The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to submit a comprehensive report on nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from rice paddies in India. The tribunal acted on a petition highlighting the severe climate implications of unregulated agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, particularly from paddy cultivation which is the backbone of India's food security.

N2O is approximately 300 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide (CO2) over a 100-year timeframe. Unlike CO2, N2O also depletes the stratospheric ozone layer, compounding its environmental harm. India, being one of the world's largest rice producers, has vast paddy cultivation areas that release significant N2O through nitrogen fertiliser application and microbial activity in flooded fields.

The NGT has specifically asked the Agriculture Ministry to outline six strategies developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to mitigate N2O emissions from paddy fields. These ICAR strategies include: matching nitrogen supply with crop demand; minimizing fallow periods to limit mineral nitrogen accumulation; optimizing split nitrogen application schemes; using controlled or slow-release fertilizers; using nitrification inhibitors; and optimizing tillage, irrigation and drainage.

The ruling carries significant implications for India's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. India has committed to reducing emissions intensity of GDP by 45% by 2030. The agriculture sector, contributing around 14% of India's total GHG emissions, is a critical domain for meeting NDC targets. Unaddressed N2O emissions from paddy cultivation could undermine these commitments.

For RPSC aspirants, this issue connects environmental law (NGT jurisdiction), climate science (GHGs), agricultural policy (ICAR), and India's international climate obligations — all relevant to Paper II and Paper III.