Lok Sabha Question No. 1021 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-10
Subject: Schemes to address Climate Change
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Rajesh Ranjan

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1021

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.02.2025

## Schemes to address Climate Change

## 1021.   SHRI RAJESH RANJAN:

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

- (a) whether the Government has implemented or proposed to implement any schemes to address the problems pertaining to environment and climate change;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether any study has been conducted after the implementation of the Schemes meant for environment conservation during the last three years; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof, State-wise?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d) The Government stands committed to address the problems pertaining to the environment and climate change. The Government has notified a set of legislative and regulatory  and  administrative  measures,  aimed  at  the  preservation,  conservation  and protection of the environment and prevention, control and abatement of pollution.

The Ministry of Environment Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC) has been designated as the nodal ministry in the Union Government to oversee the implementation of India's environmental and forest policies and programmes including climate change.

The Ministry has launched various schemes, aimed at the preservation, conservation and protection of the environment, forests and prevention, control and abatement of pollution.

These  schemes  are  at  various  stages  of  their  implementation  and  include  umbrella schemes on environmental knowledge and capacity building; national coastal management programme; environment education, awareness, research and skill development;  control  of  pollution;  national  mission  for  a  green  India,  integrated development of wildlife habitat;  conservation of natural  resources and  ecosystem, the impact of some of which is given below:

The National Clean Air Programme launched in 2019 covers 130 cities in 24 States and UTs  with  an  objective  to  achieve  substantial  improvement  in  air  quality,  up  to  40% reduction in particulate matter by 2025-26 from 2017-18. A 'PRANA' portal has been launched to update the air quality data in real time.

A regulatory framework for Circular Economy in various waste streams has been notified. The producers have been mandated to get the end-of-life wastes recycled under extended producer responsibility regime. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) rules have been notified for plastic waste, tyre waste, battery waste, used oil waste and e-waste with the objective  to  enhance  the  circularity  in  economy  and  also  help  manage  the  wastes  in environmentally sound manner.

The 'Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI)' has been launched on 5th June, 2024 to restore and promote mangroves as a unique, natural ecosystem and for preserving and enhancing the sustainability of the coastal habitats. The objective  of  the  MISHTI  is  to  'restore  mangrove  forests'  by  undertaking  mangrove reforestation/afforestation  measures  along  the  coast  of  India. Approximately  22,561 Hectares of Degraded Mangroves have been restored in 13 States/UTs and ₹17.96 Crore released for the restoration of 3,836 Hectares in 6 States/UTs

The National Afforestation and Eco-development Board (NAEB) is implementing Nagar Van Yojana which envisages developing 600 Nagar Vans and 400 Nagar Vatikas in the country during the period from 2020-21 to 2026-27 with an objective to significantly enhance  the  trees  outside  forests  and  green  cover,  enhancement  of  biodiversity  and ecological benefits to the urban and peri-urban areas apart from improving quality of life of city dwellers.

The Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) is a global initiative launched by India in October, 2022 aimed at fostering sustainable lifestyles through mindful and deliberate consumption to protect the environment. The initiative focuses on seven core themes: saving water, conserving energy, reducing waste, managing e-waste, eliminating singleuse plastics, promoting sustainable food systems, and adopting healthy lifestyles.

In  alignment  with  the  'LiFE',  MoEFCC  has  notified  the  Eco-mark  Rules  on  26th September,  2024.  The  scheme  will  encourage  the  demand  for  environment-friendly products  aligning  with  the  principles  of  'LiFE',  promote  lower  energy  consumption, resource efficiency and circular economy. The scheme seeks to ensure accurate labelling and prevent misleading information about products.

On 'World Environment Day' celebrated on 5th June, 2024, the Hon'ble Prime Minister launched the campaign 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam (# Plant4Mother)', exhorting people to plant trees as a mark of love and respect for one's own Mother and for protecting and preserving  the  Mother  Earth.  MoEFCC  has  reached  out  to  Central  Government Ministries/Departments, State Governments, Institutions and Organizations to ensure the plantation of 140 crore trees by March, 2025. 109 crore saplings have been planted by January 2025.

The number of Protected Areas in the country, which stood at 745 in the year 2014 have risen to 1022. This accounts for 5.43% of the country's total geographic area. There has been a substantial increase in establishment of Community Reserves. The numbers of Community Reserves in the country has increased from 43 in the year 2014 to 220 as on date.

Apart from the protected areas, the country also has 57 tiger reserves notified under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 with the prime focus of conservation of tigers and its habitat. States have also declared 33 elephant reserves for providing safer habitats to the elephants.

Since 2014, 59 wetlands have been added to the list of 'Ramsar' sites, taking the tally to 89 in the country covering an area of 1.35 million ha. India boasts the largest 'Ramsar' site network in Asia and the 3rd largest in the world in terms of number of sites. Besides, Udaipur and Indore have been recently included in the list of Wetland Accredited Cities under the Wetland City Accreditation Scheme implemented under the Ramsar Convention.

As per All India Tiger Estimation 2022 report, the estimated tiger population in India is 3,682, which accounts for 70% of wild tiger population of the World. The area under the tiger  reserve  network  is  now  82,836.45  sq  km,  which  is  roughly  2.5%  of  the  total geographical area of the country.

India's  climate  action  is  guided  by  its  updated  Nationally  Determined  Contributions (NDC) and the long-term strategy to reach net-zero by 2070 and it cuts across various sectors of the economy. The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) provides the overarching framework for all climate actions and comprises missions in specific areas of solar energy, enhanced energy efficiency, sustainable habitat, water, sustaining Himalayan ecosystems, Green India, sustainable agriculture, human health and strategic knowledge for climate change. All these Missions are institutionalized and implemented by their respective Nodal Ministries/Departments. The MoEFCC has implemented the Central Sector Schemes namely, Climate Change Action Programme (CCAP) and the National Adaptation  Fund  for  Climate  Change  (NAFCC)  assisting  in  efforts  of  the Government to combat climate change.

As  a  result  of  these  interventions,  India  has  progressively  continued  decoupling economic  growth  from  GHG  emissions.  Between  2005  and  2020,  India's  emission intensity of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reduced by 36%. By October 2024, the share of non-fossil sources in the installed electricity generation capacity was 46.52%. The total installed capacity of renewable power, including large hydropower, is 203.22 GW, and cumulative renewable power installed capacity (excluding large hydro projects) has increased 4.5 times from 35 GW in March 2014 to 156.25 GW. India's forest and tree cover has consistently increased and currently stands at 25.17% of the total geographical area of the country. From 2005 to 2021, an additional carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent has been created.

Despite India's very low contribution to historical emissions and to the current levels of global  emissions,  India  has  taken  several  climate  actions  to  reflect  equity  and  the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities in the light of different national circumstances and in the context of sustainable development and  efforts  to  eradicate  poverty,  as  enshrined  in  the  United  Nations  Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Paris Agreement.

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