(a) whether the Government proposes to conduct any research work regarding climate change in North Pole;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the amount likely to be spent on such research work;
(d) whether any agreement has been signed with any country for cooperation in this regard; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND
MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES
(DR. HARSH VARDHAN)
(a) Yes, Sir.
(b) Ministry of Earth Sciences through its autonomous institute, National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa operates a research base ‘Himadri’at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard (~1234 Km to North Pole) since 2008 from where various research activities pertaining to climate change are carried out. India commenced its dedicated Arctic research in 2007 and continues to send expeditions to Arctic each year in the Norwegian Arctic, Svalbard. India’s Arctic research includes atmospheric, biological, marine and earth sciences and glaciological studies.
(c) The budget allocated for the period 2017-2020 for Arctic program is Rs. 43 Crores.
(d) Yes, Sir.
(e) National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research has a MoU with the Norwegian Polar Institute for scientific and logistic cooperation in the Arctic. NCPOR has also recently signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR) of Japanfor cooperation in polar research.