Lok Sabha Question No. 1182 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-28
Subject: Impact of Climate Change
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Zia Ur Rehman

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1182

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.07.2025

## Impact of Climate Change

## 1182.   SHRI ZIA UR REHMAN :

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  increasing  deforestation,  air  pollution,  and erratic climate patterns are affecting public health, agriculture, and local livelihoods;
- (b) if  so,  the  measures  being  taken  to  protect  forest  cover,  promote  sustainable development, and tackle the impact of climate change at the community level; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

- (a) to (c) The  Government  has  taken  a  number  of  steps  to  protect  forest  cover, promote sustainable development, and tackle the impact of climate change which include the following:
- (i) The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change (MoEF&CC)  implements  a  range  of  flagship  schemes  and programmes, including the National Mission for a Green India, Integrated  Development  of  Wildlife  Habitats,  Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), Nagar Van Yojana, Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline  Habitats  &  Tangible  Incomes  (MISHTI),  and  the National Clean Air Programme  (NCAP).  These  initiatives support the efforts of States and Union Territories in ecological restoration through afforestation within and outside forest areas, forest landscape restoration, habitat improvement, soil and water conservation measures, and biodiversity protection.
- (ii) To foster public participation in afforestation, the Ministry has also  launched  the  "Ek  Ped  Maa  Ke  Naam"  campaign.  This initiative  encourages  individuals  to  plant  a  tree  in  honour  of their  mothers,  promoting  emotional  connection  with  nature.  It serves  as  a  symbolic  gesture  of  gratitude  while  strengthening community involvement in environmental conservation.
- (iii) India's  forest  and  tree  cover  has  shown  a  consistent  increase, currently  covering  25.17%  of  the  country's  total  geographical area. Between 2005 and 2021, an additional carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent has been created, significantly contributing to the country's climate change mitigation goals.
- (iv) The  National  Clean  Air  Programme  (NCAP),  launched  by MoEF&CC in January 2019, targets air quality improvement in 130 non-attainment and Million Plus Cities across 24 States/UTs. It is a multi-sectoral initiative involving Central and State  Governments,  ULBs, and other stakeholders.  NCAP emphasizes  source-specific  mitigation  through  city,  state,  and national-level action plans. It mobilizes resources from various Central schemes like Swachh Bharat Mission, AMRUT, Smart City Mission, and others, along with state and local support. A performance-based grant of ₹13,036.52 crore has been allocated to 130 cities/ULBs for implementing air quality measures.
- (v) The  Government  of  India  has  developed  the  National  Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), which comprises Missions in specific areas. Six out of nine Missions under NAPCC focus on  adaptation  in  water,  habitat,  agriculture,  the  Himalayan ecosystem,  human  health,  and  strategic  knowledge  of  climate change.  All  these  Missions  focus  on  strategies  to  combat  the adverse  impacts  of  climate  change,  and,  are  institutionalized andimplemented by the respective Nodal Ministries/ Departments. Further, thirty-four States and UTs have prepared their respective State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs).  The SAPCCs are designed to  be  context  specific, and  inter-alia,  provide  adaptation  strategies  considering  each State's different ecological, social, and economic conditions.
- (vi) The  National  Adaptation  Fund  for  Climate  Change  (NAFCC) has been established to support adaptation activities in the States and  UTs  that  are  vulnerable  to  the  adverse  effects  of  climate change.
- (vii) India has progressively continued decoupling economic growth from  Green  House  Gas  emissions.Between  2005  and  2020, India's  gross  domestic  product  emission  intensity  reducedby 36%.
- (viii) India's Long Term Low-Carbon Development Strategy provides a framework  involving seven key strategic transitions for achieving net-zero emissions by 2070, based on the principles of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, equity, and climate justice. These include:
- -low-carbon development of electricity systems consistent with development;
- -develop  an  integrated,  efficient  and  inclusive  transport system;
- -promote adaptation in urban design, energy and material efficiency in buildings, and sustainable urbanization;
- -promoting  economy-wide  decoupling  of  growth  from
- emissions  and  development  of  an  efficient,  innovative low emission industrial system;
- -development  of  carbon  dioxide  removal  and  related engineering solutions;
- -enhancing  forest  and  vegetation  cover  consistent  with socio-economic and ecological considerations;and
- -economic and financial needs of low-carbon development.

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