Lok Sabha Question No. 6521 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-04-06
Subject: Prevention of Climate Change
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: N.K. PREMACHANDRAN

## PGOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6521

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.04.2018

## Prevention of Climate Change

## 6521.  SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has initiated action to prevent climate change;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and projects and programmes proposed to be implemented;
- (c) the details of the action taken by the Government to prevent environmental degradation;
- (d) the details of the action taken for controlling resource depletion and distribution of natural resources in a balanced manner;
- (e) the details of the action taken by the Government to prevent acid rain; and
- (f) the details of the action taken by the Government to prevent ozone depletion and prevent emission of greenhouse gases?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a)  and  (b):    Government  of  India  is  implementing  the  National  Action  Plan  on  Climate Change (NAPCC) comprising eight national missions, implemented by various Ministries in specific  areas  of  Solar  Energy,  Enhanced  Energy  Efficiency,  Sustainable  Habitat,  Water, Sustaining  the  Himalayan  Ecosystem,  Green  India,  Sustainable  Agriculture  and  Strategic knowledge  for  Climate  Change.  It  outlines  a  number  of  steps  to  simultaneously  advance India's  development  and  climate  change  related  objectives  for  adaptation  and  mitigation. Further,  32  States/Union  Territories  have  prepared  State  Action  Plans  on  Climate  Change (SAPCC) consistent with the objectives of NAPCC.The Government is also implementing a Central Sector Scheme - National Adaptation Fund on Climate Change (NAFCC) to assist adaptation measures in areas that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change.Government of India has embarked upon ambitious actions in the areas of renewable energy, afforestation, energy efficiency, planned urban development, adaptation measures in sectors including agriculture, water resources, coastal areas, Himalayan region, health etc.

(c)  and  (d):    The  Government  has  taken  various    important  steps  for  preservation  of biodiversity such as survey, inventorization, taxonomic validation and threat assessment of floral  and  faunal  resources  and  development  of  National  Biodiversity  Action  Plan  and National  Biodiversity  Targets.  Assessment  of  the  forest  cover;  establishment  of  Protected Area Network, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation and Community Reserves, declaration of eco-sensitive  zones  around  national  parks,  designating  Biosphere  Reserves,  undertaking species oriented programmes like Project Tiger and Project Elephant, complemented with exsitu conservation effortsand development of National Wildlife Action Plan for 2017-2031 are some other initiatives to conserve environment. Further, to prevent environmental degradation  of  rivers,  Government  is  also  implementing  National  River  Conservation  Plan (NRCP)to  supplement  the  efforts  of  the  State  Governments  in  abatement  of  pollution  in identified stretches of various rivers.

(e)  In  order to  prevent  acid  rain,regulation  of  emissions  of Sulphur Dioxide and Oxides of Nitrogen from man-made sources is being done. These regulations prescribemore stringent industry  specific  emission  standards  and  its  strict  compliance  helps  in  mitigating  the problem.Other steps include strengthening public transport in cities and towns, promoting erickshaws and electric cars, leapfrogging from BS-IV to BS-VI fuel standards, etc.

(f) The Government has notified the Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Rules 2000, which provide for phase-out of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODSs) including phase-out of Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) by 2030 with a service tail of 2.5 % till 2040 under  the  Montreal  Protocol.  Production  and  Consumption  of  Chlorofluorocarbons  (CFC), Carbontetrachloride  (CTC),  Halons  and  Methyl  Bromide  have  been  phased  out  from  the country.

Under the Paris Agreement, India has submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution to the United NationsFramework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) outlining eight (8) goals for 2021-2030 including (i) to reduce Emission Intensity of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP)  by  33  to  35  percent  by  2030  from  2005  level,  (ii)  to  achieve  about  40  percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030. India has already reduced its emission intensity of GDP by 12% in 2010 compared to 2005 level as per the latest Biennial Update Report (BUR) submitted by Government of India to UNFCCC.

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