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The eight missions identified in the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) are being elaborated and the exercise is drawing to a close.
The missions are:
- National Solar Mission
- National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency
- National Mission on Sustainable Habitat
- National Water Mission
- National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem
- National Mission for a Green India
- National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture, and
- National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change.
Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, Shyam Saran said comprehensive discussions were held with scientists, technologists, academia and the community representatives, including the non-governmental organisations, to consider their opinions.
Accusing the developed nations, deviating from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change on various pretexts, Mr. Saran has said India had already declared that even as it pursued its social and economic development objectives, it would not allow its per capita emissions to exceed the average of the developed countries.
Appreciating the new recognition given to climate change by the U.S. President Barack Obama, who has announced a 10-year $150 billion Renewable Energy Initiative, Mr. Saran said the renewed focus on this sector fits very well into India’s strategy.
Investment in addressing climate change especially in renewable energy could create new industries, new jobs and spur technological innovation.
“Action on climate change must become part of the solution to the financial and economic crisis,” he added.
The South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People has just published a critique of the India’s National Action Plan on Climate change (NAPCC), titled: “There is little Hope here”. India is more vulnerable to the climate change impacts than the US, the Europe or even China. And the poor within India, whose contribution to the climate change is the least, are the most vulnerable, considering their dependence on natural resources. The report, which includes recommendations of several civil society consultations, concludes that the NAPCC has been formulated through a most non transparent process; it will help neither the poor, nor the climate. The climate change provides a unique opportunity to make India’s development path people and environment friendly, but the NAPCC completely misses that opportunity.
The Prime Minister of India released the NAPCC on June 30, 2008, see http://pmindia.nic.in/Pg01-52.pdf. The National Plan is likely to work only to the advantage of the already privileged elite, with all the adverse impacts going to the share of already disadvantaged. This is particularly evident from the way the so called Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects have progressed so far here. The central and state governments see CDM benefits as free gifts and are not bothered to ascertain if these projects are indeed helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions, are sustainable, do not have significant social and environmental footprints or the local communities are benefiting from the credits or even participant in the project planning and decision making. The Executive Board of the United Nations Frame Convention on Climate Change has neither the mechanism nor the will to ensure that any of these are happening. The CDM and the failed carbon market, unfortunately, continue to remain the cornerstone of world efforts to tackle climate change.
What do you think about the National Action Plan? Do you think it is a step in the right direction, or is it just an eyewash with 8 missions being setup along with multiple other government agencies with overlapping boundaries and not so clearly defined roles! |
