(a) whether it is a fact that human activities are causing the global temperature to rise 170 times faster and several species of flora and fauna are facing serious crisis due to rise in temperature; and
(b) if so, the steps being taken by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(DR. HARSH VARDHAN)
(a) Attention is being drawn to a paper by researchers from the Australian National University and Stockholm University published in the journal ‘The Anthropocene Review’ stating that human activities are causing the climate to change 170 times faster than natural forces.
However, as per the fifth assessment report (AR5) of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published in 2014, globally averaged combined land and ocean surface temperature has risen by 0.85 ºC (0.65 to 1.06 ºC) over the period of 1880 to 2012. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), all India mean temperature has risen by nearly 0.60 ºC over the last 110 years.
(b) The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement which enjoin upon the country parties to take precautionary measures to anticipate, prevent and minimize the causes of climate change, mitigate and adapt to its adverse effects, have been signed and ratified by India.
At the national level, the Government has launched the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) in June 2008 to deal with the issues related to climate change. NAPCC comprises eight missions in specific areas of solar energy, enhanced energy efficiency, sustainable habitat, water, sustaining Himalayan ecosystems, Green India, sustainable agriculture and strategic knowledge for climate change.
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