 2007, the emissions of the United States and China were nearly four times that of India. India's GDP energy intensity decreased by over 30 percent from 1994 to 2007 due to proactive efforts and policies. He stated that this is a trend they plan to keep going. Energy intensity is the measure of energy used per unit of gross domestic product. India has a goal of reducing carbon intensity by 20 to 25 percent by 2020 compared to 2005 levels. The most recent official report on India's emissions to the United Nations is from 1994, as developing countries like India are not required to report emissions annually like wealthier nations. The latest data on emissions from industrialized nations is from 2007. Despite India's new climate plan focusing on renewable energy like solar power, coal remains the primary source of energy in a country where almost half of the 1.1 billion population lacks access to electricity. India holds 10 percent of the world's coal reserves and plans to increase power generation by 78.7 gigawatts by March 2012, with most of it coming from coal, currently making up 60 percent of the nation's energy mix. While developing nations are responsible for over half of global greenhouse gas emissions, India is expected to see a rise in emissions despite efforts to embrace renewable energy and improve energy efficiency. A government report predicts India's greenhouse gas emissions could reach between 4 billion and 7.3 billion tonnes in 2031, but per-capita emissions would still be below the global average.