Combating Climate Change : India’s Concerns and Policies Combating Climate Change : India’s Concerns and Policies

Dr. Arvind JasrotiaAssociate Professor,

Faculty of Law, University of Jammu

INDIA

Dr. Arvind JasrotiaAssociate Professor,

Faculty of Law, University of Jammu

INDIA

Salient QuestionsSalient Questions

1. Nature of Global Atmospheric Resource2. Determining the size of the Cake to be split3. Ethical dimensions of Climate Change4. Justice and Equity Concerns5. Other Concerns6. The Climate Change Regime and India

1. Nature of Global Atmospheric Resource2. Determining the size of the Cake to be split3. Ethical dimensions of Climate Change4. Justice and Equity Concerns5. Other Concerns6. The Climate Change Regime and India

India: Stark Realities– Managing Climate Change and Overcoming Poverty

India: Stark Realities– Managing Climate Change and Overcoming Poverty

1. The population of India has soared to 1028 million in 2001, and is estimated to reach 1.26 billion in 2016.

2. 27.5% of the population still lives below the poverty line and 44% are still without access to electricity.

3. 700 million rural population directly depend on climate-sensitive sectors (agriculture, forests and fisheries) and natural resources (such as water, biodiversity, mangroves, coastal zones, grasslands) for their subsistence and livelihoods.

1. The population of India has soared to 1028 million in 2001, and is estimated to reach 1.26 billion in 2016.

2. 27.5% of the population still lives below the poverty line and 44% are still without access to electricity.

3. 700 million rural population directly depend on climate-sensitive sectors (agriculture, forests and fisheries) and natural resources (such as water, biodiversity, mangroves, coastal zones, grasslands) for their subsistence and livelihoods.

Projections of Climate Change over Indiafor the 21st century

Projections of Climate Change over Indiafor the 21st century

Rise of Annual Mean Surface Temperature ranging from 3 to 5 degree C under A2 Scenario and 2.5 to 4 degree C under B2 scenario of IPCC.

Impacts on Water Resources Impacts on Agricultural Production Impacts on Health Impacts on Forests Vulnerability to Extreme Events Impacts on Coastal Areas

Rise of Annual Mean Surface Temperature ranging from 3 to 5 degree C under A2 Scenario and 2.5 to 4 degree C under B2 scenario of IPCC.

Impacts on Water Resources Impacts on Agricultural Production Impacts on Health Impacts on Forests Vulnerability to Extreme Events Impacts on Coastal Areas

1.1. National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC): National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC): Guiding PrinciplesGuiding Principles

Protecting the poor and vulnerable sections of society Protecting the poor and vulnerable sections of society through an inclusive and sustainable development through an inclusive and sustainable development strategy, sensitive to climate change.strategy, sensitive to climate change.

Achieving national growth objectives that enhances Achieving national growth objectives that enhances ecological sustainability, leading to further mitigation ecological sustainability, leading to further mitigation of GHGs.of GHGs.

Deploying appropriate technologies for both Deploying appropriate technologies for both adaptation and mitigation of GHGs emission adaptation and mitigation of GHGs emission extensively.extensively.

Engineering new and innovative forms of market, Engineering new and innovative forms of market, regulatory and voluntary mechanisms to promote regulatory and voluntary mechanisms to promote sustainable development.sustainable development.

Welcoming international cooperation for research, Welcoming international cooperation for research, development , sharing and transfer of technologies development , sharing and transfer of technologies under the UNFCCC.under the UNFCCC.

• National Solar MissionNational Solar Mission

• National Mission for Enhanced Energy EfficiencyNational Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency

• National Mission on Sustainable HabitatNational Mission on Sustainable Habitat

• National Water MissionNational Water Mission

• National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan EcosystemEcosystem

• National Mission for a Green IndiaNational Mission for a Green India

• National Mission for Sustainable AgricultureNational Mission for Sustainable Agriculture

• National Mission on Strategic KnowledgeNational Mission on Strategic Knowledge

India’s Eight National Missions

National Solar MissionNational Solar Mission

• The NAPCC aims to promote the land use of solar energy for The NAPCC aims to promote the land use of solar energy for power generation and other uses with the ultimate power generation and other uses with the ultimate objective of making solar competitive with fossil-based objective of making solar competitive with fossil-based energy options. The plan includes: Specific goals for energy options. The plan includes: Specific goals for increasing use of solar thermal technologies in urban areas, increasing use of solar thermal technologies in urban areas, industry, and commercial establishments; a goal of industry, and commercial establishments; a goal of increasing production of photovoltaics to 1000 MW/year; increasing production of photovoltaics to 1000 MW/year; and a goal of deploying at least 1000 MW of solar thermal and a goal of deploying at least 1000 MW of solar thermal power generation. Other objectives include the power generation. Other objectives include the establishment of a solar research center, increased establishment of a solar research center, increased international collaboration on technology development, international collaboration on technology development, strengthening of domestic manufacturing strengthening of domestic manufacturing

National Mission for EnhancedNational Mission for EnhancedEnergy EfficiencyEnergy Efficiency

Current initiatives are expected to yield savings Current initiatives are expected to yield savings of 10,000 MW by 2012. Building on the Energy of 10,000 MW by 2012. Building on the Energy Conservation Act 2001, the plan recommends Conservation Act 2001, the plan recommends inter alia, mandating specific energy inter alia, mandating specific energy consumption decreases in large energy-consumption decreases in large energy-consuming industries, with a system for consuming industries, with a system for companies to trade energy-savings certificates; companies to trade energy-savings certificates; energy incentives, including reduced taxes on energy incentives, including reduced taxes on energy-efficient appliances; and financing for energy-efficient appliances; and financing for public-private partnerships to reduce energy public-private partnerships to reduce energy consumption through demand-side consumption through demand-side management programs in the municipalities, management programs in the municipalities, buildings and agricultural sectors.buildings and agricultural sectors.

National Mission on Sustainable Habitat National Mission on Sustainable Habitat

• This mission calls for promoting energy efficiency This mission calls for promoting energy efficiency as a core component of urban planning. The Plan as a core component of urban planning. The Plan calls for extending the existing energy calls for extending the existing energy conservation building code; a greater emphasis conservation building code; a greater emphasis on urban waste management and recycling, on urban waste management and recycling, including power production from waste; including power production from waste; strengthening the enforcement of automotive fuel strengthening the enforcement of automotive fuel economy standards and using pricing measures economy standards and using pricing measures to encourage the purchase of efficient vehicles; to encourage the purchase of efficient vehicles; and incentives for the use of public and incentives for the use of public transportation.transportation.

National Water MissionNational Water Mission

• With water scarcity projected to With water scarcity projected to worsen as a result of climate change, worsen as a result of climate change, the plan sets a goal of a 20% the plan sets a goal of a 20% improvement in water use efficiency improvement in water use efficiency through pricing and other measures. through pricing and other measures.

National Mission for Sustaining the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan EcosystemHimalayan Ecosystem

• The plan aims to conserve The plan aims to conserve biodiversity, forest cover, and other biodiversity, forest cover, and other ecological values in the Himalayan ecological values in the Himalayan region, where glaciers that are a region, where glaciers that are a major source of India’s water supply, major source of India’s water supply, are projected to recede as a result of are projected to recede as a result of global warming.global warming.

National Mission for a Green IndiaNational Mission for a Green India

• Goals include the afforestation of 6 million Goals include the afforestation of 6 million hectares of degraded forest lands and expanding hectares of degraded forest lands and expanding forest cover from 23% to 33% of India’s territory.forest cover from 23% to 33% of India’s territory.

• Double the area to be taken up for Double the area to be taken up for afforestation /eco-restoration in India in the next afforestation /eco-restoration in India in the next 10 years, taking the total area to be afforested or 10 years, taking the total area to be afforested or eco-restored to 20 million ha.eco-restored to 20 million ha.

• Increase the GHG removals by India’s forests to Increase the GHG removals by India’s forests to 6.35% of India’s annual total GHG emissions by 6.35% of India’s annual total GHG emissions by the year 2020.the year 2020.

National Mission for Sustainable AgricultureNational Mission for Sustainable Agriculture

• The plan aims to support climate The plan aims to support climate adaptation in agriculture through the adaptation in agriculture through the development of climate-resilient development of climate-resilient crops, expansion of weather crops, expansion of weather insurance mechanisms, and insurance mechanisms, and agricultural practices. agricultural practices.

National Mission on Strategic National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate ChangeKnowledge for Climate Change

• To gain a better understanding of climate To gain a better understanding of climate science, impacts and challenges, the science, impacts and challenges, the plan envisions a new Climate Science plan envisions a new Climate Science Research Fund, improved climate Research Fund, improved climate modeling, and increased international modeling, and increased international collaboration. It also encourages private collaboration. It also encourages private sector initiatives to develop adaptation sector initiatives to develop adaptation and mitigation technologies through and mitigation technologies through venture capital funds.venture capital funds.

Other achievementsOther achievements

• India is the first non-annex I(developing country) to India is the first non-annex I(developing country) to publish updated information on India’s GHG emissions.publish updated information on India’s GHG emissions.

• Emission Intensity of India’s GDP declined by more Emission Intensity of India’s GDP declined by more than 30% during the period 1994-2007 due to efforts than 30% during the period 1994-2007 due to efforts and policies that are proactively put in place.and policies that are proactively put in place.

• The net GHG emissions from India in 2007 (with The net GHG emissions from India in 2007 (with LULUCF), were 1727.71 million tons of CO2 equivalent LULUCF), were 1727.71 million tons of CO2 equivalent

• GHG emissions from Energy, Industry, Agriculture and GHG emissions from Energy, Industry, Agriculture and Waste Sectors constituted 58%, 22%, 17% and 3% of Waste Sectors constituted 58%, 22%, 17% and 3% of the net CO2 eq emissions respectively.the net CO2 eq emissions respectively.

Each inhabitant of the Earth is entitled to an equal entitlement to the global atmospheric resource

Thank You.

Each inhabitant of the Earth is entitled to an equal entitlement to the global atmospheric resource

Thank You.