Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

About Ministry

• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is the nodal agency in the administrative structure of the Central Government for the planning, promotion, co-ordination and overseeing the implementation of India’s environmental and forestry policies and programmes.
• The primary concerns of the Ministry are implementation of policies and programmes relating to conservation of the country’s natural resources including its lakes and rivers, its biodiversity, forests and wildlife, ensuring the welfare of animals, and the prevention and abatement of pollution. While implementing these policies and programmes, the Ministry is guided by the principle of sustainable development and enhancement of human well-being.
• The broad objectives of the Ministry are:
  • 1. Conservation and survey of flora, fauna, forests and wildlife
    2. Prevention and control of pollution
    3. Afforestation and regeneration of degraded areas
    4. Protection of the environment and
    5. Ensuring the welfare of animals

 

NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON CLIMATE CHANGE (NAPCC)

• • NAPCC released in 2008
  • It is prepared by the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change, which is in charge of the overall implementation of the plan.
  • It is a comprehensive action plan which outlines measures on climate change related adaptation and mitigation while simultaneously advancing development.

Objectives

• • To achieve a sustainable development path that simultaneously advances economic and environmental objectives.
  • To fulfil India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to the UNFCCC under Paris Agreement.
  • To protect the vulnerable and poor sections of society through inclusive and sustainable development strategy, sensitive to climate change
  • To devise efficient and cost effective strategies

Salient Features

• • It is a policy document prepared by the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change. The NAPCC is guided by the principles of –
    • 1. Protection – of the poor and vulnerable sections of society through inclusive development strategy
      2. Achieving national growth – through a qualitative change and economic direction that enhances ecological sustainability
      3. Demand side management – Devising efficient and cost effective strategies for end use
      4. Better technology – that looks into aspects of mitigation or adaptation.
      5. Market mechanism – that rewards sustainable development,
      6. Inclusivity- that invites linkups with civil society and local government institutions
      7. Many of the sectors most at risk from climate change – such as water and agriculture – are the responsibility of state governments, so all states have to develop a SAPCC which implements the national policy framework taking into account their own unique vulnerabilities.
      8. GoI is also implementing a dedicated National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) to implement adaptation actions in vulnerable sectors across the country.

• • Missions included under it:
    1. 1. National Solar Mission (under Ministry of New & Renewable Energy)
       2. National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency (under Ministry of Power)
       3. National Mission on Sustainable Habitat (under Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs)
       4. National Water Mission (under Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation)
       5. National Mission Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (under Ministry of Science & Technology)
       6. National Mission for a Green India (under Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change)
       7. National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (under Ministry of Agriculture)
       8. National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (under Ministry of Science & Technology)

 

National Mission for Green India (GIM)

• • • It is one of the 8 Missions outlined under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). It was approved in February 2014 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.

Objectives

• • • To increase forest/tree cover to the extent of 5 million hectares (mha) and improve quality of forest/tree cover on another 5 mha of forest/non-forest lands;
    • To improve/enhance eco-system services like carbon sequestration and storage (in forests & other ecosystems), hydrological services and biodiversity; along with provisioning services like fuel, fodder, and timber and non-timber forest produces (NTFPs)
    • To increase forest based livelihood income of about 3 million households.

Salient Features

• • • It aims at:
      1. 1. Increasing the forest cover
         2. Improving the quality of forest
         3. Responding to climate change by a combination of adaptation and mitigation measures.
    • It envisages a holistic view of greening and focuses on multiple ecosystem services, especially, biodiversity, water, biomass, preserving mangroves, wetlands, critical habitats etc.
    • The mission adopts an integrated cross-sectoral approach as it will be implemented on both public as well as private lands and includes local communities in planning, decision making, monitoring etc.

Climate Resilience Building among Farmers through Crop Residue Management

• • • It is a regional project approved by National Steering Committee on Climate Change (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change) under NAFCC.

Objectives

• • • The project aims to mitigate climate change impacts and enhance adaptive capacity and also to counter the adverse environmental impacts that arise from stubble burning.

 Salient Features

• • • The project will be implemented following a phased approach. The first phase of the project has been approved at a cost of approximately Rs. 100 Crore for the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
    • Awareness generation and capacity building activities will be undertaken to encourage farmers to adopt alternate practices which would also help diversify livelihood options and enhance farmer’s income.
    • Technological interventions will be undertaken for timely management of crop residue in addition to effective utilisation of existing machinery.
    • Implementable and sustainable entrepreneurship models will be created in rural areas through upscaling successful initiatives and innovative ideas.
    • Based upon the performance in the first phase, the scope could be enhanced and more activities can be supported subsequently.

 

NATIONAL ADAPTATION FUND FOR CLIMATE CHANGE (NAFCC)

• • Launched in 2015

Objectives

• • To assist states/UTs that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate hange in meeting the cost of adaptation.

Salient Features

• • It is designed to fulfil the objectives of National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and operationalize the State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs).
  • Under NAFCC 100% central grant is provided to State Governments for implementing climate change adaptation projects.
  • The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is the National Implementing Entity (NIE)
  • Union Government encourages States to come up with innovative and scalable projects to develop resilience against climate change and mainstream it in the planning processes.

 

SECURE HIMALAYA PROJECT

• • It was launched on the inaugural day of the Global Wildlife Programme (GWP).

Objectives

• • To ensure conservation of locally and globally significant biodiversity, land and forest resources in high Himalayan ecosystem spread over four states of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Sikkim.

Salient Features

• • It is launched by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
  • The project is 6 years long and is meant for specific landscapes including –
    • • Changthang (Jammu and Kashmir),
      • Lahaul – Pangi and Kinnaur (Himachal Pradesh),
      • Gangotri – Govind and Darma – Byans Valley in Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand) and
      • Kanchenjunga – Upper Teesta Valley (Sikkim).
  • The project includes protection of snow leopard and other endangered species and their habitats and also securing livelihoods of people in region and enhancing enforcement to reduce wildlife crime.
  • Under it, enhanced enforcement efforts and monitoring will be undertaken to curb illegal trade in some medicinal and aromatic plants which are among most threatened species in these landscapes.

 

NATIONAL CLEAN AIR PROGRAMME (NCAP)

• • Comprehensive strategy in NCAP is being envisaged to plug the current gaps in maintenance of air quality in India, by augmenting efforts for mitigation of air pollution in mission mode.

Objectives

• • Stringent implementation of mitigation measures for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution
  • Augment and strengthen air quality monitoring network across the country
  • Augment public awareness and capacity building measures.

Proposed Institutional set up

• • Monitoring – an apex committee under environment minister, a steering committee under Secretary (environment) and a monitoring committee under a joint secretary. Project monitoring committees will be set up at the state-level
  • Implementation – National level Project Implementation Unit (PIU) at CPCB

Salient Features

• • It is a pollution control initiative to cut the concentration of particles (PM10 & PM2.5) by 20-30% by 2024.
  • It will have 2017 as the base year for comparison and 2019 as the first year.
  • It is to be implemented in 102 non-attainment cities. These cities are chosen on the basis of Ambient Air Quality India (2011-2015) and WHO report 2014/2018.
  • Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) shall execute the nation-wide programme for the prevention, control, and abetment of air pollution within the framework of the NCAP.
  • The NCAP will be institutionalized by respective ministries and will be organized through inter-sectoral groups.
  • The program will partner with multilateral and bilateral international organizations, philanthropic foundations and leading technical institutions to achieve its outcomes.
  • It has tried to incorporate measures for urban as well as rural areas, including trans-boundary air pollution.
  • It focuses on Multi-sectoral Collaboration and Participatory approach, covering all sources of pollution and coordination between relevant Central ministries, state governments, local bodies and other stakeholders.
  • City specific action plans are being formulated for 102 non-attainment cities identified for implementing mitigation actions under NCAP.

 

GREEN SKILL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Objectives

• • Skilling the youth of India, especially dropouts and in increasing the availability of skilled workforce.

Salient Features

• • It is initiative for skill development in the environment and forest sector to enable India’s youth to get gainful employment and/or self-employment
  • It has been conceptualised and developed in Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in consultation with the National Skill Development Agency (NSDA), the nodal agency for synergizing skill development initiatives in the country, under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
  • All courses will be National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF)
  • It is utilising the vast network and expertise of Environmental Information System (ENVIS) Hubs/ Resource Partners (RPs).
  • After a pilot project in 2017, ministry has taken following steps to expand it-
  • Increased budget allocation for ENVIS in budget 2018-19 by 33%. Out of this, the training courses under GSDP will be funded.
  • Increased target: A total of 5.5 lakh people will be imparted training by 2021.
  • More green skills now: The government has identified 35 courses including pollution monitoring (air/water/noise/soil), effluent treatment plant operation, forest management, water budgeting etc.
  • GSDP-ENVIS is a mobile app that will help boost employability and entrepreneurship of the youth in the country.

 

INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT OF WILDLIFE HABITATS (IDWH)

Objectives

• • The IDWH scheme would result in overall strengthening/ consolidation of tiger, elephant and wildlife conservation in the country.
  • It would address the human wildlife conflict effectively and benefit communities opting for voluntary relocation from the Core/Critical Tiger Habitat.
  • It would result in employment and resource generation through tourist visits.

Implementation

• • Would be done through the respective States in designated Tiger Reserves, Protected Areas and Elephant Reserves.

Salient Features

• • It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme where GoI provides financial and technical assistance to the State/UT Governments for activities aimed at wildlife conservation.
  • The Scheme consists of 3 Centrally Sponsored Scheme of-
    1. 1. 1. Project Tiger (CSS-PT)
          2. Project Elephant (CSS-PE)
          3. Development of Wildlife Habitats (CSS-DWH)
  • 3 Components of IDHW –
    1. 1. 1. Support to Protected Areas (National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves).
          2. Protection of Wildlife outside Protected Areas.
          3. Recovery programmes for saving critically endangered species and habitats

 

OTHER INITIATIVES/SCHEMES OF MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

 

 

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