MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)
(a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
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Statement referred to in reply to Part (a) to (e) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. †*135 by Shri Bharat Singh and Shri Vijay Kumar Hansdak regarding Carbon Trading
(a) to (c): Under the Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) has been established under which entities from developed countries can develop emission-reducing projects in developing countries, and generate tradable credits corresponding to the volume of emission reductions achieved by that project in the form of Certified Emission Reduction (CER). Under the modalities and procedures of CDM, participation in CDM is voluntary in nature and any legal entity (private/public/NGO/individual etc) can participate in developing projects under CDM. Therefore, no targets are set under the scheme.
To support India’s active participating in Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), the Government of India has set up the National Clean Development Mechanism Authority (NCDMA) for according Host Country Approval (HCA) to eligible CDM projects in the country. As on date, the NCDMA has accorded HCA to 2978 CDM projects out of which 1614 projects has been successfully registered with the CDM Executive Board under UNFCCC.
Further, the Government in collaboration with the industry associations, project proponents bilateral and multi-lateral funding agencies had undertaken several workshops, seminars and business conclave and other activities to build capacity to implement such projects in the country. In the process, CDM Tool Kits was also prepared and provided to stakeholders to promote CDM activities in the country.
The CDM under the Kyoto Protocol would continue till 2020 and thereafter the Market Mechanism established under the Paris Agreement to promote International cooperation for Mitigation of Greenhouse gases and sustainable developments (like CDM under Kyoto Protocol) would continue with the following aims:
• promote the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions while fostering sustainable development;
• incentivize and facilitate participation in the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions by public and private entities authorized by a Party;
• contribute to the reduction of emission levels in the host Party for the benefit from mitigation activities resulting in emission reductions that can also be used by another Party to fulfil its nationally determined contribution; and
• deliver an overall mitigation in global emissions.
(d) Under the Himalayan Glaciological Programme sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, studies related to mass balance, hydro-meteorology, glacier dynamics, glacier length/area changes and climate studies of the Himalayan glaciers are being carried out. In this direction, a Centre for Glaciology has been set up at Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun.
In a collaborative project Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and lndian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have carried out mapping of Himalayan glaciers covering lndus, Ganga and Brahmaputra basins using lndian satellite data between 2004 and 2011. The study shows that there are 34,919 glaciers spread over 75,779 sq. km. glaciated area in the entire Himalayas. Further, ISRO has monitored the advance and retreat of 2018 glaciers across the Himalayan region using satellite data of 2000-2001 and 2010-2011. The study revealed that 1752 glaciers showed no change, 248 glaciers were retreating and 18 glaciers were advancing.
(e)The National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) under National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) encompasses conservation measures for sustaining and safeguarding the Himalayan glaciers and mountain ecosystems through (i) establishment of monitoring network (ii) promotion of community based management (iii) human resource development and (iv) strengthening regional cooperation. Major initiatives under NMSHE include creation of four Thematic Task Forces on (i) Himalayan Agriculture (ii)Traditional Knowledge systems (iii) Forest Resources and Plant Diversity and (iv) Fauna and Wildlife Habitats. It also includes networking of related institutions for focused research in different themes of Himalayan ecosystem. Different programmes have been initiated for training in the field of glaciology, awareness programmes for community based organizations and officials related to the Indian Himalayan Region. Also, the State Climate Change Centres have been set up in the seven Himalayan states, namely (i) Jammu and Kashmir (ii) Himachal Pradesh (iii) Manipur (iv) Mizoram (v) Tripura (vi) Sikkim and (vii) Meghalaya.
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