Climate Change: India’s Approach Policy, Law, Actions by Vijai Sharma

1. Climate Change: India’s Approach Policy, Law, Actions by Vijai Sharma Member, National Green Tribunal (Principal Bench), New Delhi National Workshop on Institutional Framework on Sustainable Development International Centre for Environmental Audit and Sustainable Development, Jaipur 28-30 September, 2011

2. Canvas of Presentation • India’s Approach: International and Domestic • Climate Change Policy and Law • National Action Plan on Climate Change • Sustainable Development perspective • Finance and Technology – international cooperation • Multilateral trends – other parallel processes • International commitment to combat Climate Change • Some Questions Vijai Sharma

3. Climate Change: India context • Observed changes in temperature • India’s vulnerability to Climate Change • India as a low carbon economy • Mitigation and Adaptation • Declining energy intensity of GDP in India • Thrust of National Action Plan on Climate Change • National Communication • Indian Climate Change Network • Equity issues Vijai Sharma

4. Climate Change: International Regime • UN Framework Convention on Climate Change • Kyoto Protocol: speculation on second commitment period • Common but Differentiated Responsibilities • Sustainable Development & Poverty Eradication • Implementation: gaps and progress, new challenges • Resource Mobilisation: North to South flows • Bottlenecks in multilateralism and consensus • Building national systems: involvement of stakeholders Vijai Sharma

5. Policy and Law in India • National Environment Policy • GHG emissions: projection in NAPCC • Domestic Initiatives in mitigation and adaptation • Strengthening institutional mechanisms • Interlinkages: climate change, biodiversity, desertification • Rights based approaches • Transparency, accountability, access to justice • Civil society, apex industrial associations, media Vijai Sharma

6. Indian Network for CC Assessment • GOAL • To establish a network based Scientific Programme for CC Assessment • To build capacity for management of risks and opportunities (due to CC) • To provide inputs for responding to Climate Change • OBJECTIVES • Objective 1: Observe short- and long-term changes in climate • Objective 2: Understand climate change impacts on key economy sectors • Objective 3: Develop climate change assessment and adaptation frameworks • Objective 4: To analyse GHG trends and pollutants from various sectors • Objective 5: To build capacity for research to understand changes in climate and • related environment and develop strategies to combat change

7. National Action Plan on Climate Change • Mission Approach launched on 30 June, 2008 • Concretized domestic action in international context • Climate Change evolved into an inter-Ministerial subject • Response to Climate Change: part of global challenge • Enhancing sustainability of India’s development • Strongly reflective of India’s adaptation needs • Equitable entitlement to global atmosphere • Capacity-building at different government levels Vijai Sharma

8. Enhancing Sustainable Development • SD is centre-stage: no longer ancillary, not just a co-benefit • Working towards human well-being as central objective • Both climate change and poverty to be combated • Special focus on the very vulnerable for survival • North-to-South resource flows as per UNFCCC • Mainstreaming SD in national planning • Sustaining multi-sectoral response over time • Promotion of resource-use efficiency and conservation Vijai Sharma

9. Solar Mission • Min. of Non Renewable Energy Sources • 20,000 mw solar power by 2020 • Solar Thermal Power Generation • Solar Photovoltaic Generation • R&D Collaboration, Technology Transfer, Capacity Building • Networking Indian effort with global initiatives • Competitive delivery of solar energy • Private sector in solar manufacturing facilities • Solar Energy Authority Vijai Sharma

10. Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency • Ministry of Power • 10,000 mw of Energy Efficiency Savings by 2020 • Sector specific Technological Options • Cross-cutting technological options • Fuel Switch Potential for emission reduction • Technology Transfer and Financing • Policy and Regulatory Options • Delivery Options • Capacity Building Vijai Sharma

11. Mission on Sustainable Habitat • Ministry of Urban Development • Energy Efficiency in Residential and Commercial sectors • Application of Energy Conservation Building Code • R&D, Technology Transfer and Capacity Building • Policy and Regulatory Enhancements • Delivery Options • Urban Planning • Management of Municipal Solid Waste • Promotion of Urban Public Transport Vijai Sharma

12. Water Mission • Ministry of Water Resources • Management of Surface Water Resources • Regulation of Groundwater Resources • Upgrading storage structures and drainage systems • Wastewater recycling • Conservation of Wetlands • Development of Desalination Technologies • River Basin Management Strategies • Upgrading impact assessment Vijai Sharma

13. Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem • Ministry of Science & Technology • Unique significance of Himalayan ecosystem • Impact of shrinking glaciers; loss of icemass • Empowerment of local communities • Observational networks; monitoring impacts • Landuse planning and watershed management • Afforestation and reforestation • Recognition of unique mountain landscapes • Sustainable tourism Vijai Sharma

14. Mission for Green India • Ministry of Environment & Forests • Aims: increase forest cover and conserve biodiversity • Ecosystem services, sustaining communities, energy needs • Greenhouse gas sequestration • Appropriate silvicultural practices • Public and private management • Community based initiatives: JFM, Van Panchayats • Forest fire management • Implementation of Biodiversity Conservation Act Vijai Sharma

15. Mission for Sustainable Agriculture • Ministry of Agriculture • Flagship Mission for Adaptation to Climate Change • Monitoring and Evaluation of adverse impacts • Dryland Agriculture • Risk Management • Access to Information • Use of Biotechnology • Traditional knowledge systems • Financial support to farmers Vijai Sharma

16. Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change • Ministry of Science & Technology • Climate Modelling and Access to Data • Enhanced Research on Climate Modelling • Promoting Data Access • Strengthening Networks • Human Resource Development • Research in key substantive domains • Creation of essential research infrastructure • “Indian IPCC” Vijai Sharma

17. Recent happenings: emerging outlook • Cancun Agreements – 2010 • Copenhagen – 2009 • Durban 2011 and problem areas • Fate of Kyoto Protocol • BASIC group • India’s position in the negotiations • South-South Cooperation • Rio+20 • Outlook for India Vijai Sharma

18. “The challenge of finding sustainable development paths ought to provide the impetus – indeed the imperative -- for a renewed search for multilateral solutions and a restructured international economic system of co-operation. These challenges cut across the divides of national sovereignty, of limited strategies for economic gain, and of separated disciplines of science.” Gro Harlem Brundtland Prime Minister of Norway Our Common Future (1987) Vijai Sharma

19. Thank you • “Everything should be made simple but not simpler” • Albert Einstein Vijai Sharma

20. Vijai Sharma • Member, National Green Tribunal (Principal Bench), New Delhi Email: vijaicop8@yahoo.com Mobile: +919953830213 Tel: +911124361297