According to official figures released on Tuesday, India's greenhouse gas emissions increased by 58 percent between 1994 and 2007. This growth was mainly due to the coal-reliant power sector, which nearly doubled its share in emissions during this time period. Total emissions reached 1.9 billion tonnes in 2007, up from 1.2 billion in 1994, with the industry and transport sectors also contributing more to emissions in India, confirming the country's position among the top five carbon polluters in the world. In comparison, India's increase in emissions between 1994 and 2007 exceeded the total annual emissions of Australia. Despite this 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 saw its emissions increase to 142.04 million tonnes from 80.28 million tonnes during the same period. Industrial emissions increased by just over 30% during the same time period, while emissions from the agriculture sector slightly decreased from 1994-2007 as its share in the Indian economy declined. The report emphasizes India's growing importance in U.N.-led climate negotiations to replace the Kyoto Protocol and the necessity of involving major developing countries in global efforts to combat climate change. Data from the government report, unveiled by Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh at a conference in New Delhi, indicates that India is approaching Russia as the third largest greenhouse gas emitter worldwide, with emissions totaling nearly 2.2 billion tonnes in 2007. China remains the top emitter of greenhouse gases linked to global warming. The United States ranks second in emissions, with Russia's emissions growing slower than India's due to its rapidly expanding economy. India's focus on lifting citizens out of poverty has led to increased investments in various industries, including coal, steel, cement, mining, and renewable energy. In 2007, the emissions of the United States and China were nearly four times higher than those of India. Additionally, India has successfully reduced its energy intensity by over 30 percent between 1994 and 2007 through proactive efforts and policies. He stated that they plan to keep up this trend. Energy intensity measures the energy used per unit of gross domestic product. India has a target to reduce carbon intensity by 20 to 25 percent by 2020 compared to 2005 levels. The last official report to the United Nations on India's emissions was in 1994 since as a developing country, India is not required to report annual emissions like wealthy nations. The most recent UN emissions data for developed countries is from 2007. Even though India has introduced a new climate plan that emphasizes renewable energy, like solar power, coal continues to be the main source of energy in a country where nearly half of the 1.1 billion population lacks access to electricity. India has a significant portion of the world's coal reserves and plans to increase power generation primarily from coal in the next five years. Currently, coal makes up about 60 percent of the nation's energy mix. While developing nations are responsible for more than half of global greenhouse gas emissions, this number is expected to rise as they transition to renewable energy and improve energy efficiency. A recent government report predicted that India's greenhouse gas emissions could increase significantly by 2031, but per-capita emissions would still be lower than the global average.