Climate Change and India: Introduction Impact of Climate change In India Initiatives of Government of India to combat Climate Change

nge Climate change is a global environmental problem which has been receiving intense political attention both at domestic and international levels. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) defines climate change as a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods. The major characteristics of climate change include rise in average global temperature, ice cap melting, changes in precipitation, and increase in ocean temperature leading to sea level rise. The efforts needed to address the climate change problem include mitigation of GHG emissions on one hand, and building of adaptive capacities on the other in developing countries to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change on various sectors of the society and economy enabled and supported by technology and finance.

India has reason to be concerned about the effects of climate change. Across its geography, India shows a wide range of climatic conditions - from the high altitude Himalayas to the marine climates of the coastline and islands; from the arid deserts of the north-west to the tropical forests of the north-east. Owing to this complex geography, the consequences of changes in climate would vary greatly across the different climatic zones of the country. Much of the climate and a large proportion of the economy depend on the South West Monsoon - the short three-month period over which nearly all the rainfall occurs over the subcontinent. Any changes in the monsoon will further stress water availability and distribution across the subcontinent. Regional climate model simulations for India indicate that a 0.4 C rise in annual air surface temperature has already taken place. Climate change will make monsoons unpredictable; as a result, rain-fed wheat cultivation in South Asia will suffer in a big way and the total cereal production will go down. Industrial development is important for economic growth, employment generation and improvement in the quality of life. However, industrial activities without proper precautionary measures for environmental protection are known to cause pollution and associated problems. If ecological and environmental criteria are forsaken, "industrialise and perish" will be the nature's retort. Now, there is a global consensus about the threat posed by the climate change. The disagreement is only, on how to go about altering human activities that unleash greenhouse gases, fuelling global warming.

The recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is the latest scientific assessment of the impact of global warming on human, animal and plant life. The culprit is greenhouse gases, notably carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. These are accumulating to unprecedented levels in the atmosphere as a result of profligate burning of fossil fuels, industrial processes, farming activities and changing land use. The greenhouse gases act like a blanket around the earth, trapping too much of the heat that would otherwise have escaped into space. The IPCC is a body of 2500 scientists that brings out reports, considered the last word on the Science of Climate Change. "Warming of the Climate System is unequivocal", says the IPCC in its latest report, pointing to the increased global, air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow, and ice and rising sea levels. If the introduction of these greenhouse gases continued to soar, global temperature could rise up by 2.40C to 6.40 C by the end of the century, with far-reaching consequences for the climate, warned the IPCC. The report has given fresh impetus to finding solutions to the global warming problem.The summit meeting of the Group of Eight Industrialised countries (G8) to be held in June in Germany is expected to launch new initiatives for collective action by both rich nations and fast growing developing countries to combat climate change. The report provides hope that concerted action can make a real difference in the next quarter century. The panel is convinced that greenhouse gases in the atmosphere can be pegged at relatively safe levels, with measures that will not affect GDP growth.It is little surprise that the panel found that owing to human activity, gas emissions, primarily CO2 , rose by 70 per cent between 1970 and 2004. What is of great interest to policymakers is the actionable part of the report, which addresses emissions by sectors such as energy producers, transport, buildings, land use, agriculture, and forestry. Much of that challenge lies in implementing carbon capture and storage technologies in the energy supply sector, which in the past three and half decades has been responsible for a 145 per cent increase in gas emissions. Indian Impact Climate change will make monsoons unpredictable. As a result, rain-fed wheat cultivation in South Asia will suffer in a big way. Total cereal production will go down. The crop yield per hectare will be hit badly, causing food insecurity and loss of livelihood. The rising levels of the sea in the coastal areas will damage nursery areas for fisheries, causing coastal erosion and flooding. The Arctic regions, Sub-Saharan Africa, small islands and Asian mega deltas, including the Ganga and Brahmaputra, will be affected most. Changes in climate around the globe are expected to trigger a steep fall in the production of cereals, says R K Pachauri, chairman of the IPCC. He estimated that a rise of 0.5 degree celsius in winter tempratures could cause a 0.45 tonne per hectare fall in India's wheat production. The average per hectare production in India is 2.6 tonnes. Worse still, Pachauri said, total agricultural land will shrink and the available land may not remain suitable for the present crops for too long. Farmers have to explore options of changing crops suitable to weather. He also pointed out that climatic changes could lead to major food security issues for a country like India. The report also predicts huge coastal erosion due to a rise in sea levels of about 40 cm resulting from faster melting of glaciers in the Himalayan and Hindukush ranges. It can affect half-a-million people in India because of excessive flooding in coastal areas and also can increase the salinity of ground water in the Sunderbans and surface water in coastal areas. India needs to sustain an 8 to 10 per cent economic growth rate, over the next 25 years, if it is to eradicate poverty and meet its human development goals, according to a 2006 report on an integrated energy policy prepared by an expert committee of the Planning Commission. Consequently, the country needed at the very least to increase its primary energy supply three or four -fold over the 2003-04 level. India's economic growth

would "necessarily involve increase in (greenhouse gas) emissions from the current extremely low levels." Any constraints on such emissions by India, whether direct, by way of emission targets, or indirect would reduce growth rates, the report stated. However, the report also added, "India should be willing to contain her (greenhouse gas) emissions as long as she is compensated for the additional cost involved." In his Budget speech this year, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram had promised the appointment of an expert committee 'to study the impact of climate change on India and identify the measures that we may have to take in the future'. The Union government has recently constituted the committee, headed by R Chidambaram, Principal Scientific Adviser to the government. Indian Stand India has been arguing at all climate negotiations that though it is among the top 10 emitters of carbon dioxide, the per capita emission is still one-sixth of the global average. Further, it has managed an 8 per cent growth with only a 3.7 per cent growth in energy consumption. India may oppose any move to seek its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and will ask the developed world to transfer Intellectual Property Rights with the clean technologies. The Indian Constitution on a sensitive provision in Article 48-A states, "The State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country." This is a fundamental obligation of the state since its violation has fatal implications. Article 51A (g) creates a fundamental duty on every individual to obey the mandate of environment and ecology. India needs to chart out a roadmap for itself in the light of the report on climate change. Climate change can be mitigated in many ways, such as improving the efficiency of energy intensive devices, vehicles and buildings, all of which involve direct and indirect gas emissions. Developing countries like India must adopt new energy - efficient technologies. Fuel - efficient vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and affordable and safe public transport need policy support in the form of lower taxes and promotion of usage. The government can mandate that buildings integrate green technologies such as solar photovoltaic systems, which are particularly relevant in a country with plentiful sunlight. The energy efficiency of end user equipment can be ensured through appropriate tax brakes and certification systems. The improved cooking stoves and high efficiency lighting, heating and cooling devices are available even today.

Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment: INCCA: INCCA (Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment) is a network-based programme that brings together over 120 institutions and over 220 scientists from across the country to undertake scientific assessments of different aspects of climate change. The Minister for Environment & Forests had announced the launch of the Indian Network of Climate Change Assessment (INCCA) on October 14, 2009. The first report, published in May2010, was on Indias Greenhouse Gas Emissions 2007, making India the first developing country to publish such updated data. INCCA is preparing to publish its next report in May 2011 on Indias carbon aerosol (black carbon) programme.

Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment (INCCA), has prepared the 4x4 assessment report for the first time calculated the impact of global warming on India in 2030s. Earlier reports had longer time frames of 2050 and 2070. The report had come ahead of the annual international climate change negotiations scheduled to begin 29 November in Cancun, Mexico. India released this report to build its own independent and creditable research capacity on the issue of climate change. The report is a step in the direction of comprehensive assessment of climate change on India at both national and regional levels. India is one of the most vulnerable countries at present in the world, exposed to the risks of the climate change.

Climate Change and India: A 4x4 Assessment A sectoral and regional analysis for 2030s

The then Union Environment and Forests minister released a report by the name Climate Change and India: A 4x4 Assessment A sectoral and regional analysis for 2030s in 2010 and the report assesses the impact of climate change in 2030s on four key sectors of the Indian economy, namely Agriculture, Water, Natural Ecosystems & Biodiversity and Health in four climate sensitive regions of India, namely the Himalayan region, the Western Ghats, the Coastal Area and the North-East Region. The Report was prepared by the Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment (INCCA). Key Findings of the 4x4 Assessment Report: Climate Change Projections: Climate change for 2030s suggests an overall warming for all the regions in focus. The net increase in annual temperatures in 2030s with respect to1970s ranges from 1.7 degree Celsius to 2.2 degree Celsius, with maximum increase in coastal regions. The extreme maximum and minimum temperatures are also projected to increase in 2030s with respect to 2070s.All the regions are projected to experience an increase in precipitation in2030s with respect to 1970s and the increase is most in the Himalayan region and least in the North Eastern region. The extreme precipitation events are likely to increase by 5-10 days in all the regions. Rise in Sea Level Sea level along the Indian coast has been rising at the rate of 1.3mm/year and is likely to rise in consonance with the global sea level rise in the future. Further projections indicate that although the frequency of cyclones is likely to decrease in 2030s, the cyclones are likely to be more intense. Agriculture: Irrigated rice in all the regions are likely to gain in yields marginally due to warming as compared to the rainfed crop as the irrigated rice tends to benefit from CO2 fertilization effect. Maize and sorghum are projected to have reduced yields in all the regions. The Coconut productivity is projected to rise in the western coast and reduce in the eastern coastal region. Observations indicate a reduction in apple production in the Himalayan region, which is likely to continue in the future. In case of marine fisheries some species will gain in yields, as the warming favours their productivity such as Sardines. Some species like Indian mackerel are likely to move upwards to the northern latitudes thus maintaining their yields. Species like Threadfin breams may shift their spawning seasons adjusting to the season which optimally favours spawning temperatures. With overall warming, the thermal humidity index is projected to increases in all the regions, especially in the months of May and June, leading to stress to the livestock and hence reduction in its milk productivity. Sixty-eight percent of agriculture in India is rain-fed, and depends heavily on the quantity and distribution of rainfall. . Predicted effects include a drop in wheat

production if the effects of climate change are pessimistic i.e., higher temperature increase. Water: Water yield is projected to increase in the Himalayan region in 2030s by 5-20%, however, water yields are likely to be variable across the North Eastern region, Western Ghats, and Coastal region. In some places in these regions, it is projected to increase and in some places it is projected to decrease. Moderate to extreme drought severity is projected in 2030s for the Himalayan region with respect to the other regions. All the regions are likely to experience flooding which are exceeding existing magnitudes by 10% to 30%. It was predicted that there would be increase in maximum and minimum temperatures and increase in frequency and intensity of floods and drought are likely to adversely affect agriculture, ecosystems, coastal zones, health and infrastructure. It is projected climate change will affect water balance in various parts of the country, and alter the quality of ground water. There will be Reduction in water availability - owing to glacier retreat and decreased rainfall will increase water stress. These and other impacts become significant in light of projected water demands from a growing population: estimated to rise to 980 billion cubic metres by 2050. River basins of west-flowing Mahi, Pennar, Sabarmati and Tapati are likely to experience constant water scarcities, while the river basins of the Cauvery, Ganga, Narmada and Krishna are likely to experience seasonal or regular water-stressed conditions. Forests: There is increase in Net Primary Productivity by 23%, 20%, 57%, and 31% is projected in Western Ghats, North eastern region, Himalayan region, and the Coastal region. It has been predicted that there would be shifts in forest boundary, changes in species assemblages, and 70 percent of forest vegetation likely to be less optimally adapted to their existing locations. Mangroves submergence Increased wetland salinity are likely to occur with sea level rise Bleaching of degraded coral reefs that are typical to South Asia. Human Health Malaria: Similar to other tropical countries, India is predicted to have increased susceptibility to vector-borne diseases such as malaria projected to move to higher latitudes and altitudes, covering ten percent more area in 2080 than it did in 2000. Malaria is projected to spread in new areas in Jammu and Kashmir in the Himalayan
region.

In the North eastern region opportunities for transmission of Malaria is likely to increase for a longer period. In the Western Ghats, no change is observed between in 2030s and the trends observed in 1970s.However, in the coastal region, especially in the eastern coast of India there is a decrease in number of months when malaria transmission would be taking place.

Climate change may alter the distribution and quality of Indias natural resources and adversely affect the livelihood of its people. With an economy closely tied to its natural resource base and climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, water and forestry, India may face a major threat because of the projected changes in climate. Indias development path is based on its unique resource endowments, the overriding priority of economic and social development and poverty eradication, and its adherence to

its civilizational legacy that places a high value on the environment and the maintenance of ecological balance. In charting out a developmental pathway which is ecologically sustainable, India has a wider spectrum of choices precisely because it is at an early stage of development. Our vision is to create a prosperous, but not wasteful society, an economy that is self-sustaining in terms of its ability to unleash the creative energies of our people and is mindful of our responsibilities to both present and future generations.

Indias initiatives in the direction of Climate Change:

Recognizing that climate change is a global challenge, India will engage actively in multilateral negotiations in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, in a positive, constructive and forward-looking manner. Our objective will be to establish an effective, cooperative and equitable global approach based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, enshrined in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Such an approach must be based on a global vision inspired by Mahatma Gandhis wise dictumThe earth has enough resources to meet peoples needs, but will never have enough to satisfy peoples greed. Thus we must not only promote sustainable production processes, but equally, sustainable lifestyles across the globe. Affirm their responsibility for accumulated greenhouse gas emissions and fulfil their commitments under the UNFCCC, to transfer new and additional financial resources and climate friendly technologies to support both adaptation and mitigation in developing countries. 1. We are convinced that the principle of equity that must underlie the global approach must allow each inhabitant of the earth an equal entitlement to the global atmospheric resource. 2. In this connection, India is determined that its per capita greenhouse gas emissions will at no point exceed that of developed countries even as we pursue our development objectives.

National Action Plan on Climate Change, NAPCC: India is faced with the challenge of sustaining its rapid economic growth while dealing with the global threat of climate change. This threat emanates from accumulated greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, anthropogenically generated through longterm and intensive industrial growth and high consumption lifestyles in developed countries. While engaged with the international community to collectively and cooperatively deal with this threat, India needs a national strategy to firstly, adapt to climate change and secondly, to further enhance the ecological sustainability of Indias development path. Indias first National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) was released in 2008 outlining existing and future policies and programs addressing climate mitigation and adaptation. The plan identifies eight core national missions running through 2017 and directs ministries to submit detailed implementation plans to the Prime Ministers Council on Climate Change by December 2008.Emphasizing the overriding priority of maintaining high economic growth rates to raise living standards, the plan identifies mea sures that promote our development objectives while also yielding co-benefits for addressing climate change effectively. It says these national measures would be more successful with assistance from developed countries, and pledges that Indias per capit a greenhouse gas

emissions will at no point exceed that of developed countries even as we pursue our development objectives. The NAPCC addresses the urgent and critical concerns of the country through a directional shift in the development pathway, including through the enhancement of the current and planned programmes presented in the Technical Document. The National Action Plan on Climate Change identifies measures that promote our development objectives while also yielding co-benefits for addressing climate change effectively. It outlines a number of steps to simultaneously advance Indias development and climate change-related objectives of adaptation and mitigation. Principles Maintaining a high growth rate is essential for increasing living standards of the vast majority of our people and reducing their vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. In order to achieve a sustainable development path that simultaneously advances economic and environmental objectives, the National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC) will be guided by the following principles: 1. Protecting the poor and vulnerable sections of society through an inclusive and sustainable development strategy, sensitive to climate change. 2. Achieving national growth objectives through a qualitative change in direction that enhances ecological sustainability, leading to further mitigation of greenhouse sustainable development. 3. Effecting implementation of programmes through unique linkages, including with civil society and local government institutions and through public private partnership. 4. Welcoming international cooperation for research, development, sharing and transfer of technologies enabled by additional funding and a global IPR regime that facilitates technology transfer to developing countries under the UNFCCC. 3. Approach 1. Devising efficient and cost-effective strategies for end user Demand Side Management. 2. Deploying appropriate technologies for both adaptation and mitigation of greenhouse gases emissions extensively as well as at an accelerated pace. 3. Engineering new and innovative forms of market, regulatory and voluntary mechanisms .

The Eight National Missions under

There are Eight National Missions which form the core of the National Action Plan, representing multi-pronged, long-term and integrated strategies for achieving key goals in the context of climate change. While several of these programmes are already part of our current actions, they may need a change in direction, enhancement of scope and effectiveness and accelerated implementation of time-bound plans. . 1. National Solar Mission: The NAPCC aims to promote the development and use of solar energy for power generation and other uses with the ultimate objective of making solar competitive with fossil-based energy options. The plan includes: Specific goals for increasing use of solar thermal technologies in urban areas, industry, and commercial establishments; A goal of increasing production of photovoltaics to 1000 MW/year; and A goal of deploying at least 1000 MW of solar thermal power generation. Other objectives include the establishment of a solar research center, increased international collaboration on technology development, strengthening of domestic manufacturing capacity, and increased government funding and international support. The ultimate objective is to make solar energy competitive with fossilbased energy options. By increasing the share of solar energy in the total energy mix, it aims to empower people at the grass roots level. Another aspect of this Mission is to launch an R&D programme facilitating international co-operation to enable the creation of affordable, more

convenient solar energy systems and to promote innovations for sustained, long-term storage and use of solar power. India is a tropical country, where sunshine is available for longer hours per day and in great intensity. Solar energy, therefore, has great potential as future energy source. It also has the advantage of permitting a decentralized distribution of energy, thereby empowering people at the grassroots level. Photovoltaic cells are becoming cheaper with new technology. There are newer, reflector-based technologies that could enable setting up megawatt scale solar power plants across the country. Another aspect of the Solar Mission would be to launch a major R&D programme, which could draw upon international cooperation as well, to enable the creation of more affordable, more convenient solar power systems, and to promote innovations that enable the storage of solar power for sustained, long-term use.

2. National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency:

Current initiatives are expected to yield savings of 10,000 MW by 2012. Building on the Energy Conservation Act 2001, the plan recommends: Mandating specific energy consumption decreases in large energy-consuming industries, with a system for companies to trade energy-savings certificates; Energy incentives, including reduced taxes on energy-efficient appliances; and Financing for public-private partnerships to reduce energy consumption through demand-side management programs in the municipal, buildings and agricultural sectors. The Energy Conservation Act of 2001 provides a legal mandate for the implementation of energy efficiency measures through the mechanisms of The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) in the designated agencies in the country. A number of schemes and programmes have been initiated which aim to save about 10,000 MW by the end of the 11th Five-Year Plan in 2012. To enhance energy efficiency, four new initiatives will be put in place. These are: A market based mechanism to enhance cost effectiveness of improvements in energy efficiency in energy-intensive large industries and facilities, through certification of energy savings that could be traded. Accelerating the shift to energy efficient appliances in designated sectors through innovative measures to make the products more affordable. Creation of mechanisms that would help finance demand side management programmes in all sectors by capturing future energy savings. Developing fiscal instruments to promote energy efficiency

National Mission on Sustainable Habitats:

This Mission was launched to make habitats sustainable through improvements in energy efficiency in buildings, management of solid waste and a modal shift to public transport. 1. It aims to promote energy efficiency as an integral component of urban planning and urban renewal through its initiatives. 2. The Energy Conservation Building Code, which addresses the design of new and large commercial buildings to optimize their energy demand, will be extended in its application and incentives provided for retooling existing building stock. 3. Recycling of material and Urban Waste Management will be a major component of ecologically sustainable economic development. India already has a significantly higher rate of recycling of waste compared to developed countries.

A special area of focus will be the development of technology for producing power from waste. 4. The National Mission will include a major R&D programme, focusing on bio chemical conversion, waste water use, sewage utilization and recycling options wherever possible. 5. Better urban planning and modal shift to public transport. Making long term transport plans will facilitate the growth of medium and small cities in ways that ensure efficient and convenient public transport. In addition, the Mission will address the need to adapt to future climate change by improving the resilience of infrastructure, community based disaster management, and measures for improving the warning system for extreme weather events. Capacity building would be an important component of this Mission.

National Water Mission: With water scarcity projected to worsen as a result of climate change, the plan sets a goal of a 20% improvement in water use efficiency through pricing and other measures. By 2050, India is likely to be water scarce. Thus, the Mission aims at conserving water, minimising wastage, and ensuring more equitable distribution and management of water resources. It also aims to optimize water use efficiency by 20% by developing a framework of regulatory mechanisms. It calls for strategies to accommodate fluctuations in rainfall and river flows by enhancing water storage methods, rain water harvesting and more efficient irrigation systems like drip irrigation. National Water Mission: A National Water Mission will be mounted to ensure integrated water resource management helping to conserve water, minimize wastage and ensure more equitable distribution both across and within states. The Mission will take into account the provisions of the National Water Policy and develop a framework to optimize water use by increasing water use efficiency by 20% through regulatory mechanisms with differential entitlements and pricing. It will seek to ensure that a considerable share of the water needs of urban areas are met through recycling of waste water, and ensuring that the water requirements of coastal cities with inadequate alternative sources of water are met through adoption of new and appropriate technologies such as low temperature desalination technologies that allow for the use of ocean water. The National Water Policy would be revisited in consultation with states to ensure basin level management strategies to deal with variability in rainfall and river flows due to climate change. This will include enhanced storage both above and below ground, rainwater harvesting, coupled with equitable and efficient management structures. The Mission will seek to develop new regulatory structures, combined with appropriate entitlements and pricing. It will seek to optimize the efficiency of existing irrigation systems, including rehabilitation of systems that have been run down and also expand irrigation, where feasible, with a special effort to increase storage capacity. Incentive structures will be designed to promote water-neutral or waterpositive technologies, recharging of underground water sources and adoption of large scale irrigation programmes which rely on sprinklers, drip irrigation and ridge and furrow irrigation

National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem:

The plan aims to conserve biodiversity, forest cover, and other ecological values in the Himalayan region, where glaciers that are a major source of Indias water supply are projected to recede as a result of global warming. The Himalayan eco-system is vital to preserving the ecological security of India. Increases in temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, drought and melting of glaciers are obvious threats. The Mission calls for empowering local communities especially Panchayats to play a greater role in managing ecological resources. It also reaffirms the measures mentioned in the National Environment Policy, 2006. The Himalayan ecosystem has 51 million people who practice hill agriculture and whose vulnerability is expected to increase on account of climate change. Community-based management of these ecosystems will be promoted with incentives to community organizations and panchayats for protection and enhancement of forested lands. In mountainous regions, the aim will be to maintain two-thirds of the area under forest cover in order to prevent erosion and land degradation and ensure the stability of the fragile eco-system.

National Mission for a Green India:

A National Mission will be launched to enhance ecosystem services including carbon sinks to be called Green India. Goals include the forestation of 6 million hectares of degraded forest lands and expanding forest cover from 23% to 33% of Indias territory. Features of the Mission: It is to be implemented through Joint Forest Management Committees under the respective State Departments of Forests. It also strives to effectively implement the Protected Area System under the National Biodiversity Conservation Act, 2001. Forests play an indispensable role in the preservation of ecological balance and maintenance of bio-diversity. Forests also constitute one of the most effective carbon-sinks. The Prime Minister has already announced a Green India campaign for the afforestation of 6 million hectares. The national target of area under forest and tree cover is 33% while the current area under forests is 23%. The Mission on Green India will be taken up on degraded forest land through direct action by communities, organized through Joint Forest Management Committees and guided by the Departments of Forest in state governments. An initial corpus of over Rs 6000 crore has been earmarked for the programme through the Compensatory Afforestaion Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) to commence work. The programme will be scaled up to cover all remaining degraded forest land. The institutional arrangement provides for using the corpus to leverage more funds to scale up activity.

National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture:

The Mission aims to make Indian agriculture more resilient to climate change by identifying New varieties of crops (example: thermally resistant crops) and Alternative cropping patterns, Expansion of weather insurance mechanisms. Features of the Mission: The Mission would devise strategies to make Indian agriculture more resilient to climate change. It would identify and develop new varieties of crops and especially thermal resistant crops and alternative cropping patterns, capable of withstanding extremes of weather, long dry spells, flooding, and variable moisture availability. This is to be supported by a comprehensive network of traditional knowledge, practical systems, information technology and biotechnology.

It makes suggestions for safeguarding farmers from climate change like introducing new credit and insurance mechanisms and greater access to information. Focus would be on improving productivity of rainfed agriculture. India will spearhead efforts at the international level to work towards an ecologically sustainable green revolution.

National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change:

The mission emphasises to gain a better understanding of climate science, impacts and challenges through research and development works, improved climate modelling, and increased international collaboration. Features of the Mission: It also encourages private sector initiatives to develop adaptation and mitigation technologies through venture capital funds. . The aim is to work with the global community in research and technology development by collaboration through different mechanisms. It also has its own research agenda supported by climate change related institutions and a Climate Research Fund. The Mission will also focus on dissemination of new knowledge based on research findings

Other Initiatives:

The NAPCC also emphasised other initiatives such as : Power Generation: The government is mandating the retirement of inefficient coal-fired power plants and supporting the research and development of IGCC and supercritical technologies. Renewable Energy: Under the Electricity Act 2003 and the National Tariff Policy 2006, the central and the state electricity regulatory commissions must purchase a certain percentage of grid-based power from renewable sources. Energy Efficiency: Under the Energy Conservation Act 2001, large energyconsuming industries are required to undertake energy audits and an energy labeling program for appliances has been introduced. Implementation These National Missions will be institutionalized by respective ministries and will be organized through inter-sectoral groups which include in addition to related Ministries, Ministry of Finance and the Planning Commission, experts from industry, academia and civil society. The institutional structure would vary depending on the task to be addressed by the Mission and will include providing the opportunity to compete on the best management model. Ministries with lead responsibility for each of the missions are directed to develop objectives, implementation strategies, timelines, and monitoring and evaluation criteria, to be submitted to the Prime Ministers Council on Climate Change. The Ministries involved submitted detailed plans to the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change in December 2008. . The Council will also periodically review the progress of these Missions. Each Mission will report publicly on its annual performance. The Advisory Council on Climate Change, chaired by the Prime Minister. The Council has broad based representation from key stake-holders, including Government, Industry and Civil Society and sets out broad directions for National Actions in respect of Climate Change. The Council will also provide guidance on matters relating to coordinated national action on the domestic agenda and review of the implementation of the National Action Plan on Climate Change including its R&D agenda. The Council would also provide guidance on matters relating to international

negotiations including bilateral, multilateral programmes for collaboration, research and development. Details of the institutional arrangement are at Annexure 1. The NAPCC will continue to evolve, based on new scientific and technical knowledge as they emerge and in response to the evolution of the multilateral climate change regime including arrangements. A Ninth Mission - Government to Prepare a National Bio-energy Mission The mission, to be launched during the 12th Five-Year Plan, will offer a policy and regulatory environment to facilitate large-scale capital investments in biomass-fired power stations, Minister of New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah said. It will also encourage development of rural enterprises.