Lok Sabha Question No. 382 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-01
Subject: Conference of Climate Change
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, NARANBHAI KACHHADIA, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, SUDHEER GUPTA, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 382

TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.12.2015

## Conference of Climate Change

## 382. SHRI KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH:

SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN:

SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

DR. SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware of a study report by Climate Central indicating that a number  of  coastal  cities,  including  Mumbai  and  Kolkata  would  be  submerged,  if  the global temperatures continue to rise at the current pace;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (c) whether a conference on climate change and cut in carbon emission is proposed in the near future to address the said issues;
- (d) if so, the stand proposed to be taken by the Government in the said conference; and
- (e) the other measures taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) & (b): A number of reports on climate change are published from time to time. The report entitled 'Mapping Choices: Carbon, Climate, and Rising Seas Our Global Legacy' (November 2015) prepared by Climate Central, an independent research organization of USA is one of such reports. According to this report, under business as usual scenario of 4 o C temperature rise, three urban  agglomerations  of  Kolkata,  Mumbai  and  Howrah  are  projected  to  be  amongst  the  most affected due to sea level rise.

As  per  the  India's  Second  National  Communication  submitted  to  the  United  Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2012, sea level is projected to rise by 3.5  to  34.6  inches  between  1990  and  2100,  which  would  result  in  salinity  of  groundwater  in coastal areas and inundation of some of the coastal areas.

Studies  on  Coastal  Zones  have  been  conducted  for  developing  an  approach  to  assess coastal  vulnerability  due  to  sea  level  rise.  The  Coastal  Regulation  Zone  Notification  was  also published  in  2011.  Besides,  Government  has  launched  a  project  on  'Integrated  Coastal  Zone Management Plan' for mapping of a hazard line along the coastal areas of the country taking into account the sea level rise due to climate change and other parameters such as, shoreline change, tides and wave etc.

(c) & (d): India is a party to the UNFCCC. The 21 st session of the Conference of the Parties to UNFCCC is being held from 30 November to 11 December 2015 to finalize an international agreement  to  tackle  climate  change.  India  has  reiterated  that  the  ongoing  negotiations  for  the climate agreement should be held as per the principles of Equity, Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities enshrined in the UNFCCC.

All  Parties  under  UNFCCC  have  been  requested  to  submit  their  Indented  Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) towards addressing climate change. Accordingly, India has submitted its  INDCs which envisages reduction of emission intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35 percent by 2030 from 2005 level, achieve 40 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030, and also create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.

(e):  The  Government has launched the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) to deal with the climate change related issues. NAPCC outlines eight Missions in specific areas of solar  energy,  enhanced  energy  efficiency,  habitat,  water,  sustaining  Himalayan  Ecosystems, forestry, agriculture and strategic knowledge for climate change. Further, States/Union Territories have prepared State Action Plans on Climate Change consistent with the objectives of NAPCC.

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