Adaptation and Mitigation strategies of Climate change: A Serious

Concern
Dr. K. P. Vipin Chandran & Sandhya
July 01, 2013 | Dr. K. P. Vipin Chandran & Sandhya Web Exlu!i"e!
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
attribted directl! or indirectl! to hman activit! that alters the
composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natral
climate variabilit! observed over comparable time periods. The ma"or
characteristics of climate change inclde rise in average global
temperatre# ice cap melting# changes in precipitation# and increase in
ocean temperatre leading to sea level rise. The efforts needed to address
the climate change problem inclde mitigation of $%$ emissions on one
hand# and bilding of adaptive capacities on the other in developing
contries to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change on varios
sectors of the societ! and econom! enabled and spported b! technolog!
and finance. &mportant negotiations and conventions related to climate
changes are given in Table.'
Table.'
Conventions and negotiations on Climate change
The first (orld Climate Conference ((CC) ')*)
The &ntergovernmental +anel on Climate Change is set p '),,
&+CCs first assessment report released.
&+CC and second (orld Climate Conference call
for a global treat! on climate change.
United Nations $eneral -ssembl! negotiations on
a framework convention begin. ')).
First meeting of the &ntergovernmental Negotiating
Committee (&NC) takes place. '))'
The &NC adopts UNFCCC te/t.
-t the 0arth 1mmit in 2io# the UNFCCC is
opened for signatre
along with its sister 2io Conventions# UNC34
and UNCC4. '))5
UNFCCC enters into force. '))6
The first Conference of the +arties (C7+ ') '))8
takes place in 3erlin
The UNFCCC 1ecretariat is set p to spport
action nder the Convention '))9
:!oto +rotocol formall! adopted in 4ecember
at C7+; '))*
2elease of &+CCs Third -ssessment 2eport. 5..'
0ntr! into force of the :!oto +rotocol.
The first <eeting of the +arties to the :!oto
+rotocol (<7+ ') takes place in <ontreal. 5..8
&+CCs Forth -ssessment 2eport released.
Climate science entered into poplar consciosness. 5..*
Copenhagen -ccord drafted at C7+'8 in Copenhagen.
This was taken note of b! the C7+.
Contries later sbmitted emissions redctions pledges
or mitigation action pledges# all non=binding. 5..)
Cancn -greements drafted and largel! accepted b!
the C7+# at C7+'9 5.'.
The 4rban +latform for 0nhanced -ction drafted and
accepted b! the C7+# at C7+'* 5.''
Climate change ma! pose a threat to food secrit! throgh erratic rainfall
patterns and decreasing crop !ields# contribting to increased hnger and
malntrition in &ndia. Frthermore# adverse climate change impacts on
natral s!stems and resorces# infrastrctre# and labor prodctivit!
ma! lead to redced economic growth and increasing povert!. These
effects threaten the achievement of <4$ '. >oss of livelihood assets#
displacement and migration ma! lead to redced access to edcation
opportnities# ths hampering the reali?ation of <4$ 5. 4epletion of
natral resorces and decreasing agricltral prodctivit! ma! place
additional brdens on womens health and redce time for decision=
making processes and income=generating activities# worsening gender
e@alit! and womens empowerment (<4$ ;). &ncreased incidence of
vector=borne diseases# increases in heat=related mortalit!# and declining
@antit! and @alit! of drinking water will lead to adverse health effects
threatening the achievement of <4$s 6# 8# 9 and *. &n general terms# the
reali?ation of <4$ * ma! be approached throgh climate change
negativel! impacting @alit! and prodctivit! of natral resorces and
ecos!stems# possibl! irreversibl!# threatening environmental
sstainabilit!. Climate change# a global phenomenon# calls for a collective
response in the form of global partnerships (<4$ ,).
. Strategies of Climate change in !ndia
&ndia is committed to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) and the :!oto +rotocol# which represent the international
consenss on the wa! to deal with climate change. &ndia believes that
ncompensated climate change mitigation b! developing contries ma!
hamper the speed of their economic growth. &t has a ver! comprehensive
framework of legal and instittional mechanisms in the region to respond
to the tremendos challenges to the environment it is facing# owing to
poplation growth# povert! and illiterac! agmented b! rbani?ation and
indstrial development and has initiated several climate=friendl!
measres# particlarl! in the area of renewable energ!. &ndia had adopted
the National 0nvironment +olic! 5..9# and has also taken man! other
measres and polic! initiatives.
&ndia has# for man! !ears# large nationall! fnded programs for redcing
the adverse impacts de to the natral climate variabilit!. These programs
need to be e/tended and enhanced to cover the additional risks of climate
change# throgh provision of financial resorces and relevant
technologies. Crrentl!# several social sector and development schemes
that emphasi?e on livelihood secrit!# welfare of the weaker sections# and
rral infrastrctre are nder implementation. Crrent $overnment
e/penditre in &ndia on adaptation to climate variabilit! e/ceeds 5.9 per
cent of the $4+# with agricltre# water resorces# health and sanitation#
forests# coastal=?one infrastrctre and e/treme events# being specific
areas of concern. -s a part of its international obligations nder the
UNFCCC# &ndia prepares periodicall! the National Commnication
(N-TC7<) that gives an inventor! of the greenhose gases ($%$)
emissions in &ndia# and assesses the vlnerabilit! and impacts and makes
appropriate recommendations regarding social# economic and
technological measres for addressing climate change and first N-TC7<
was presented in 5..6. The $overnment of &ndia had also set p an
e/pert committee to std! the impact of climate change on varios
sectors on <a! *# 5..*. The committee has stdied the impact of
anthropogenic climate change on &ndia and has come ot with its first set
of findings and the research agenda that the ministries need to follow and
implement in order to address &ndias vlnerabilit! to anthropogenic
climate change impacts.
". Adaptation and Mitigation strategies
3oth mitigation and adaptation are needed to significantl! redce the
risks and increase the resilience of the worlds most vlnerable citi?ens. &n
the near term# adaptation actions can redce the impacts of climate
change (althogh the! cannot be redced to ?ero). &n the longer term# a
failre to mitigate climate change will lead to sch massive impacts that
adaptations will be nsccessfl. <itigation means taking action to redce
greenhose gas emissions to avoid frther climate change than has
alread! occrred de to historic and crrent emissions. &t is abot
transforming the wa! that individals# governments and indstr! prodce
and se energ!# changing activities to redce or eliminate emissions# and
developing clean and efficient infrastrctre where it does not crrentl!
e/ist. -daptation and mitigation shold not be considered as eitherAor
strategies# bt rather as complementar! ones that shold be prsed
together.
Some of the ma#or schemes$policies significantly addressing
adaptation o%#ectives are as follo&s:
B <ahatma $andhi 1warna"a!anti $ram 1waro?gar Co"ana (2ral self=
emplo!ment program)
B 1ampoorna $rameen 2o?gar Co"ana (Comprehensive rral emplo!ment
scheme)
B +radhan <antri $ram 1adak Co"ana (+rime <inisters rral roads
program)
B National 2ral %ealth <ission
B -ccelerated 2ral (ater 1ppl! +rogramme
B 4esert 4evelopment +rogramme
B <a"or and <edim &rrigation
B 1stainabilit! of 4r!landA2ainfed Farming 1!stem and
B 4isaster <anagement
The otcomes of all these initiatives are that there has been effective
delinking of energ! sector growth from economic growth. $overnment of
&ndia has set p an 0/pert Committee on &mpacts of Climate Change to
identif! the measres that &ndia ma! have to take in the ftre in relation
to addressing vlnerabilit! to anthropogenic climate change impacts. The
National -ction +lan on Climate change# prepared nder the gidance and
direction of +rime <inisterDs Concil on Climate Change# reflects the
importance the $overnment attaches to mobili?ing or national energies
to meet the challenge of climate change. The National -ction +lan focses
attention on , priorit! National <issions.
i. 'a&aharlal (ehru (ational Solar Mission )'((SM*
The government lanched the ENN1< in Eanar! 5.'. with a target of
5.#... <( grid solar power (based on solar thermal power= generating
s!stems and solar photovoltaic F1+GH technologies)# 5... <( of off=grid
capacit! b! 5.55. The <ission will be implemented in three phases. The
first phase p to <arch 5.';)# the second till <arch 5.'*# and the third
till <arch 5.55.
ii. +nergy Conservation and +fficiency
The ob"ective of the National <ission for 0nhanced 0nerg! 0fficienc!
(N<000) is to achieve growth with ecological sstainabilit! b! devising
cost=effective strategies for end= se demand=side management. The
<inistr! of +ower and 3rea of 0nerg! 0fficienc! have been entrsted
with the task of preparing the implementation plan for the N<000 and
pscaling the efforts to create and sstain market for energ! efficienc! to
nlock investment of arond 2s *6#... crore.
iii. (ational Mission on Strategic Kno&ledge for Climate Change
)(MSKCC*
The N<1:CC has been lanched with the broad ob"ectives of mapping of
the knowledge and data resorces relevant to climate change and
positioning of a data=sharing polic! framework for bilding strategic
knowledge among the varios arms of the $overnment# identification of
knowledge gaps# networking of knowledge instittions after investing
critical mass of ph!sical# intellectal# and polic! infrastrctre resorces#
creation of new dedicated centres within the e/isting instittional
framework# bilding of international cooperation on science and
technolog! for climate change agenda throgh strategic alliances and
assistance for the formlation of policies for a sstained developmental
agenda.
iv. (ational Mission for Sustaining ,imalayan +cosystem )(MS,+*
The broad ob"ectives of the N<1%0 incldeI nderstanding the comple/
processes affecting the %imala!an ecos!stem and evolving sitable
management and polic! measres for sstaining and safegarding it#
creating and bilding capacities in different domains# networking of
knowledge instittions engaged in research and development of a
coherent data base on the %imala!an ecos!stem# detecting and
decopling natral and anthropogenic=indced signals of global
environmental changes in montain ecos!stems# std!ing traditional
knowledge s!stems for commnit! participation in adaptation# mitigation#
and coping mechanisms inclsive of farming and traditional health care
s!stems# and developing regional cooperation with neighboring
contries# to generate a strong data base throgh monitoring and anal!sis
so as to eventall! create a knowledge base for polic! interventions.
v. (ational -ater Mission
The ob"ectives of the National (ater <ission are Dconservation of water#
minimi?ing wastage and ensring its more e@itable distribtion both
across and within 1tates throgh integrated water resorces
managementD. The goals of the <ission are a comprehensive water data
base in the pblic domain# assessment of the impact of climate change on
water resorces# promotion of citi?en and 1tate actions for water
conservation# agmentation and preservation# focsed attention to
overe/ploited areas# increasing water se efficienc! b! 5. per cent# and
promotion of basin=level integrated water resorces management.
vi. .reen !ndia Mission
The <ission aims at responding to climate change throgh a combination
of adaptation and mitigation measres. These measres inclde
enhancing carbon sinks in sstainabl! managed forests and other
ecos!stems# adaption of vlnerable speciesAecos!stems to the changing
climate# and adaptation of forest=dependent commnities. The ob"ectives
of the <ission are increased forestAtree cover on 8 million ha of
forestAnon=forest lands and improved @alit! of forest cover on another 8
million ha (a total of '. million ha)# improved ecos!stem services
inclding biodiversit!# h!drological services# carbon se@estration as a
reslt of treatment of '. million ha)# increased forest=based livelihood
income for abot ; million hoseholds living in and arond the forest# and
enhanced annal C75 se@estration b! 88 million tonnes in the !ear
5.5..
vii. (ational Mission on Sustaina%le ,a%itat )(MS,*
The N<1% seeks to promote sstainabilit! of habitats throgh
improvements in energ! efficienc! in bilding and rban planning#
improved management of solid and li@id waste inclding rec!cling and
power generation# modal shift towards pblic transport# and conservation.
&t also seeks to improve abilit! of habitats to adapt to climate change b!
improving resilience of infrastrctre# commnit!= based disaster
management# and measres for improving advance warning s!stems for
e/treme weather events.
viii. (ational Mission for Sustaina%le Agriculture
The National <ission for 1stainable -gricltre (N<1-) seeks to address
isses regarding Dsstainable agricltreD in the conte/t of risks associated
with climate change b! devising appropriate adaptation and mitigation
strategies for ensring food secrit!# enhancing livelihood opportnities#
and contribting to economic stabilit! at national level. Under this
<ission# the adaptation and mitigation measres wold be mainstreamed
in research and development activities# absorption of improved
technolog! and best practices# creation of ph!sical and financial
infrastrctre and instittional framework# facilitating access to
information and promoting capacit! bilding.
0ight ke! interventions ma! be identified that will contribte to redctions
in hman secrit! risks and health vlnerabilit! among the people.
'. %osehold water sppl!# sanitation and h!giene= inclding water
treatment# oral reh!dration therap!# h!giene edcation and sanitation.
5. $rondwater recharge and watershed remediation= inclding rainwater
harvesting# rn=off catchments# watershed clean=ps# tree planting and
restoration of biodiversit!.
;. 4isaster risk redction and preparedness= inclding risk mapping and
evacation plans.
6. 0nvironmental protection and restoration= sch as school and
commnit! gardens# tree planting and clean p of stagnant water and
solid waste.
8. 2enewable energ! soltions= inclding clean energ! for homes#
commnities# solar and wind water pmps and clean and efficient
hosehold soltions for cooking and heating.
9. %ealth=related interventions= inclding improvements to basic pblic
health infrastrctre# environmental health srveillance# insecticide=
treated mos@ito nets and malaria proph!la/is and treatment.
*. Commnit! capacit!=bilding= inclding environmental edcation# micro
enterprise for women# edcation for sstainable development#
participator! local actions and vocational trainingA"ob creation.
,. 1ocial protection and ps!chosocial spport= inclding life skills and
conflict resoltion# edcation and other programmes to spport livelihoods
and commnit! fnctioning# safet! net interventions to help prevent
dislocation and e/ploitation of children# and interventions to address
famil! and individal stress and trama.
/. Measures for Mitigating Climate change
The important measres for mitigating climate change are as follows.
'. &mproving energ! efficienc! and conservation as well setting p a
3rea of 0nerg! 0fficienc!
5. +ower sector reforms
;. +romoting h!dro and renewable energ!
6. +romotion of clean coal technologies
8. Coal washing and efficient tili?ation of coal
9. -fforestation and conservation of forests
*. 2edction of gas flaring
,. Cleaner and lesser carbon intensive fel for transport
). 0ncoraging <ass 2apid Transport s!stems
'.. 0nvironmental @alit! management and improving energ! efficienc!
0. Conclusion
%owever varios measres have been ndertaken which have direct
relevance of for these isses# for instance the promotion of renewable
energ! programme and afforestation activities. The encoragement of
new and renewable sorces of energ! has direct implication for the
problem of climate change. &ndia# with '* percent of the worlds
poplation# contribtes onl! 6 percent of the total global greenhose gas
emissions in terms of per capita $%$ which is abot 5; percent of the
global average. -rond 88 percent of &ndias poplation still does not have
access to commercial energ!. &ndias stand as a developing contr! is that
$%$ abatement in an! form involves significant economic costs and will
adversel! impact $4+ growth as it re@ires a shift from cheap fossil fels
to costlier non=carbon energ!. 0fforts to address climate change
adaptation and mitigation needs shold not take resorces awa! from the
core development needs and growth ob"ectives of the developing
contries.