(a) whether climate change has emerged as a global problem at present;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with its effects on the country’s flora and fauna;
(c) whether the Government is formulating a new national plan/strategy to tackle the problems being arisen due to climate change and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government is assured about tackling the problems of climate change; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)
(a) & (b) Climate change is a global problem. As per the fifth Assessment Report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, published in 2014, climate change has affected the natural system in all continents and oceans. In different regions, changing precipitation, melting snow and ice are altering hydrological systems, affecting water resources in terms of quantity and quality. Many terrestrial, freshwater, and marine species have shifted their geographic ranges, seasonal activities, migration patterns, abundance and species interactions in response to ongoing climate change.
A scientific study to assess the impact of climate change has been conducted and a report titled “Climate Change and India: A 4X4 Assessment - A Sectoral and Regional Analysis for 2030s” was published in 2010 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The study assessed impact of climate change on four key sectors of Indian economy, namely, agriculture, water, forests and human health in four climate sensitive regions of India - the Himalayan region, the Western Ghats, the Coastal region and the North-Eastern region. The study projects change in the composition of the forests and net primary productivity in these regions.
(c) to (e) All countries have joined hands under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to tackle the problem of climate change. Parties to the UNFCCC in December 2015 adopted the Paris Agreement, for the post-2020 period, which calls for “Nationally Determined Contributions” (NDC), from each country. India is a Party to the UNFCCC and has undertaken a number of policy initiatives and programs for dealing with the issues of climate change.
India, in its NDC for the period 2021 to 2030 has committed to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35 percent by 2030 from 2005 level; to achieve about 40 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030 with the help of transfer of technology and low cost international finance including from Green Climate Fund; and to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
It is expected that enhanced efforts by all countries based on the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities will help tackle the problem of climate change.
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