The Carbon Neutral Kerala 2050 pathway is a long-term roadmap for the State’s transition towards a sustainable, low-carbon, and climate-smart future. Prepared by the Directorate of Environment and Climate Change (DoECC), Government of Kerala, in partnership with Vasudha Foundation, the pathway builds on Kerala’s State Greenhouse Gas Inventory and the Kerala State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC 2023–30). Together, these provide the scientific and policy foundation for this work.

The pathway provides an in-depth analysis of key emitting sectors and outlines potential pathways to carbon neutrality. Employing a comprehensive approach, it analyses current and historical emissions, evaluates the energy mix, projects future energy trajectories at the sectoral level, and presents a holistic decarbonisation plan tailored to the State’s specific needs. In addition, the pathway includes a focused analysis of the electricity sector, detailing targeted decarbonisation strategies aimed at achieving carbon neutrality in the State’s electricity needs.

Methodology

Carbon Neutral Kerala 2050 pathway was developed through an iterative and consultative process involving key state departments, sectoral agencies, technical institutions, and domain experts. Three major stakeholder consultations were held with the participation of 84 representatives across 40 stakeholder departments, organisations and institutions. In addition, a series of stakeholder consultation meetings and inter-departmental discussions were conducted to validate assumptions, refine sectoral pathways, and ensure alignment with existing policies and implementation realities. Inputs from these consultations were systematically incorporated into the modelling framework and policy recommendations, ensuring that the proposed pathway is both technically robust and institutionally feasible.

Scenario framework: BAU and CN50

The transition is evaluated across two trajectories, emphasising the necessity of radical policy shifts over incremental adjustments. The business-as-usual (BAU) scenario assumes growth aligned with current trajectories (e.g., EV Policy 2019), consistent efficiency levels, and continued reliance on LPG/biomass for thermal needs. The CN50 scenario mandates deep electrification, rapid adoption of green hydrogen, and aggressive deployment of storage technologies to eliminate fossil fuel reliance.

Energy and Emission Comparison of BAU and CN50

Key interventions across sectors

The CN50 pathway identifies and evaluates potential strategies across energy and non-energy sectors. Each sector’s annual mitigation potential (AMP) represents its contribution to reducing gross emissions from the 2021 baseline of 22.18 MtCO₂e, while annual sequestration potential (ASP) represents its contribution to carbon removals through natural and enhanced sinks.

Transport | Annual mitigation potential: 7.21 MtCO₂e (27.83% of gross emissions)

• 100% EV share in new sales of 2Ws, 3Ws, and 4Ws
• Addition of ~53,000 electric buses to stock
• Electrification of fishing boats and long-haul trucks

Buildings | Annual mitigation potential: 2.56 MtCO₂e (9.90% of gross emissions)

• 50% of cooking demand met through e-cookstoves
• 41 lakh households shift from LPG to piped natural gas (PNG)
• Adoption of 3–5 star energy-efficient (EE) cooling solutions

Agriculture | Annual mitigation potential: 0.90 MtCO₂e (3.46% of gross emissions)

• Adoption of 16,000 electric/solar pumps by 2030, and 20,000 e-tractors by 2050
• Livestock: Improved feed (80%) and manure management (75%)
• Organic inputs (50%) + Enhanced efficiency fertilizers (25%)
• Transition to climate-smart rice systems (alternate wetting and drying, system of rice intensification and direct seeded rice)

Industry & IPPU | Annual mitigation potential: 2.17 MtCO₂e (8.36% of gross emissions)

• Electrification of 60% of industrial heating
• Green hydrogen use for ammonia production, mobility, the marine sector, and long-haul trucks
• 100% RE-based captive power generation

Waste | Annual mitigation potential: 1.54 MtCO₂e (5.93% of gross emissions)

• Domestic Wastewater
  • Faecal sludge management for existing and proposed sewage treatment plants, and 194 MLD centralised treatment in urban areas
  • Household-level septic tanks with 176 faecal sludge treatment plants
• 100% industrial wastewater treatment through effluent treatment plants

Carbon sequestration | Annual sequestration potential: 23.91 MtCO₂e (92.33% of gross emissions)

• Sustain annual net increase in forest carbon stock to maintain baseline sequestration: 14.63 MtCO₂e.
• Enhance carbon stock density of existing forests
• Expand mangrove cover from 21.15 sq. km to 100.60 sq. km
• Agro forestry in 630 sq. km of barren/fallow land

Way forward

The CN50 pathway’s implementation will require coordinated action across sectors, alignment of institutional and financial systems, and sustained stakeholder engagement, while retaining flexibility to respond to emerging technologies and evolving development priorities.

Sectoral departments will play a primary role in designing and executing interventions, supported by integration with existing planning processes. Implementation will follow a sector-led, decentralised approach enabling context-specific planning at the local governance level.

Mobilising public finance, enabling access to climate finance, and facilitating private sector participation are critical. Along with this, an enabling ecosystem for technology adoption and innovation will further be strengthened through improved linkages between research, industry, and implementation systems, supporting effective deployment and diffusion of low-carbon solutions.

A robust approach to monitoring and review will be essential to track progress and guide decision-making, with periodic refinement of strategies to ensure continued alignment with technological, economic, and policy developments.

About this publication

Suggested citation: DoECC and Vasudha Foundation, 2026. Kerala Carbon Neutral Pathway 2050. Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, Department of Environment, Government of Kerala.
Published: June 2026  
Publisher: Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, Government of Kerala and Vasudha Foundation  
Pages: 180