Question : Threat of Global Warming

(a) whether the Government is aware that Earth is facing a serious threat of global warming due to the indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government has taken note that there is a need for concerted effort at the global level to cut down on harmful emissions;
(c) if so, the efforts being made by the Government in this regard till date; and
(d) whether the Government has earmarked any funds/special funds for the said purposes and if so, the details of the funds earmarked during the last three years?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a) to (d) The cumulative accumulation of anthropogenic greenhouse gases (GHGs) since the pre-industrial era, besides depletion of global sinks such as forests etc., has contributed to the problem of global warming. The atmospheric concentrations of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) have all increased since 1750 due to human activity. In 2011 the concentrations of these greenhouse gases were 391 ppm, 1803 ppb, and 324 ppb, and exceeded the pre-industrial levels by about 40%, 150%, and 20%, respectively. Recognizing that climate change is a global challenge and requires concerted efforts at global level to cut down the emissions of GHGs, India is engaged constructively at global level through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement under UNFCCC to combat it.

In the pre-2020 period, India announced its voluntary goal to reduce the emission intensity of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 20-25 per cent from 2005 levels by 2020. India has achieved 12% reduction in emission intensity between 2005 and 2010 and is on course to achieve the voluntary goal by 2020. Under the Paris Agreement, India has submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the UNFCCC economy wide mitigation goals for 2021-2030.

To address the issues of climate change, Government of India is implementing the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) which includes eight national missions being implemented by various Ministries in specific areas of Solar Energy, Enhanced Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Habitat, Water, Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem, Green India, Sustainable Agriculture and Strategic knowledge for Climate Change. A total of Rs. 14393.45 Crores has been allocated for these missions under NAPCC for the year 2014-15 to 2016-17. During 2015-16, Government of India launched the scheme- National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change with an initial corpus of Rs. 350 crores for remaining period of 12th Five Year Plan to support adaptation actions of States and Union Territories. The scheme has continued beyond 12th Plan period.

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