Crack Grade B 1

UNFCCC, MoEFCC, NAPCC, SAPCC, INDC,

IPCC, COP, SDG & Other Environmental
Issues

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Sustainable Development and Environmental issues

Sustainable development: Sustainable development is development that meets the

needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs. It contains within it two key concepts:

 the concept of 'needs', in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to
which overriding priority should be given; and
 the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization
on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs.

For sustainable development to be achieved, it is crucial to harmonize three core

elements: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. These
elements are interconnected and all are crucial for the well-being of individuals and
societies.

Brundtland Commission: The above definition of Sustainable Development was given

by Brundtland Commission. Brundtland Commission was a commission established by
the United Nations in 1983 as World Commission on Environment and Development
(WCED). The commission was created to address the growing concern “about the
accelerating deterioration of the human environment and natural resources and the
consequences of that deterioration for economic and social development.” Thereafter, in
1987, the World Commission on Environment and Development submitted its report,
which is also known as Bruntland Commission Report wherein an effort was made to
link economic development and environment protection.

In 1992, Rio Declaration on Environment and Development codified the principle of

Sustainable Development.

The outcome of this commission was the “Brundtland Report“. The title of this report
was “Our Common Future“. This report gave the definition:“Development that meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs.” and this definition is quoted first of all when anybody discusses about the
sustainability.

Our Common Future is also known as the Brundtland Report in recognition of former
Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland's role as *Chair of the World
Commission on Environment and Development.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations' global

development network. Headquartered in New York City.

UNDP advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and
resources to help people build a better life.

It provides expert advice, training and grants support to developing countries, with
increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries. It promotes
technical and investment cooperation among nations.
The status of UNDP is that of an executive board within the United Nations General
Assembly. The UNDP Administrator is the third highest-ranking official of the United
Nations after the United Nations Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-Genera

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UNDP's role: The SDGs came into effect in January 2016, and they will continue guide
UNDP policy and funding for the next 15 years.

As the lead UN development agency, UNDP is uniquely placed to help implement the
Goals through our work in some 170 countries and territories. Our strategic plan
focuses on key areas including poverty alleviation, democratic governance and
peacebuilding, climate change and disaster risk, and economic inequality. UNDP
provides support to governments to integrate the SDGs into their national development
plans and policies. This work is already underway, as we support many countries in
accelerating progress already achieved under the Millennium Development Goals.

UNDP focuses on helping countries build and share solutions in three main areas:
Sustainable development
Democratic governance and peace building
Climate and disaster resilience

In all our activities, UNDP encourages the protection of human rights and
the empowerment of women, minorities and the poorest and most vulnerable. The
annual Human Development Report, commissioned by UNDP, focuses the global
debate on key development issues, providing new measurement tools, innovative
analysis and often controversial policy proposals. The global Report's analytical
framework and inclusive approach carry over into regional, national and local Human
Development Reports, also supported by UNDP.

UNDP has worked with the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) in
developing a strategy for effective and coherent implementation support of the new
sustainable development agenda under the acronym ‘MAPS’ (Mainstreaming,
Acceleration, and Policy Support). The Mainstreaming component of MAPS aims to
generate awareness amongst all relevant actors and help governments land the agenda
at national and local levels; and ultimately to mainstream the agenda into their national
plans, strategies and budgets. The Acceleration component focuses on helping
governments accelerate progress on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets, by
providing tools that will help identify critical constraints to faster progress and focus on
those development objectives that are more relevant to the country context.

UNDP also administers the UN Capital Development Fund, which helps developing
countries grow their economies by supplementing existing sources of capital assistance
by means of grants and loans; and UN Volunteers, which fields over 6,000 volunteers
from 160 countries in support of peace and development through volunteerism
worldwide.

Millennium Development Goals: Between 2000 and 2015, there were 8 Millennium
Development Goals with 21 targets. The MDGs targeted developing countries,
particularly the poorest, while the SDGs apply to all countries, developed and
developing.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): The 193 Member States of the United Nations
officially adopted a new sustainable development agenda entitled, “Transforming Our
World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” at the Sustainable
Development Summit held at UN Headquarters in New York in September 2015. This
agenda contains 17 Goals and 169 targets. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
start on 1 January 2016 and are expected to be achieved by 31 December 2030.
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However, some targets that build on pre-set international agreements are expected to be
achieved sooner.
This universal, integrated and transformative agenda aims to spur actions that will end
poverty and build a more sustainable world over the next 15 years. This agenda builds
on the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were adopted
in 2000 and guided development action for the last 15 years. The MDGs have proven
that global goals can lift millions out of poverty.
The decision to launch a process to develop a set of SDGs was made by UN Member
States at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), held in
Rio de Janeiro in June 2012.
The Addis Ababa Action Agenda that came out of the Third International Conference on
Financing for Development held in Addis Ababa from 13-16 July 2015. provided
concrete policies and actions to support the implementation of the new agenda for SDGs.
At the global level, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets of the
new agenda will be monitored and reviewed using a set of global indicators. The global
indicator framework, to be developed by the Inter Agency and Expert Group on SDG
Indicators (IAEA-SDGs).
The Goals and targets will stimulate action over the next 15 years in areas of critical
importance: people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership.

People - to end poverty and hunger, in all their forms and dimensions, and to ensure
that all human beings can fulfil their potential in dignity and equality and in a healthy
environment.
Planet - to protect the planet from degradation, including through sustainable
consumption and production, sustainably managing its natural resources and taking
urgent action on climate change, so that it can support the needs of the present and
future generations.
Prosperity - to ensure that all human beings can enjoy prosperous and fulfilling lives
and that economic, social and technological progress occurs in harmony with nature.
Peace - to foster peaceful, just and inclusive societies free from fear and violence. There
can be no sustainable development without peace and no peace without sustainable
development.
Partnership - to mobilize the means required to implement this agenda through a
revitalised global partnership for sustainable development, based on a spirit of
strengthened global solidarity, focused in particular on the needs of the poorest and
most vulnerable and with the participation of all countries, all stakeholders and all
people.

Sustainable Development Goals

 Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
 Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote
sustainable agriculture
 Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
 Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong
learning opportunities for all
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 Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
 Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation
for all
 Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for
all
 Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and
productive employment and decent work for all
 Goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable
industrialization and foster innovation
 Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
 Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and
sustainable
 Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
 Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts*
 Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for
sustainable development
 Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems,
sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land
degradation and halt biodiversity loss
 Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development,
provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive
institutions at all levels
 Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global
partnership for sustainable development

Status of Sustainable development goals and India: Read SDG Index by NITI AAYOG
uploaded separately

Steps Taken by Indian Government:

1. Ratifying Paris Agreement: The 21st Conference of Parties (COP 21) under the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) successfully
concluded in Paris after intense negotiations by the Parties followed by the adoption
of the Paris Agreement on post-2020 actions on climate change. This universal
agreement will succeed the Kyoto Protocol. Unlike the Kyoto Protocol, it provides a
framework for all countries to take action against climate change. Placing emphasis
on concepts like climate justice and sustainable lifestyles, the Paris Agreement for
the first time brings together all nations for a common cause under the UNFCCC.
One of the main focus of the agreement is to hold the increase in the global average
temperature to well below 2°C above pre- industrial level and on driving efforts to
limit it even further to 1.5°.

2. Coal Cess and the National Clean Energy Fund: India is one of the few countries
around the world to have a carbon tax in the form of a cess on coal. Not only has
India imposed such a cess but it has also been progressively increasing it. The coal
cess which was fixed at Rs 400.00 per tonne of coal. The National Clean Energy
Fund (NCEF) is a fund created in 2010-11 using the carbon tax - clean energy cess -
for funding research and innovative projects in clean energy technologies of public
sector or private sector entities, upto the extent of 40% of the total project cost.
Assistance is available as a loan or as a viability gap funding, as deemed fit by the
Inter-Ministerial group, which decides on the merits of such projects. The Fund is

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designed as a non lapsable fund under Public Accounts and with its secretariat
in Plan Finance II Division, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance.

3. NAPCC: National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC):

Government of India is implementing the National Action Plan on Climate Change
(NAPCC) with a focus on promoting understanding of climate change and
establishing linkage between adaptation and mitigation consistent with the national
priority for achieving sustainable development and to fulfill India's Intended
Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to the UNFCCC under Paris Agreement.

It comprises of eight national missions representing:

Missions included under it:
1. National Solar Mission (under MNRE)
2. National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency (under Ministry of Power)
3. National Mission on Sustainable Habitat (under Ministry of Housing and
Urban Affairs)
4. National Water Mission (under MoWR)
5. National Mission Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (under MoS&T)
6. National Mission for a Green India (under MoEFCC)
7. National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (under Ministry of Agriculture)
8. National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (under MoS&T)

An Executive Committee on Climate Change (ECCC) under the Chairmanship of

Principal Secretary to Prime Minister has been set up for assisting the Prime
Minister’s Council on Climate Change in evolving a coordinating response to issues
relating to climate change with regular monitoring of the eight National missions
along with other initiatives on Climate Change and coordinating with various
agencies.

4. National Adaptation Fund on Climate Change (NAFCC):

 National Adaptation Fund on Climate Change (NAFCC) was launched in 2015
with an initial outlay of Rs. 350 crore to meet the cost of adaptation to climate
change for the State and Union Territories of India that are particularly
vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

 The overall aim of the fund is to support concrete adaptation activities which
are not covered under on-going activities through the schemes of State and
National Government that reduce the adverse effects of climate change facing
community, sector and states.

 The Scheme will be continuing beyond 12th Five Year Plan till 31st March,
2020 with an additional outlay of Rs. 364 Crore. The Fund is meant to assist
National and State level activities to meet the cost of adaptation measures in
areas that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate
Change.

 The Scheme has been taken as Central Sector Scheme with National Bank for
Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) as the National Implementing
Entity (NIE). Besides, enhancing adaptive capacity at national and state level,
national conference / workshop, awareness/ information dissemination,
Research and Development and establishing a coordination and monitoring
unit have also been proposed.

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5. State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCC) aim to create institutional

capacities and implement sectoral activities to address climate change. These plans
are focused on adaptation with mitigation as co-benefit in sectors such as water,
agriculture, tourism, forestry, transport, habitat and energy. So far, 32 states and 5
union territories (UTs) have submitted their SAPCCs to the MoEF & CC (Ministry of
Environment & Climate Change). Out of these, the SAPCCs of 32 states and UTs
have been endorsed by the National Steering Committee on Climate Change (NSCCC)
at the MoEF&CC.

MoEF&CC has also provided financial support to states for enhancing their
capacities for undertaking climate change activities. A sum of Rs. 10 lakhs has been
provided to 19 states for strengthening capacity of nodal agencies for implementation
of SAPCCs.

6. Climate Change Action Programme (CCAP): Climate Change Action Programme

(CCAP) is a central scheme which was approved by the Cabinet in January 2014 at a
total cost of Rs. 290 crore for duration of five years. Its objective is to create and
strengthen the scientific and analytical capacity for assessment of climate change in
the country, putting in place appropriate institutional framework for scientific and
policy initiatives and implementation of climate change related actions in the context
of sustainable development. Some of the components of the CCAP scheme include
the National Carbonaceous Aerosols Programme (NCAP), Long Term Ecological
Observatories (LTEO), and Coordinated Studies on Climate Change for North East
Region (CSCCNER).

NCAP is a multi-institutional programme developed with a view to monitor and study

carbonaceous aerosols including black carbon, and has three components viz.,
(i) Working Group I: Monitoring and assessing impacts of black carbon on snow
undertaken by Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST)

(ii) Working Group II: Observational activities relating to aerosol and black carbon by
Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

(iii) Working Group III: Inventory and modeling of carbonaceous aerosols including
black carbon being undertaken by MoEFCC, which also coordinates overall activities
under NCAP. NCAP Working Group III has been officially launched by Hon’ble
Minister, EF&CC on 7th July 2017 at IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai and is being
implemented by a consortium of 17 institutions led by IIT Bombay.

Long Term Ecological Observatories (LTEO) is another project under the CCAP
scheme with a total budget allocation of Rs. 40 crore for duration of 5 years. It aims
at creating a network of field sites at various ecological regions in the country viz.
Western Himalayas, Eastern Himalayas, North-Western Arid Zone, Central Indian
Forests, Western Ghats, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Jammu & Kashmir, and
Sundarbans, for undertaking long term observations of the effects of climate change.

National Clean Air Programme (NCAP): National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) is a
national-level strategy for reducing the levels of air pollution at both the regional and
urban scales. Target is for reduction of 20-30% of PM2.5 and PM10 concentration by
2024.
The Objective of NCAP is:-
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(i) to ensure stringent implementation of mitigation measures for prevention, control
and abatement of air pollution.
(ii) to augment and evolve effective and proficient ambient air quality monitoring
network across the country for ensuring a comprehensive and reliable database and
(iii) to augment public awareness and capacity-building measures encompassing
data dissemination and public outreach programmes for inclusive public
participation and for ensuring trained manpower and infrastructure on air pollution.

NATIONAL AIR QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAMME The government is

executing a nation-wide programme of ambient air quality monitoring known as
NAMP. The network consists of 703 manual operating stations covering 307
cities/towns in 29 states and 6 Union Territories of the country.

Under NAMP, four air pollutants viz. SO2, NO2, suspended particulate matter
(PM10), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) have been identified for regular
monitoring at all the locations.

In addition, there are 134 real-time Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring
stations (CAAQMS) in 71 cities across 17 states, monitoring 08 pollutants viz. PM10,
PM2.5, SO2, NOx , ammonia (NH3), CO, ozone (O3), and benzene. PM10 are
inhalable coarse particles, which are particles with a diameter between 2.5 and
10 micrometers (μm) and PM2.5 are fine particles with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less.

Particulates are the deadliest form of air pollutants due to their ability to penetrate
deep into the lungs and blood streams unfiltered. The smaller PM2.5 are particularly
deadly as it can penetrate deep into the lungs.

The objectives of NAMP are:

(i) to determine the status and trends of ambient air quality;
(ii) to ascertain whether the prescribed ambient air quality standards are violated;
(iii) to identify non-attainment cities;
(iv) to obtain the knowledge and understanding necessary for developing preventive
and corrective measures; and
(v) to understand the natural cleansing process undergoing in the environment
through pollution dilution, dispersion, wind-based movement, dry deposition,
precipitation, and chemical transformation of the pollutants generated.

The monitoring of meteorological parameters, such as wind speed and wind

direction, relative humidity (RH), and temperature were also integrated with the
monitoring of the air quality.

The monitoring of pollutants is carried out for 24 hours (a 4-hourly sampling for
gaseous pollutants and an 8-hourly sampling for particulate matter) twice a week, to
have 104 observations in a year.

The monitoring is being carried out with the help of the Central Pollution Control
Board (CPCB), State Pollution Control Boards (SPCB), Pollution Control Committees
(PCC), National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI).

NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS (NAAQS) Ambient air quality

refers to the condition or quality of the outdoor air. NAAQs are the standards for

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ambient air quality with reference to various identified pollutant notified by the CPCB
under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

Earth Charter/Earth Summit:

“Our Common Future” the report of the “Brundtland Commission” came out with a new
guide to sustainable development. The “Brundtland Commission”, called for “a universal
declaration” and “new charter” to set “new norms” to guide the transition to sustainable
development.

Maurice Strong was a distinguished member of the Commission

.
The Earth Charter was proposed during the preparatory process to the UN
Conference on Environment and Development — best known as the Earth Summit
— held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992.

After the Rio Summit or Earth Summit in 1992, in 1994, Maurice Strong (Chairman of
the Earth Summit) and Mikhail Gorbachev, working through organizations they each
founded (the Earth Council and Green Cross International respectively), restarted the
Earth Charter as a civil society initiative, with the help of the government of the
Netherlands. Earth Charter is a 2,400 word document divided into 4 sections, called four
pillars and sixteen main principles containing sixty-one supporting principles.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was adopted at

the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 1992. The Convention entered into
force in 1994 and now has 197 parties. Its original objective was the stabilization of GHG
concentrations in the atmosphere by 2000 at a level that would prevent dangerous
anthropogenic interference in the climate system, but it did not call for parties to reduce
emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and other GHGs that have contributed to a
warming of the Earth’s mean surface temperature.

The United Nations Climate Change Conferences are yearly conferences held in the
framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
They serve as the formal meeting of the UNFCCC Parties (Conference of the Parties,
COP) to assess progress in dealing with climate change, and beginning in the mid-
1990s, to negotiate the Kyoto Protocol to establish legally binding obligations for
developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. From 2005 the
Conferences have also served as the "Conference of the Parties Serving as the
Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol" (CMP).

The secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is

located in Bonn, Germany.

Kyoto Protocol: The Kyoto Protocol(COP3) is an international agreement linked to the

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which commits its Parties
by setting internationally binding emission reduction targets.

Recognizing that developed countries are principally responsible for the current high
levels of GHG emissions in the atmosphere as a result of more than 150 years of
industrial activity, the Protocol places a heavier burden on developed nations under the
principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities."

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The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December 1997 and entered into
force on 16 February 2005. The detailed rules for the implementation of the Protocol
were adopted at COP 7 in Marrakesh, Morocco, in 2001, and are referred to as the
"Marrakesh Accords." Its first commitment period started in 2008 and ended in 2012.

The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty which extends the 1992 United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that commits State Parties to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions, based on the scientific consensusthat (a) global
warming is occurring and (b) it is extremely likely that human-
made CO2 emissions have predominantly caused it. The Kyoto Protocol was adopted
in Kyoto, Japan, on December 11, 1997 and entered into force on February 16, 2005.
There are currently 192 parties (Canada withdrew effective December 2012) to the
Protocol.

The Kyoto mechanisms are:

 International Emissions Trading: Parties with commitments under the Kyoto
Protocol have accepted different targets for limiting or reducing emissions. These
targets are expressed as levels of allowed emissions, or “assigned amounts,” over
the 2008-2012 commitment period. The allowed emissions are divided into
“assigned amount units” (AAUs). Emissions trading, as set out in Kyoto Protocol,
allows countries that have emission units to spare - emissions permitted them but
not "used" - to sell this excess capacity to countries that are over their targets.
Thus, a new commodity was created in the form of emission reductions or
removals. Since carbon dioxide is the principal greenhouse gas, people speak
simply of trading in carbon. Carbon is now tracked and traded like any other
commodity. This is known as the "carbon market."

 Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): The mechanism known as “joint

implementation,” defined in the Kyoto Protocol, allows a country with an emission
reduction or limitation commitment under the Kyoto Protocol (Annex B Party) to
earn emission reduction units (ERUs) from an emission-reduction or emission
removal project, each equivalent to one tonne of CO2, which can be counted
towards meeting its Kyoto target. Annex B Party are the countries who have
adopted Kyoto protocol. The CDM is the main source of income for the
UNFCCC Adaptation Fund, which was established to finance adaptation projects
and programmes in developing country Parties to the Kyoto Protocol that are
particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. The Adaptation
Fund is financed by a 2% levy on Certified Emissions Reduction issued by the
CDM.

 Joint implementation (JI): The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), defined in

the Protocol, allows a country with an emission-reduction or emission-limitation
commitment under the Kyoto Protocol (Annex B Party) to implement an emission-
reduction project in developing countries. Such projects can earn saleable certified
emission reduction (CER) credits, each equivalent to one tonne of CO2, which can
be counted towards meeting Kyoto targets.

Targets for the first commitment period: The targets for the first commitment period
of the Kyoto Protocol cover emissions of the six main greenhouse gases, namely:
• Carbon dioxide (CO2);
• Methane (CH4);
• Nitrous oxide (N2O);
• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs);

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• Perfluorocarbons (PFCs); and
• Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)

Adaptation Fund (AF) was established in 2001 to finance concrete adaptation projects
and programmes in developing country Parties to the Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that are particularly vulnerable to
the adverse effects of climate change.

The Adaptation Fund is financed with a share of proceeds from the clean development
mechanism (CDM)project activities and other sources of funding. The share of proceeds
amounts to 2 per cent of certified emission reductions (CERs) issued for a CDM project
activity.

The Adaptation Fund is supervised and managed by the Adaptation Fund

Board (AFB). The AFB is composed of 16 members and 16 alternates and meets at least
twice a year (Membership of the AFB).

Paris Agreement: The Paris Agreement (COP21/CMP11) was adopted on 12 December

2015 at the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Paris from 30 November to 13
December 2015. In accordance with its article 20, the Agreement shall be open for
signature at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 22 April 2016 until 21
April 2017 by States and regional economic integration organizations that are Parties to
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The Paris Agreement entered into force on 4 November 2016, thirty days after the date
on which at least 55 Parties to the Convention accounting in total for at least an
estimated 55 % of the total global greenhouse gas emissions have deposited their
instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with the Depositary. 186
Parties have ratified, of 195 Parties to the Convention till date.

The Paris Agreement’s aim is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate
change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius
above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even
further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Additionally, the agreement aims to strengthen the ability of countries to deal with the
impacts of climate change. To reach these ambitious goals, appropriate financial flows, a
new technology framework and an enhanced capacity building framework will be put in
place, thus supporting action by developing countries and the most vulnerable
countries, in line with their own national objectives.

The Agreement also provides for enhanced transparency of action and support through a
more robust transparency framework. There will be a global stocktake every 5 years to
assess the collective progress towards achieving the purpose of the Agreement and to
inform further individual actions by Parties.

The Paris Agreement requires all Parties to put forward their best efforts through
“nationally determined contributions” (NDCs) and to strengthen these efforts in the years
ahead. This includes requirements that all Parties report regularly on their emissions
and on their implementation efforts.

In June 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump announced his intention to withdraw the
United States from the agreement, causing widespread condemnation both
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internationally and domestically. Under the agreement, the earliest effective date of
withdrawal for the U.S. is November 2020.

In July 2017, France’s environment minister Nicolas Hulot announced France’s five-year
plan to ban all petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040 as part of the Paris Agreement.

COP 23/CMP13 was held on Bonn, Germany.

COP 24/CMP14 was held on 3-14 December 2018 in Katowice, Poland.

INDCs (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions): The INDCs (Intended

Nationally Determined Contributions) are plans by governments communicated to the
UNFCCC regarding the steps they will take to address climate change domestically. As
per the COP 19 decision (Warsaw 2013), all Parties were requested to prepare their
INDCs, without prejudice to the legal nature of the contributions towards achieving the
objectives of the Convention and communicate well in advance of COP 21. India’s INDC:
India submitted its INDC to the UNFCCC by early October 2015. It is comprehensive and
covers all elements, i.e. adaptation, mitigation, finance, technology and capacity
building. India’s goal is to reduce the overall emission intensity and improve the energy
efficiency of its economy over time. It also covers concerns to protect the vulnerable
sectors and segments of its society. The highlights of India’s INDC are as given below:
(i) To put forward and further propagate a healthy and sustainable way of living based
on traditions and values of conservation and moderation.
(ii) To adopt a climate friendly and cleaner path than the one hitherto
(iii) To reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35 per cent of the 2005 level by
2030.
(iv) To achieve about 40 per cent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-
fossil fuel- based energy resources by 2030 with the help of transfer of technology and
low cost international finance including from the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
(v) To create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent
through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
(vi) To better adapt to climate change by enhancing investments in development
programmes in sectors vulnerable to climate change, particularly agriculture, water
resources, the Himalayan region, coastal regions, health and disaster management.
(vii) To mobilize domestic and new and additional funds from developed countries for
implementing these mitigation and adaptation actions in view of the resources required
and the resource gap.
(viii) To build capacities, create a domestic framework and an international architecture
for quick diffusion of cutting-edge climate technology in India and for joint collaborative
R&D for such future technologies followed by others at a corresponding level of economic
development.

India’s INDC sets ambitious renewable energy 175 GW targets mainly in terms of solar
and wind energy. With a potential of more than 100 GW, the target is to achieve 60 GW
of wind power and 100 GW of solar power installed capacity and 10 GW from biomass
power and 5GW from small hydro power by 2022.

India has also launched a historic International Solar Alliance (ISA) which is envisaged
as a coalition of solar resource-rich countries to address their special energy needs and
will provide a platform to collaborate on addressing the identified gaps through a
common, agreed approach.

International Solar Alliance (ISA): The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an alliance
of more than 121 countries, most of them being sunshine countries, which lie either

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completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The
primary objective of the alliance is to work for efficient exploitation of solar energy to
reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
This initiative was first proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a speech in
November 2015 at Wembley Stadium, in which he referred to sunshine countries
as Suryaputra ("Sons of the Sun").
The alliance is a treaty-based inter-governmental organization. Countries that do not fall
within the Tropics can join the ISA and enjoy all benefits as other members, with the
exception of voting rights.
The initiative was launched by PM Narendra Modi at the India Africa Summit, and a
meeting of member countries ahead of the 2015 United Nations Climate Change
Conference in Paris in November 2015.
The Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance opened for signatures
in Marrakech, Morocco Marrakech Climate Change Conference (the twenty-second
session of the Conference of the Parties, or COP 22) in November 2016, and 121
countries have joined.

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is to headquartered in India. In January

2016, Narendra Modi, and the French President François Hollande jointly laid the
foundation stone of the ISA Headquarters and inaugurated the interim Secretariat of
the ISA at the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) in Gwalpahari, Gurugram, India.
The Indian government has dedicated five acres of land on the NISE campus for ISA's
future headquarters; it also has contributed ₹1.75 billion (US$27 million) to the fund to
build the ISA campus and for meeting expenditures for the ISA's first five years. The
alliance is also called International Agency for Solar Policy and Application (IASPA).
Out of 121 members 75 countries have signed the ISA Framework Agreement and out of
75, total 52 countries have signed and ratified the ISA Framework Agreement.

Green Climate Fund (GCF): The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a new global fund created
to support the efforts of developing countries to respond to the challenge of climate
change. GCF helps developing countries limit or reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions and adapt to climate change. It seeks to promote a paradigm shift to low-
emission and climate-resilient development, taking into account the needs of nations
that are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts.

The decision to set up the Green Climate fund (GCF) was taken at COP 16 in Cancun on
December 2010 and the GCF was operationalized in COP 17 in Durban in 2011. The
GCF is head quartered in Songdo, Incheon City, Republic of Korea.

When the Paris Agreement was reached in 2015, the Green Climate Fund was given an
important role in serving the agreement and supporting the goal of keeping climate
change well below 2 degrees Celsius.

As per the international agreement, advanced economies should provide an annual

assistance of $100 billion, through public and private sources, by 2020 — the deadline
is now extended to 2025.

In India, NABARD is accredited as National Implementing Entity. NABARD is eligible to

submit large size projects having outlay of more than USD 250 million.

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Green bond: A green bond is like any other regular bond but with one key difference:
the money raised by the issuer are earmarked towards financing `green' projects, i.e.
assets or business activities that are environment-friendly. Such projects could be in the
areas of renewable energy, clean transportation and sustainable water management.
In 2007, green bonds were launched by few development banks such as the European
Investment Bank and the World Bank. Subsequently, in 2013, corporates too started
participating, which led to its overall growth. Back home, Yes Bank was the first bank to
come out with a issue worth Rs 1,000 crore in 2015. Following this, few other banks too
had green bond issuances. CLP India, was the first Indian company to tap this route.
For designating an issue of a corporate bond as green bond, an issue apart from
complying with the issue and listing of debt securities regulations, would have to
disclose additional information in the offer document such as use of proceeds.
SEBI's indicative list includes renewable and sustainable energy such as wind and solar,
clean transportation, sustainable water management, climate change adaptation, energy
efficiency, sustainable waste management and land use and biodiversity conservation.
Environment related Initiatives by GOI:
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is the nodal
agency in the administrative structure of the Central Government for the planning,
promotion, co-ordination and overseeing the implementation of India's environmental
and forestry policies and programmes.

The Ministry also serves as the nodal agency in the country for the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP), South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme
(SACEP), International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and for
the follow-up of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
(UNCED). The Ministry is also entrusted with issues relating to multilateral bodies such
as the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), Global Environment Facility
(GEF) and of regional bodies like Economic and Social Council for Asia and Pacific
(ESCAP) and South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) on matters
pertaining to the environment.

The broad objectives of the Ministry are:

 Conservation and survey of flora, fauna, forests and wildlife
 Prevention and control of pollution
 Afforestation and regeneration of degraded areas
 Protection of the environment and
 Ensuring the welfare of animals

These objectives are well supported by a set of legislative and regulatory measures,
aimed at the preservation, conservation and protection of the environment. Besides the
legislative measures, the National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement on
Environment and Development, 1992; National Forest Policy, 1988; Policy
Statement on Abatement of Pollution, 1992; and the National Environment Policy,
2006 also guide the Ministry's work.

Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA):

With a cover of 23% of Geographical area of the country, forest in India comprise of a
number of diverse forest types and reserved areas designated as National Parks and
Wildlife Sanctuaries. In India, forest meet the livelihood needs of people living in and
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adjoining the forests in about 1, 73,000 villages. Forests also act as carbon sinks and
regulators of water regime.

Many development and industrial projects such as erection of dams, mining, and
construction of industries or roads require diversion of forest land. Any project
proponent, government or private must apply for forest clearance from MoEFCC, before
the conversion of land take place. This proposal is to be submitted through the
concerned forest department of the state government. If clearance is given, then
compensation for the lost forest land is also to be decided by the ministry and the
regulators.

Due to certain discrepancies in the implementation of compensatory afforestation, some

NGOs had approached The Hon’ble Supreme Court for relief. The Hon’ble Supreme
Court on 10th July 2009 issued orders that there will be a Compensatory Afforestation
Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) as National Advisory Council under
the chairmanship of the Union Minister of Environment & Forests & Climate change for
monitoring, technical assistance and evaluation of compensatory afforestation activities.

The National River Conservation Directorate (NRCD) in the Ministry of Environment,

Forests and Climate Change is implementing the Centrally Sponsored Schemes of
National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) and National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic
Ecosystems’(NPCA) for conservation of rivers, lakes and wetlands in the country.

NRCD is only providing financial assistance under the National River Conservation Plan
to the State Governments/ local bodies to set up infrastructure for pollution abatement
of rivers in identified polluted river stretches based on proposals received from the State
Governments/ local bodies.

NRCP has also been identified as one of the four core Centrally Sponsored Schemes
(CSS) of the ministry approved by the Cabinet. As per amendment to the Government of
India, the work relating to Ganga and its tributaries along with NMCG/NGRBA (National
Ganga River Basin Authority have been transferred to the Ministry of Water Resources,
River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation ( MoWR , RD&GR).

National Mission on Himalayan Studies, Implemented by the Ministry of Environment,

Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) , Nodal and Serving hub with G.B. Pant National
Institute of Himalayan Environment & Sustainable Development.
The objectives of the Mission include the following:
(i). To build a body of scientific and traditional knowledge on the aforesaid
indicative thematic areas
(ii). To build a network of practitioners (individual and institutions) engaged
in working solutions to problems in the thematic areas
(iii). To demonstrate workable/implementable/replicable solutions to the
problems in the thematic areas

NMHS will also serve to complement and supplement the outcomes of

National Mission on Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE)
anchored by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under
National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
The National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) is one of the
eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).NMSHE is a
multi-pronged, cross-cutting mission across various sectors. It contributes to the
sustainable development of the country by enhancing the understanding of climate

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change, its likely impacts and adaptation actions required for the Himalayas- a region on
which a significant proportion of India’s population depends for sustenance.

The National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Ministry of

Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has the following vision and mission that
would aid in the better protection, conservation, rehabilitation, management and policy
design of the coast. It would promote integrated and sustainable management of coastal
and marine areas in India and advise the Union and States/ Union Territory
Governments and other associated stakeholders on policy, and scientific matters relating
to Integrated Coastal Management (ICZM).

The Capacity Building for Industrial Pollution Management (CBIPM) project will help
the Government of India (GoI) to build capacity at the state and central level, and
develop a framework to address these issues in a comprehensive and systemic manner
under an area-wide management approach. The proposed project is aligned with the
endeavor of the GoI to establish a National Program for Rehabilitation of Polluted Sites
(NPRPS) as a framework for scaling up the clean up and rehabilitation of polluted
sites and facilitate the reduction of environmental and health risks associated with
legacy polluted sites.

The National Green Tribunal has been established on 18.10.2010 under the National
Green Tribunal Act 2010 ( is an Act of the Parliament of India) for effective and
expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of
forests and other natural resources including enforcement of any legal right relating to
environment and giving relief and compensation for damages to persons and property
and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

The Tribunal shall not be bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil
Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by principles of natural justice.

The Tribunal is mandated to make and endeavour for disposal of applications or appeals
finally within 6 months of filing of the same.

Initially, the NGT is proposed to be set up at five places of sittings and will follow circuit
procedure for making itself more accessible. New Delhi is the Principal Place of Sitting of
the Tribunal and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai shall be the other 4 place of sitting
of the Tribunal.
The NGT has the power to hear all civil cases relating to environmental issues that are
linked to the following laws -
 The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974;
 The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980;
 The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981;
 The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986;
 The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991;
 The Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
There is a bar on civil court to take cases under these listed laws in Schedule 1 of NGT
act.
The NGT has not been vested with powers to hear any matter relating to the Wildlife
(Protection) Act, 1972, the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and various laws enacted by States
relating to forests, tree preservation etc.

National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) was registered as a society on 12th August
2011 under the Societies Registration Act 1860. It acted as implementation arm of

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National Ganga River Basin Authority(NGRBA) which was constituted under the
provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act (EPA),1986. NGRBA has since been
dissolved with effect from the 7th October 2016, consequent to constitution of National
Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga (referred as
National Ganga Council).

The Act envisages five tier structure at national, state and district level to take measures
for prevention, control and abatement of environmental pollution in river Ganga and to
ensure continuous adequate flow of water so as to rejuvenate the river Ganga as below;
1. National Ganga Council under chairmanship of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India.
2. Empowered Task Force (ETF) on river Ganga under chairmanship of Hon’ble Union
Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
3. National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).
4. State Ganga Committees and
5. District Ganga Committees in every specified district abutting river Ganga and its
tributaries in the states.
NMCG has a two tier management structure and comprises of Governing Council and
Executive Committee. Both of them are headed by Director General, NMCG. Executive
Committee has been authorized to accord approval for all projects up to Rs.1000 crore.
The Director General (DG) of NMCG is a Additional Secretary in Government of India.
NMCG is monitored by Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga
Rejuvenation.

Air Pollution: Air quality regulation and actions for abatement of air pollution is
undertaken under various provisions of Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act,
1981 and Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 which prescribes the mechanism and
authorities for handling the issue.

The major impact is highlighted with reference to health of people. As per the available
data for Delhi and NCR for last five years, Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5)
concentrations are the major concern for the entire area, however a few violations are
observed in NO2 concentrations in Delhi, Meerut and Faridabad. The concentration of
SO2 is within the standard limit at all the locations in all the last five years. PM10 are
inhalable coarse particles, which are particles with a diameter between 2.5 and 1O
micrometers (um) and PM2.5 are fine particles with a diameter of 2.5 um or less.

Green Mobility: Recently approved National Biofuel Policy, 2018, set for achieving
blending target of 20% of ethanol in Petrol and 5% of biodiesel in diesel by 2030. Under
the new National Policy on Biofuels, the central government has expanded the scope of
raw material for ethanol production by allowing use of various agro-waste products.
Also advanced vehicle emission and fuel quality standards– BSIV from 2017 and BS-VI
from 2020.

E-Mobility:The government has launched the scheme, namely, Faster Adoption and
Manufacturing of Hybrid & Electric Vehicles (FAME India) under National Mission for
Electric Mobility (NEMMP), 2020, in the Union Budget for 2015– 16. The scheme is to
provide a major push for early adoption and market creation of both hybrid and electric
technologies vehicles in the country. The Ministry of Power launched the National E-
Mobility Programme in 2018 announcing the Government of India’s vision to provide an
impetus to the entire e-mobility ecosystem, including vehicle manufacturers, charging
infrastructure companies, fleet operators, service providers, etc. The programme will be
implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), which will aggregate demand
by procuring electric vehicles in bulk to get the economies of scale. The government is
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focusing on creating charging infrastructure and policy frameworks so that by
2030, more than 30% vehicles are electricity-run vehicles.

AGRICULTURAL EMISSION: A new Central Sector Scheme (100% Central Share) on

‘Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for In-Situ Management of Crop Residue in the
States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi’ for the period from 2018-19
to 2019-20 has been approved with the total outgo from the Central funds of Rs.
1,151.80 crore.
The scheme has the components on (i) establishment of farm machinery banks for
custom hiring of in-situ crop residue management machinery; (ii) financial assistance to
farmers for the procurement of agriculture machinery and equipment for in-situ crop
residue management; and (iii) information, education, and communication for awareness
on in situ crop residue management. The State Department of Agriculture of the State
Governments of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and the Delhi NCT are the nodal
departments for implementing the scheme in the states.
Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, had finalized National Policy for
Management of Crop Residues (NPMCR) – 2014. The policy envisages adoption of
technical measures and extending central financial assistance for various interventions

Understanding National Air Quality index (AQI):

 AQI is a number used to communicate to the public how polluted the air currently is or
how polluted it is forecasted to become.
 As AQI increases, an increasingly large percentage of the population is likely to
experience increasingly adverse health effects.
 The AQI is most commonly used by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to describe
ground-level ozone levels.
 The classifications of air quality are part of a 6 grade, colour coded taking into account
8 pollutant levels.

These pollutants are:

1. Ground-level Ozone or O3
2. Particulate Matter (soot and dust) - PM 2.5 and PM 10
3. Carbon Monoxide or CO
4. Sulphur Dioxide or SO2 and
5. Nitrogen Dioxide or NO2
6. Ammonia or NH3

How it is calculated?  The pollutants in the affected air are given a weight based on a
formula.  That weight depends on the kind of impact it has on human health, each of
the pollutants is given a weight.  The worst of these weights is given as a composite air
quality.  So instead of giving six different numbers, six different colours, it throws up
one single colour, one single number.  The index will throw up one number which will
be given to the public.  People will know the health of their air quality based on this
number and one associated colour code.

Green Good 0 to 50
Yellow Moderate 51 to 100
Orange Unhealthy for sensitive groups 101 to 150
Red Unhealthy 151 to 200
Purple Very Unhealthy 201 to 300
Maroon Hazardous 301 to 500

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Environmental Performance Index (EPI) is calculated on the basis of data gathered

from 24 individual metrics of environmental performance. These 24 individual metrics
are then aggregated into a hierarchy that begins with 10 major environmental issues
categories.
1. Air Quality (household solid fuels and PM2.5 exposure)
2. Water & Sanitation
3. Heavy Metals (lead exposure)
4. Biodiversity & Habitat
5. Forests (tree cover loss)
6. Fisheries
7. Climate & Energy (CO2, Methane and Black Carbon Emissions)
8. Air Pollution (SO2 and NOx emission)
9. Water resources (wastewater treatment)
10. Agriculture (sustainable practice)

The above 10 environmental issue categories are then divided into two policy objectives
viz. Environment health and Ecosystem Vitality. The overall EPI is based on a country’s
performance in these 10 issue categories and two policy objectives. High rank in the EPI
shows long-standing commitments to protecting public health, preserving natural
resources and decoupling greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from economic activity.

Environmental Performance Index (EPI) – 2018: India has been ranked 177 among
180 countries in the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) – 2018. This index has been
developed by Yale University and Columbia University in collaboration with the World
Economic Forum and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. This
report has been released on 23 January, 2018 on the sidelines of World Economic
Forum meet in Davos.
 Top 5 countries are Switzerland, France, Denmark, Malta and Sweden
 To bottom countries are Nepal, India, Congo, Bangladesh, Burund

The report has ranked India as fourth worst country worldwide in curbing environmental
pollution. India has slipped from 141st position in 2016 report.
The low rank of emerging economies including China (120) and India (177) indicates
strain population pressures and rapid economic growth impose on the environment.
Report also notes that the low scores on the EPI are indicative of the need for national
sustainability efforts on a number of fronts, especially cleaning up air quality, protecting
biodiversity and reducing GHG (green house gas) emissions.

Biodiversity: The Biological Diversity Act 2002 was born out of India’s attempt to realise
the objectives enshrined in the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
1992 which recognizes the sovereign rights of states to use their own Biological
Resources. The Act aims at the conservation of biological resources and associated
knowledge as well as facilitating access to them in a sustainable manner and through a

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just process For purposes of implementing the objects of the Act it establishes the
National Biodiversity Authority in Chennai.

World Environment Day: 5 June, 2019

WED 2019
The United Nation, aware that the protection and improvement of the human
environment is a major issue, which affects the well-being of people and economic
development throughout the world, designated 5 June as World Environment Day. The
celebration of this day provides us with an opportunity to broaden the basis for an
enlightened opinion and responsible conduct by individuals, enterprises and
communities in preserving and enhancing the environment. World Environment Day is
the biggest annual event for positive environmental action and takes place every 5 June.

World Environment Day 2019 will be hosted

by www.worldenvironmentday.global/China with a theme of “Air Pollution”. World
Environment Day 2019 urges governments, industries, communities and individuals to
come together to explore renewable energy, green technologies and improve air quality in
cities and regions across the world.

World Environment Day 2019 urges governments, industries, communities and

individuals to come together to explore renewable energy, green technologies and
improve air quality in cities and regions across the world

Climate Change: The layer of Greenhouse Gases (GHG), including carbon dioxide (CO2),
methane, nitrous oxide and others, in their optimum concentration in Earth’s
atmosphere, acts like a protective blanket which maintains its temperature and the
natural ecosystem. Lately, anthropogenic (human induced) activities, mainly burning of
fossil fuels, have resulted in increasing the concentration of these gases which in turn
trap extra heat and increase Earth’s average temperature leading to climate change. This
in turn leads to a wide ranging impact including sea level rise, melting of snow and
glaciers, changes in weather patterns, increased frequency and intensity of extreme
events and natural disasters etc.

India’s post-2020 climate goals: For post-2020 period, in response to the decisions of
the Conference to the Parties, India submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution
(NDC) to the UNFCCC on 2nd October, 2015, outlining the climate actions intended to
be taken under the Paris agreement. The eight goals put forth by India in its NDC are:
1. To put forward and further propagate a healthy and sustainable way of living based
on traditions and values of conservation and moderation.
2. To adopt a climate friendly and a cleaner path than the one followed hitherto by
others at corresponding level of economic development.
3. To reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35 percent by 2030 from 2005
4. To achieve about 40 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-
fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030 with the help of transfer of technology and
low cost international finance including from Green Climate Fund (GCF).
5. To create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent
through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.

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6. To better adapt to climate change by enhancing investments in development
programmes in sectors vulnerable to climate change, particularly agriculture, water
resources, Himalayan region, coastal regions, health and disaster management.
7. To mobilize domestic and new & additional funds from developed countries to
implement the above mitigation and adaptation actions in view of the resource
required and the resource gap.
8. To build capacities, create domestic framework and international architecture for
quick diffusion of cutting edge climate technology in India and for joint collaborative
R&D for such future

Ozone Cell
Ozone Layer Protection: Ozone, a tri-atomic molecule of oxygen is formed from oxygen
naturally in the upper levels of the Earth’s atmosphere by high-energy Ultraviolet (UV)
radiation from the Sun. The UV radiation breaks down oxygen molecules, releasing free
atoms, some of which bond with other oxygen molecule to form ozone. About 90 per cent
of ozone formed in this way lies between 10 and 50 kilometers above the Earth’s surface,
called the Stratosphere. The ozone found in this part of the atmosphere is called the
ozone layer.

The ozone layer absorbs all the harmful UV-B radiations emanating from the Sun. It
protects plant and animal life from UV-B radiation. The UV-B radiation has the potential
to cause skin cancer, eye cataract, suppress body’s immune system, decrease crop yield
etc., which led to the adoption of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the
Ozone Layer in 1985 and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the
Ozone Layer in 1987. The mandate of the Montreal Protocol is to phase out the
production and consumption of the Ozone Depleting Substances (ODSs).
India is a Party to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the
Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer and it’s all the
amendments/adjustments.
India has been producing and using nine of the 96 ODSs controlled under the Montreal
Protocol. These are Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) viz. CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113; Carbon
Tetrachloride (CTC), HYdrochloro-fluorocarbons (HCFCs), Halon-1211, Halon1301,
Methyl Chloroform and Methyl Bromide. Out of these, all ODSs except HCFCs, have
been phased out. Currently HCFCs are being phased out as per the accelerated phase
out schedule of the Montreal Protocol.
The MoEF&CC has set up the Ozone Cell as a National Ozone Unit (NOU) to render
necessary services for effective and timely implementation of the Protocol and its ODS
phase-out program in India.

HCFC Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP) was also launched by Govt. of India.

Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol for phase-down of HFCs: The 28th
Meeting of Parties to the Protocol held in Kigali in 2016 adopted an amendment to the
Protocol which is historic and aimed at phasing down the HFCs that contribute to global
warming.
HFCs do not deplete the Ozone layer, however, they have high global warming.

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The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone
Layer entered into force on 1 January 2019, following ratification by 65 countries. The
UN Environment Programme (UNEP, or UN Environment) announced the entry into
force, and noted that it will help reduce the production and consumption of
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), potent greenhouse gases (GHGs), and thus to avoid global
warming by up to 0.4°C this century.

Under the Amendment, all countries will gradually phase down HFCs by more than 80
percent over the next 30 years and replace them with more environmentally friendly
alternatives. A specified group of developed countries will begin the phase-down in 2019.
Several developing countries will freeze HFC consumption levels in 2024, followed by
additional countries in 2028.

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) has
been a flagship programme addressing climate change mitigation and simultaneously
giving an opportunity to developing countries in meeting their sustainable development
objectives. CDM allows emission reduction or removal projects in developing countries to
generate carbon offset credit, each equivalent to one tonne of carbon dioxide. These
certified emission reduction credits (CERs) could be traded, sold and used by
industrialized countries to meet part of their emission reduction targets under Kyoto
Protocol.
The Government of India has set up a National CDM Authority (NCDMA) in December
2003 with Secretary, Environment, Forest and Climate Change as the Chairman and it
consists of various Secretaries, such as of External Affairs, Finance, Power, Industrial
Policy and Promotion, New and Renewable Energy, Planning Commission, and
Department of Science and Technology as Members to consider various projects for
grant of Host Country Approval (HCA) from Sustainable Development point of view.

International Conventions/Protocols”
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous
Wastes and their Disposal:
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes
and their Disposal was adopted on 22 March 1989 by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries
in Basel, Switzerland.
Rotterdam Convention on the prior informed consent procedure for certain
Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade entered into force on
24th February 2004. India acceded to the convention on 24th May 2005.

Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) is a global treaty to

protect human health and the environment from POPs. The Convention sought initially
12 chemicals, for restriction or elimination of the production and release. Now, the
Convention covers 23 chemicals.

Minamata Convention on Mercury: At the Conference of Plenipotentiaries held from

9th-11th October 2013 in Minamata and Kumamoto, Japan, the “Minamata Convention
on Mercury”, a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the
adverse effects of mercury, was formally adopted and opened for signature by States and
regional economic integration organizations. India has signed the Convention on
30th September 2014.

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NATIONAL AFFORESTATION PROGRAMME(NAP): It continues to be the flagship

scheme of National Afforestation & Eco-Development Board (NAEB), in so much as it
provides support, both in physical and capacity building terms, to the Forest
Development Agencies (FDAs) which in turn are the main organs to move forward
institutionalization of Joint Forest Management. The FDA has been conceived and
established as a federation of Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) at the
Forest Division level to undertake holistic development in the forestry sector with
people's participation. This decentralized two-tier institutional structure (FDA and
JFMC) allows greater participation of the community, both in planning and
implementation, to improve forests and livelihoods of the people living in and around
forest areas.

ECO MARK SCHEME: Eco-mark is issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) as a
certification mark for the products which are ecologically safe conforming to the
standards prescribed by the BIS.
The Government of India has instituted a scheme for labeling of environment friendly
products to be known as ECO Mark. The scheme is being administered by the Bureau of
Indian Standards. So far the following 20 product categories have been identified for
coverage under this scheme: a) Soaps and Detergents; b) Paints c) Paper d) Plastics e)
Cosmetics f) Textiles g) Batteries h) Wood Substitutes j) Propellants and Aerosols k) Food
Items (edible oils – including Vanaspati, Tea and Coffee) m) Electrical and Electronics
Goods n) Packing/Packaging Materials p) Lubricating/Speciality Oils q) Drugs r) Foods
Preservatives and Additives s) Pesticides t) Leather

ENVIRONMENT POLLUTION (PREVENTION AND CONTROL) AUTHORITY (EPCA)

Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) was constituted under
Section 3(3) of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, in 1998 to look into the matter
pertaining to environmental pollution in the NCR region.

PARIVESH (Pro-Active and Responsive facilitation by Interactive, Virtuous and

Environmental Single-window Hub): It is a web based, role based workflow application
which has been developed for online submission and monitoring of the proposals
submitted by the proponents for seeking Environment, Forest, Wildlife and Coastal
Regulation Zone Clearances from Central, State and district level authorities.
The system has been designed, developed and hosted by the MoEFC, with technical
support from National Informatics Centre, (NIC).

Himalayan Research Fellowships Scheme: It aims to create a young pool of trained

environmental managers, ecologists and socio-economists.
This pool will help generate information on physical, biological, managerial and human
aspects of Himalayan environment and development. The fellowship scheme will be
executed through various universities and institutions working in the Indian Himalayan
Region (IHR) and preference will be given to the Institutions from north-eastern states.
The financial support will be provided under the National Mission on Himalayan Studies
(NMHS) and the fellowships will be awarded for a maximum period of three years.

Green India Mission: GIM is one of the eight missions launched under the National
Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).

GIM’s launch was supposed to coincide with the starting of the 12th five-year plan in
2012. But, owing to financial delays the mission was finally launched in 2015.
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The objective of the mission is to increase green cover to the extent of 5 million hectares
(mha) and improve quality of existing green cover on another 5 mha, improve eco-system
services like carbon sequestration, hydrological services and biodiversity and
provisioning services like fuel, fodder, and timber and non-timber forest produces
(NTFPs).
It also has to increase forest-based livelihood income for about 3 million households.

SECURE Himalaya: Securing livelihoods, conservation, sustainable use and restoration

of high range Himalayan ecosystems. The Government of India and United Nations
Development Programme, with support from the Global Environment Facility, are
implementing a new programme in the high altitude Himalayas entitled “SECURE
Himalayas - Securing livelihoods, conservation, sustainable use and restoration of high
range Himalayan ecosystems”, to ensure conservation of locally and globally significant
biodiversity, land and forest resources in the high Himalayan ecosystem, while
enhancing the lives and livelihoods of local communities.

The project is 6 years long and is meant for specific landscapes including Changthang
(Jammu and Kasmir), Lahaul - Pangi and Kinnaur (Himachal Pradesh), Gangotri -
Govind and Darma - Byans Valley in Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand) and Kanchenjunga -
Upper Teesta Valley (Sikkim).

Mobile APP ‘SAMEER’ for AQI display and Public Complaints: An APP ‘SAMEER’ is
developed and available for Android and iOS devices, to display of AQI at city and station
level, AQI Bulletin. A Public Forum is available at the APP, which helps the public in
submitting suggestions or complaints related to air pollution issues along with photos in
support of complaint. It also facilitates public to lodge their complaints regarding Air
Pollution which automatically collects the locations and forward it to the respective
agency foR redressal.

National Action Programme to Combat Desertification: June 17 has been observed

as the ‘World Day to Combat Desertification (WDCD), as United Nations Convention to
Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was adopted in Paris on June 17, 1994 and ratified in
December 1996. India became a signatory to UNCCD on October 14, 1994 and ratified it
on December 17, 1996. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is the
nodal Ministry for the National Action Programme to Combat Desertification.

National River Conservation Plan: The Central Government started the river pollution
abatement programme with the launching of the Ganga Action Plan (GAP-I) in the year
1985. Subsequently, the GAP Phase II was launched in 1993 for pollution abatement of
river Yamuna and Gomti, major tributaries of river Ganga. The river pollution abatement
programme was further expanded to include other major rivers of the country in 1995
under the aegis of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP). Finally in December 1996,
GAP Phase II was also merged with the NRCP and all projects for river cleaning in the
country was brought under one umbrella scheme of NRCP. The objective of NRCP is to
reduce the pollution load in rivers through implementation of various pollution
abatement works, thereby improving their water quality

The National River Conservation Directorate (NRCD) in the Ministry of Environment,

Forests and Climate Change is implementing the Centrally Sponsored Schemes of
National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) and National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic
Ecosystems’(NPCA) for conservation of rivers, lakes and wetlands in the country.

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As per the recommendations of Expenditure Finance Committee, merger of National
Wetlands Conservation Programme (NWCP). and National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP)
schemes into one integrated scheme entitled ‘National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic
Eco-Systems’ (NPCA) is proposed with effect from XII Plan Period i.e. 1st April, 2012.

The Central Government , in February 2009, has set up the National Ganga River
Basin Authority (NGRBA) as an empowered planning, financial, monitoring and
coordinating authority to ensure effective abatement of pollution and conservation of the
river Ganga by adopting a holistic approach with the river basin as the unit of planning.

Sources of pollution in rivers: Out of the total measurable pollution in the rivers from
various point sources, around 75% is accounted for by municipal sewage from towns
located along the banks of the river and remaining 25% is accounted for by industrial
effluent

Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest

and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is an initiative for skill development in the environment
and forest sector to enable India's youth to get gainful employment and/or self-
employment.
The programme endeavours to develop green skilled workers having technical knowledge
and commitment to sustainable development. It will help in the attainment of the
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
National Biodiversity Targets (NBTs), as well as Waste Management Rules (2016).

The pilot project of GSDP was launched in June, 2017, for skilling Biodiversity
Conservationists (Basic Course) and Para-taxonomists (Advance Course) of 3 months
duration each at 10 locations, spread over 9 bio-geographic regions of the country.
ENVIS RPs in Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and their
respective regional offices were the nodal Centres for the pilot programme.
Based on the feedback received from the stakeholders, the GSDP is being scaled up to
an all-India level.

The Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP) has been conceptualised and developed
in MoEF&CC in consultation with the National Skill Development Agency.

The skilling programmes cover diverse fields such as pollution monitoring

(air/water/soil), Sewage Treatment Plant, Effluent Treatment Plants and Common
Effluent Treating Plants (STP/ETP/CETP) operation, waste management, forest
management, water budgeting, auditing, conservation of river dolphins, wildlife
management, para taxonomy, including Peoples’ Biodiversity Register (PBRs), mangroves
conservation, bamboo management and livelihood generation. The duration of the
courses ranges from 80 hours to 560 hours approx.

Green Skill Development Program have a target for skilling about 7 million youth in
environment, forestry, wildlife and climate change sectors by 2021.

Ramsar Convention on Wetland: The Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran,

in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action
and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their
resources.

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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: The IPCC provides regular
assessments of the scientific basis of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and
options for adaptation and mitigation. Created in 1988 by the World Meteorological
Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the
objective of the IPCC is to provide governments at all levels with scientific information
that they can use to develop climate policies. IPCC reports are also a key input into
international climate change negotiations.

The IPCC is an organization of governments that are members of the United Nations or
WMO. The IPCC currently has 195 members. Thousands of people from all over the
world contribute to the work of the IPCC. For the assessment reports, IPCC scientists
volunteer their time to assess the thousands of scientific papers published each year to
provide a comprehensive summary of what is known about the drivers of climate change,
its impacts and future risks, and how adaptation and mitigation can reduce those risks.
Headquarter location: Geneva, Switzerland

The IPCC is divided into three Working Groups and a Task Force. Working Group I deals
with The Physical Science Basis of Climate Change, Working Group II with Climate
Change Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability and Working Group III with Mitigation of
Climate Change. The main objective of the Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas
Inventories is to develop and refine a methodology for the calculation and reporting of
national greenhouse gas emissions and removals.

Carbon credit: A carbon credit is a generic term for any tradable certificate or permit
representing the right to emit one tonne of carbon dioxide or the equivalent amount of a
different greenhouse gas.

Carbon credits and carbon markets are a component of national and international
attempts to mitigate the growth in concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs). One
carbon credit is equal to one tonne of carbon dioxide, or in some markets, carbon
dioxide equivalent gases. Carbon trading is an application of an emissions
trading approach. Greenhouse gas emissions are capped and then markets are used to
allocate the emissions among the group of regulated sources.

Emissions Trading: Greenhouse gas emissions a new commodity Parties with

commitments under the Kyoto Protocol have accepted targets for limiting or reducing
emissions. These targets are expressed as levels of allowed emissions, or assigned
amounts. The allowed emissions are divided into assigned amount units (AAUs).

A Certified Emissions Reduction, also known as CER, is a certificate issued by the

United Nations to member nations for preventing one tonne of carbon dioxide emissions.
These are usually issued to member states for projects achieving greenhouse gas
reductions through the use of Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM). CDMs make it
possible for these projects to occur and set a baseline for future emission targets.

Major Greenhouse gases emitting countries:

1. China (27.51%)
2. USA(14.75%)
3. EU (9.33%)
4. India (6.43%)
5. Russia (4.86%)
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Climate Change Fund: In keeping with the commitment of NABARD to address impact
of climate change the “Climate Change Fund” was created out of the profit of NABARD
during 2016-17 for facilitating attempts to address impacts of climate change especially
towards fostering sustainable development. NABARD contributes annually from its profit
towards the corpus of the fund.

Institution of the “Climate Change Fund” is a unique initiative of NABARD as a

Development Financial Institution to foster sustainable development and contribute
meaningfully towards national priorities.

Objective: To promote and support activities aimed towards addressing climate change
impacts, adaptation and mitigation measures, awareness generation, knowledge sharing
and facilitate sustainable development.

United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) is the leading global

environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the
coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development
within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global
environment. It was founded by Maurice Strong, its first director, as a result of
the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm Conference) in
June 1972 .

Our mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the
environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their
quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, we work through our divisions as well as our regional,
liaison and out-posted offices and a growing network of collaborating centres of
excellence. We also host several environmental conventions, secretariats and inter-
agency coordinating bodies. UN Environment is led by our Acting Executive Director.

Green Good Deeds, the societal movement launched by the Union Minister for
Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr Harsh Vardhan, to protect environment and
promote good living in the country, has found acceptance by the global community.

COP26: Together for our planet

 The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) was held in
Glasgow.
 These meetings are held every year to construct a global response to climate
change.
 Earlier, these meetings have also delivered two treaty-like international
agreements, the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 and the Paris Agreement in 2015.

1. Mitigation:
 Over 90% of world GDP is now covered by net zero commitments.
 153 countries have put forward new or updated emissions targets known as
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs); these cover around 80% of the
world’s greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, the UN projects greenhouse gas

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emissions will be around 5 billion tonnes lower by 2030 – equivalent to more
than ten years of current UK emissions
 As part of the Glasgow Climate Pact, all agreed to revisit and strengthen their
current emissions targets to 2030 in 2022
 A new work programme on mitigation ambition was created and countries agreed
to hold an annual high-level event on 2030 ambition.
 Reaffirms the Paris Agreement temperature goal of holding the increase in the
global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and
pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-
industrial levels;
 Recognizes that limiting global warming to 1.5 °C requires rapid, deep and
sustained reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions, including reducing
global carbon dioxide emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 relative to the 2010 level
and to net zero around mid century as well as deep reductions in other
greenhouse gases;
 Keeping 1.5C alive requires immediately stopping the building of new coal power
plants, scaling up clean power and retiring existing coal fleets: in advanced
economies by 2030 and globally by 2040.
 The Glasgow Climate Pact only keeps 1.5C in sight if countries take concerted and
immediate action to deliver on their commitments. This means phasing down
coal power, halting and reversing deforestation, speeding up the switch to
electric vehicles and reducing methane emissions.
 Protecting and restoring ecosystems, and managing land sustainably, has the
potential to reduce annual net greenhouse gas emissions by more than 7 giga
tonnes by 2030
 Road transport accounts for over 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and
around half the world’s consumption of oil. The decarbonisation of road transport
could lead to a reduction of 2.6 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide a year by 2030

2. Adaptation & Loss and Damage:

 boosted efforts to deal with climate impacts 80 countries are now covered by either
Adaptation Communications or National Adaptation Plans to increase
preparedness to climate risks, with 45 submitted over the last year.
 At COP26 countries agreed to a new Glasgow - Sharm el-Sheikh Work
Programme on the Global Goal on Adaptation to reduce vulnerability, strengthen
resilience and increase the capacity of people and the planet to adapt to the
impacts of climate change.
 developed countries to double their adaptation finance from 2019 levels, by
2025; and
 parties that have not yet communicated new or updated nationally determined
contributions (NDCs) to do so before the next COP.
 The Santiago Network on Loss and Damage was brought to life through clear
functions and funding.
 COP26 saw the launch of the Adaptation Research Alliance (ARA) - the first
organisation of its kind in the world. This global network of over 60 organisations
across 30 countries will see governments, businesses and local societies
increasing the resilience of vulnerable countries. The ARA will place indigenous
knowledge and solutions at the core of its work.

3. Finance:

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 mobilised billions and trillions Developed countries have made progress towards
delivering the $100 billion climate finance goal and will reach it by 2023 at
the latest. It is now likely that $500 billion will be mobilised over the period
2021-25.

 34 countries and five public finance institutions will stop international support for
the unabated fossil fuel energy sector next year. Private financial institutions and
central banks are moving to realign trillions towards global net zero.

 In Glasgow, countries agreed the way forward for the new post-2025 climate
finance goal. Developed countries committed significantly increased funding to
vital funds such as the Least Developed Countries Fund.

4. Collaboration:
 At COP26, we finalised the Paris Rulebook - agreeing the ‘enhanced transparency
framework’ (common reporting of emissions and support), a new mechanism and
standards for international carbon markets, and common timeframes for
emissions reductions targets.
 worked together to deliver The Glasgow Breakthroughs will accelerate
collaboration between governments, businesses and civil society to deliver on
climate goals faster, whilst collaborative councils and dialogues in energy, electric
vehicles, shipping and commodities will help deliver on commitments.

o Power Breakthrough: making clean power the most affordable and reliable
option for all countries to meet their power needs efficiently by 2030
o Road Transport Breakthrough: making zero-emission vehicles the new
normal - accessible, affordable, and sustainable in all regions by 2030
o Steel Breakthrough: making near-zero emission steel the preferred choice
in global markets, with efficient use and near-zero emission steel production
established and growing in every region by 2030
o Hydrogen Breakthrough: ensuring affordable, renewable and low carbon
hydrogen is globally available by 2030

New Pledges under COP26:

Forests

137 countries (91% of world’S forest cover) took a landmark step forward by committing
to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030. The pledge is backed by
$12bn in public and $7.2bn in private funding. In addition, CEOs from more than 30
financial institutions with over $8.7 trillion of global assets committed to eliminate
investment in activities linked to deforestation.

Methane

103 countries, including 15 major emitters, signed up to the Global Methane Pledge, which
aims to limit methane emissions by 30 per cent by 2030, compared to 2020 levels.
Methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases, is responsible for a third of current
warming from human activities.

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Cars

Over 30 countries, six major vehicle manufacturers and other actors, like cities, set out
their determination for all new car and van sales to be zero-emission vehicles by 2040
globally and 2035 in leading markets, accelerating the decarbonization of road transport,
which currently accounts for about 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Coal

Leaders from South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Germany, and
the European Union announced a ground-breaking partnership to support South Africa –
the world’s most carbon-intensive electricity producer— with $8.5 billion over the
next 3-5 years to make a just transition away from coal, to a low-carbon economy.

Private finance

Private financial institutions and central banks announced moves to realign trillions of
dollars towards achieving global net zero emissions. Among them is the Glasgow Financial
Alliance for Net Zero, with over 450 firms across 45 countries that control $130 trillion in
assets, requiring its member to set robust, science-based near-term targets.

Five Nectar Elements (Panchamrit): India has presented the following five nectar
elements (Panchamrit) of India’s climate action:
1. Reach 500 GW Non-fossil energy capacity by 2030.
2. 50 per cent of its energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030.
3. Reduction of total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes from now to
2030.
4. Reduction of the carbon intensity of the economy by 45 per cent by 2030, over
2005 levels.
5. Achieving the target of net zero emissions by 2070.

COP27 will be held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

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