Vardhan highlights Indian initiatives

Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan has said that India considers climate change as a major threat to collective well-being and wants to play a positive, as well as constructive role in combating it.

Addressing a gathering at the inauguration of India Pavilion at the ongoing meeting of Conference of Parties (COP-23) at Bonn in Germany on 6 Nov 2017, he said said that climate change will put a disproportionate burden on the poor and marginalised sections of the global community.

Emphasising that though India’s per capita emissions are only one-third of global average and its contribution to global stock of carbon dioxide is less than 3%, India has still moved ahead with implementation of path-breaking initiatives.

He highlighted some of India’s key initiatives:

Achieving about 58.3 GW of Renewable Energy Capacity out of a targeted 175 GW for 2022.

Thirty-two States and Union Territories have put in place the State Action Plan on Climate Change attempting to mainstream climate change concerns in their planning process.

As part of mission on strategic knowledge on climate change, India has established 8 Global Technology Watch Groups in the areas of Renewable Energy Technology, Advance Coal Technology, Enhanced Energy Efficiency, Green Forest, Sustainable Habitat, Water, Sustainable Agriculture and Manufacturing.

The government has revised six waste management rules which are more effective, efficient and stringent. These include rules for solid waste, Plastic waste, E-waste, bio-Medical and Hazardous and Construction and Demolition Waste.

Greening of India’s extensive Railway routes and Highways is being undertaken.

Air Quality Index launched in over 30 cities to provide real-time data of air pollution on daily basis.

The government has launched “Skill India” with the target to provide skill training in various sectors including sustainable development to about 400 million people by 2022.

Zero Effect, Zero Defect is a policy initiative to enhance energy efficiency and resources efficiency in Medium & Small Industries.

Another important initiative relating to rivers is the National Mission for Clean Ganga which seeks to rejuvenate the river along its length of more than 2,500 km.

-/fii-news.com