MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)
(a) and (b) India has been actively participating in various International meetings on Climate change for protecting its own interest in the climate change negotiation fora under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In the span of last 2 years, India has participated in the Conference of the Parties (COP) – COP-20 held in Lima, Peru in December 2014 and COP-21 held in Paris, France in November-December 2015, under UNFCCC.
At COP-21, a new Agreement with universal participation of all countries was adopted for enhancing the implementation of the Convention with a view to contain increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. The Paris Agreement recognizes imperatives of climate justice and sustainable lifestyles as manifested in patterns of consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead.
(c)Various steps have been taken by the Government to check emissions and control pollution from heavy industries including sugar mills and tanneries. These include notification of National Ambient Air Quality Standards covering up 12 pollutants, formulation of environmental regulations/statutes, setting up of monitoring network for assessment of ambient air quality, introduction of cleaner/ alternate fuels like gaseous fuel (CNG, LPG etc.), ethanol blend etc. and promotion of cleaner production processes. Revised standards have been notified for Sugar Industries for conservation of water and stream effluent norms, besides directing the sugar mills to use the entire treated effluent for irrigation.
Steps have also been taken to control pollution from Tanneries. About 1500 tanneries are operational mostly in Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Directions were issued to Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and West Bengal State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) to ensure compliance of Fixed Dissolved Solid (FDS) parameter norms. Directions were issued for closure of 77 tanneries situated on Ganga main stem for non compliance of directions to install continuous (24x7) effluent quality/quantity monitoring systems, and to 13 tanneries situated on Ganga main stem for non-compliance of standards.
(d) and (e) Global studies on climate change, including on global temperature rise, are regularly conducted by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which has participation of Indian scientists and experts. Besides, the Department of Science & Technology under the National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC) has taken a major initiative of establishing Knowledge networks in the key areas of Climate Change Science, Adaptation and Mitigation. Two Network Programmes one each in the areas of Climate Change & Human Health and Climate modeling have been initiated. 17 reports containing outcomes of studies on climate change impact on sectors like agriculture, sea level rise, ocean acidification, livelihood, forest ecosystem, storm surges, etc. conducted by leading Research and Development institutions in the country have been brought out. Two thematic reports one each on Climate Change & Agriculture and Climate Change & Human Health have also been brought out.
***
Download PDF Files
