Lok Sabha Question No. 1996 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-21
Subject: Impact of Climate Change
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: NINONG ERING

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1996

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.12.2018

## Impact of Climate Change

## 1996. SHRI NINONG ERING:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  conducted/proposes  to  conduct  any  study  to  assess  the impact of climate change on the natural ecosystems  and biodiversity of the Himalayas and the North-East region, including Arunachal Pradesh;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government intends to build a database to document the changes in natural ecosystems  and  biodiversity  due  to  climate  change  in  the  said  regions  and  if  so,  the details thereof; and
- (d) the details of other steps taken by the Government to safeguard the biodiversity and help local communities adapt to climate change along with the funds provided in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

(a) and  (b)  The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  has  carried  out  a  study titled  'Climate  Change  and  India:  A 4X4  Assessment - A Sectoral and Regional Analysis for 2030s' which provides assessment of impacts of climate change in 2030 on four key sectors of Indian economy, namely, agriculture, water, forests and human health in four climate sensitive regions of India, namely, the Himalayan region, the Western Ghats, the Coastal region and the North-Eastern Region.

In  order  to  mitigate  the  impacts  of  climate  change  in  the  Himalayan  region,  the Government  is  implementing  the  National  Mission  for  Sustaining  the  Himalayan  Ecosystem (NMSHE) under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). As part of NMSHE, six thematic task forces anchored around six lead institutions have been set up. These institutions are undertaking  studies  to  assess  the  health  of  Himalayan  ecosystem  in  the  areas  of  natural  & geological wealth, water, ice, snow, including glaciers, micro flora & fauna, wildlife & animal population, forest resources & plant biodiversity and agriculture. In addition, an Inter-University Consortium on 'the Himalayan Cryosphere: Science and Society' has been set up to look into Cryosphere-Societal interactions. The State Climate Change Cells (SCCCs) have been established in 11 Himalayan states to undertake studies on climate change risk and vulnerability assessment, capacity building and public awareness. Further, based on the analysis of long term satellite  data,  Indian  Space  Research  Organization  (ISRO)  has  shown  a  mean  upward  shift  in alpine treeline in Himalayas; treeline upward shift in Arunachal Pradesh and elevation shifts in Sikkim Himalaya.

(c)  Database  on  the  Biodiversity  Characterization  was  generated  under  a  joint  project  of Department of Space and Department of Biotechnology, which includes plant species information collected from 1800 sample plots, distributed in 27 vegetation types in North-East India and 1500 sample plots distributed in 20 vegetation types in Western Himalaya.

(d)  The  Government  has  notified  the  Biological  Diversity  Act,  2002  which  is  aimed  towards conservation  of  biological  diversity,  sustainable  use  of  its  components,  and  fair  and  equitable sharing  of  benefits  arising  out  of  the  use  of  biological  resources  and  associated  traditional knowledge.  The  Act  is  implemented  through  a  three-tiered  institutional  structure:  National Biodiversity Authority, State Biodiversity Boards, and Biodiversity Management Committees at the local body level.

Towards safeguarding  the  biodiversity  and  help  local  communities  to  adapt  to  climate change,  five  Nature  Learning  Centres  and  five  State  Government  Projects  in  States  of  Indian Himalayas  have been  initiated  in  close  coordination  with  respective  State  Forest  Departments and local agencies. Total fund of Rs 32.92 crore have been allocated for implementation for the period of three years, in the States of Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura.

*****