Year End Review | Ministry of Environment and Climate Change

About the Ministry

MoEFCC is the nodal agency for planning, co-ordination and overseeing the implementation of India’s environmental and forestry policies and programmes.

KEY INITIATIVES OF MOEFCC

Updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

• The updated NDCs seeks to enhance India’s contributions towards achievement of the strengthening of global response to the threat of climate change, as agreed under the Paris Agreement.
• It would safeguard India’s future development needs based on the principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

• These two targets have been achieved well ahead of the time.
  • The cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources is 43.81% of the total cumulative electric power installed capacity.
  • The emission intensity of its GDP has been reduced by 33% between 2005 and 2019.

Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI)

• It was launched in 2022 after India joined Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC) at COP27 in Egypt.
• Aim- To comprehensively explore the possible area for development of mangroves covering approximately 540 sq. kms. spreading across 11 States and 2 Union Territories.
• Tenure- 5 years
• Feature- Sharing of best practices on plantation techniques, conservation measures, management practices and resources mobilization through Public Private Partnership (PPP).

Green Credit Program

• It is an initiative within the LiFE movement that was launched by India on the side-lines of COP 28.
• It is an innovative market based mechanism designed to incentivise environmental actions.
• Green Credit Rules 2023 has been notified in 2023 under Environment Protection Act 1986.
• It puts in a mechanism to encourage voluntary environmental positive actions resulting in issuance of green credits.
• It is independent of the carbon credit under Carbon Credit Trading Scheme 2023.

Ecomark Scheme

• It is a voluntary certification scheme for environment friendly products and services in India.
• The Central Pollution Control Board administers the scheme in partnership with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which is the national body for standards and certification.
• Products accredited under this scheme will adhere to specific environmental criteria, ensuring minimal environmental impact.

Mission LiFE (Lifestyle For Environment)

• It is a public movement to mobilize individuals to become 'Pro-Planet People' introduced by India at COP 26 in Glasgow.
• An India-led global mass movement to nudge individual and community action to protect and preserve the environment.

• It is an environment conscious lifestyle with the motto “Mindful and Deliberate Utilisation, instead of Mindless and Destructive Consumption”.
• Phases- Each phase requires a fundamental shift in our approach towards sustainability.
  • Change in Demand
  • Change in Supply
  • Change in Policy

India Cooling Action Plan

• Launched in 2019, it is the 1^st country in the world to develop a comprehensive Cooling Action Plan with the long term vision.
• It seeks to provide an integrated vision towards cooling across sectors in reducing cooling demand, refrigerant transition, enhancing energy efficiency and better technology options with a 20-year time horizon.
• Goal- To provide sustainable cooling and thermal comfort for all while securing socio-economic and environemental benefit for all in the society.

50 years of Project Tiger

• Launch year- 1973
• Objective - Conservation of tiger and ensures the preservation of their natural habitat.
• It is one of the most successful species conservation programmes in the world, it has 53 tiger reserves spread over 75,000 km.
• National Tiger Conservation Authority- It was created under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 which strengthens the tiger conservation in the country.

International Big Cat Alliance

• It is a mega international event launched to commemorate 50 years of Project Tiger.
• It is launched for conservation of 7 big cats - Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar and Puma.
• It will reach out to “range” countries that are home to the 7big cats to strengthen efforts to conserve these denizens in the wild.
• It will facilitate the mobilization of financial and technical resources to support the entire ecosystem linked to big cats.

Indira Parayavaran Bhawan

• It houses the building of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• It is India’s first on site net zero building built by adoption of solar passive design and energy efficient building material.
• It has been designed as the highest green rated building, i.e., GRIHA 5-Star and LEED India Platinum

India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021

• Released by- Forest Survey of India (FSI)
• Publication- Biennial (Every 2 years)
• Significance- The report for the 1^st time provides the forest cover in tiger reserve areas, tiger corridors and Gir forests that houses the Asiatic lion.
• Increase in forest cover has been observed in open forest followed by very dense forest.
• The North East region reported the biggest losses in forest cover.

PARIVESH 2.0

• It is a Pro Active and Responsive facilitation by Interactive and Virtuous Environmental Single window Hub.
• It is a single window integrated system for Environment, Forest, Wild Life and Coastal Regulation Zone Clearance Process.
• The updated version leverages on emerging technology such as GIS, Advance Data Analytics, etc. for providing faster decisions on green clearances.
• The PARIVESH Portal and Gati Shakti Portal are seamlessly integrated through Map service.

Ramsar Sites

• Aim - To preserve the ecological character of their wetlands of international importance.
• Pillars-
  • Wise use of wetlands
  • International Cooperation
  • Wetlands of International Importance - Designation and Management
• The convention dose not directly bind on the nation, but countries formulate policies based on it.
• Categories- The Ramsar sites are grouped into 3 categories.
  • Marine and Coastal wetlands
  • Inland wetlands
  • Human-made wetlands
• India ratified the Ramsar Convention in 1982.
• Recently, India added 10 wetlands to the List of Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites) within the framework of Ramsar Convention.
• This takes the total number of Ramsar Sites in India to 75, the 2^nd largest network of Ramsar sites in Asia.

• Keoladeo National Park (in Rajasthan) and Chilika lake (in Odisha) were the 1^st two sites to be placed on the Ramsar list by India.

Amrit Dharohar Yojana has been launched for conservation of Ramsar sites through community participation.

Forest (Conservation) Amendment) Act, 2023

• It amends the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 which provides for the conservation of forest land. 
• It is amended to achieve the country’s national as well as international commitments of NDCs, carbon neutrality, eliminate the ambiguities and bring clarity about the applicability of the Act.
• It will promote the plantation in non-forest land, enhance the productivity of the forests.

Blue flag beaches

• The Blue Flag certificate is given by the Foundation for Environment Education in Denmark (FEE) for beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators.
• Mission- To promote sustainability in the tourism sector, through environmental education, environmental protection and other sustainable development practices.
• To receive the certificate, the beaches must comply with all the 33 criteria as mandated by the FEE.

National Clean Air Program

• Launch year - 2019
• Aim- To improve air quality in 131 cities (non-attainment cities and Million Plus Cities) in 24 States/UTs by engaging all stakeholders.
• Non-attainment cities- They are the cities which did not meet the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for 2011-15 under the National Air Quality Monitoring Program (NAMP).
• Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan- More than 100 cities are monitored for air quality with an intent and plan to improve the air quality through holistic approach.
• The programme envisages to achieve reductions up to 40% or achievement of NAAQS for PM 10 by 2025-26.

Mission Circular Economy

• Purpose- To create new business models and employment opportunities, thereby integrating the informal sector.
• It will result in moving away from mindless consumption to mindful utilisation and will help achieve the vision of Mission LiFE.
• Efforts - Mission Circular Economy is emphasised through
  • Plastic Waste Management Rules
  • e-Waste Management Rules
  • Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules
  • Metals Recycling Policy, etc.
• To expedite the transition of the country from a linear to a circular economy, 11 committees have been formed for 11 focus areas such as scrap metal, Li-ion batteries, electronic wastes, etc.
• The Indian Railways has set a target of becoming net zero carbon emitter by 2030.
• Regulations on market based Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principle have been notified for 4 categories of wastes - plastic packaging waste, battery waste, e-waste and waste tyre.

Cheetah Reintroduction in India

• Project Cheetah- It is India’s relocation programme, the first intercontinental reintroduction of a wild, large carnivore species.
• The project is to bring in 5-10 animals every year, over the next decade, until a self-sustaining population of cheetahs is established.
• In India, the cheetah was found from Jaipur and Lucknow in the north to Mysore in the south, and from Kathiawar in the west to Deogarh in the east.
• The cheetah was officially declared extinct by the Indian government in 1952.
• A plan to reintroduce cheetahs in India was endorsed in 2009 but it was shot down by the Supreme Court in 2013.
• The idea was revived in 2017, and the SC cleared the move in 2020 on an experimental basis.
• Kuno-Palpur National Park, Madhya Pradesh was found to be ready to receive the cheetah immediately, as it had already been prepared for the translocation of Asiatic Lion.
• Need for reintroduction- The main objective is
  • To restore India’s historic evolutionary balance
  • To develop a cheetah metapopulation that will help in the global conservation of the animal
  • As it is a flagship species, the conservation of the cheetah will revive grassland-forests habitat

G20 INDIA PRESIDENCY 2023

• G20 framework on Land Degradation- To accelerate actions on achieving the G20 goal of reducing degraded land by 50% by 2040, through enhancing the G20 Global Initiative for Reducing Land Degradation (GIRLD).
• G20 Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Industry Coalition- To foster global partnerships among key industries for enhancing technological cooperation, exchange of ideas and mobilizing de-risked finance.

• GIR-GIP- Gandhinagar Implementation Roadmap and Gandhinagar Information Platform (GIR-GIP) emanated from G20 deliberations to tackle restoration of forest fire and mining degraded lands.
• Green Development Pact- It envisages a green development pact that endorses high-level principles on lifestyle
  • Chennai principles- For a sustainable resilient blue economy
  • Deccan principles- For food security and nutrition
• Chennai High-Level Principles for a Sustainable and Resilient Blue/Ocean-based Economy- It stresses on a sustainable ocean-based economy, strengthening international cooperation to tackle shared maritime challenges, and enhancing ocean finance.

References

1. PIB- Year-end review of MoEFCC
2. MoEFCC- Annual report 2022-23
3. PIB- Updated NDC