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Category: ENVIRONMENT

Published: 03 August 2016

SRINAGAR: Minister for Forests, Environment and Ecology, Chaudhary Lal Singh on Wednesday said that Government is undertaking various ‘Missions’ for the broader understanding and responses on Climate Change across the State. Speaking at a review meeting with the officials of the Department of Forests, Ecology and Environment, the Minister said that under National Action Plan (NAP) various missions at the State level have been taken up, which include Energy Mission, Enhanced Energy Efficiency Mission, Sustainable Habitat Mission, Water Mission, Mission on Sustainable Himalayan Ecosystem, Green India Mission, Mission on Sustainable Agriculture, Strategic Knowledge on Climate Change, Tourism Mission, Health Mission and Disaster Risk Mission.

The Minister took detailed review of the projects asking officials to brainstorm over their efficient implementation across the State. Seeking to broaden State’s response to climate change, Mr Singh said that the Government would soon add newly launched ‘missions’ for better understanding of the and effective response to the Climate Change. He said that massive programme for more effective management and harnessing State’s natural resources is also slated to be launched soon.

The Minister said that under National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), the Government of India with the aid and support of International partners has also established two funds, National Adaption Fund on Climate Change (NAFCC) and Green Climate Fund on Climate Change (GCFCC).  The meeting was attended by all the HoDs of the Department of Forest and its allied Departments and State Nodal Officer on Climate Change, Mutaharra Deva.

The meeting was informed that under NAP on Climate Change,  a budgetary provision of Rs 22.51 crore for 2015-2016 and 2016-17 have been approved for the State. The meeting was also informed that eight ‘missions’ are operational at the Centre at present, each of which is a sectoral response to the impacts of climate change. Three of them on solar energy afforestation and energy efficiency seek to slow down the growth of India’s emissions. Another three on agriculture, water and Himalayan eco-systems are about initiating measures to adapt to the effects of climate change. The remaining two on sustainable habitat and strategic knowledge are service missions and seek to create more knowledge on useful climate responses.

The meeting was further informed that under Health Mission, elaborative work would be carried out on dealing with climate impacts on human health.  The ‘mission’ is likely to have assessment on human health in different regions of the country and build up capacities to respond to these and also to health emergencies arising out of natural disasters.