Environment Policies

8/10/2019 Environment Policies

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1. NATIONAL LAKE CONSERVATION

PROGRAMME

Recognizing the importance of urban lakesin particular, the Ministry of Environmentand Forests launched a National LakeConservation Programme in 2001,exclusively aimed at restoring the lakes indifferent parts of the country.

The objective of the scheme is to restoreand conserve the urban and semi-urbanlakes of the country degraded due to wastewater discharge into the lake and otherunique freshwater eco-systems, through anintegrated ecosystem approach.

The scheme operates on a funding patternof 70:30 cost-sharing between the Centraland the participating State Governments.

Activities Covered Under NLCP

In situ measures of lake cleaning such asde-silting, de-weeding, bioremediation, etc.

Catchment area treatment which mayinclude afforestation, storm water drainage,silt traps etc.

Strengthening of bund, lake fencing,shoreline development, etc.

Lake front eco-development, including

public interface.

Solid waste management & provision ofdhobi ghats is generally not covered underNLCP.

Prevention of pollution from non-pointsources by providing low-cost sanitation.

Public awareness and public participation.

Capacity building, training and research inthe area of Lake Conservation.

Any other activity depending upon locationspecific requirements.

2 . NATIONAL GANGA RIVER BASINPROJECT (NGRBA)

The proposed World Bank assisted NationalGanga River Basin Project (NGRBP) envisagestwo main components.

Component One: Institutional Development

(US$ 200 million)

Objectives

The objectives of this component are to:

build functional capacity of the NGRBA'soperational institutions at both the centraland state levels; and

provide support to associated institutionsfor implementing the NGRBA programme.

The activities financed under this componentare grouped under the following sub-components:

NGRBA Operationalization and ProgrammeManagement

Technical Assistance for ULB ServiceProviders

Technical Assistance for EnvironmentalRegulators

Component Two: Priority InfrastructureInvestments (US$ 1,270 million)

Objective

The objective of this component is to financedemonstrative infrastructure investments toreduce pollution loads in priority locationson the river.

The majority of investments are expectedto be in the wastewater sector, particularly

ENVIRONMENT

MANOJ K. JHA


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PROGRAMMES & POLICIES2

in wastewater treatment plants andsewerage networks.

Investments will also be supported inindustrial pollution control and prevention(e.g. common effluent treatment plants),solid waste management (e.g. collection,transport and disposal systems), and riverfront management (e.g. improvement of the

built environment along river stretches,improvement of small ghats and electriccrematoria, and the conservation andpreservation of ecologically-sensitive sites).

Many investments are likely to combineelements of more than one of these sectors.

3. NATIONAL MISSION FOR GREENINDIA

The National Mission for a Green India was

announced by the Prime Minister as one ofthe eight Missions under the National ActionPlan on Climate Change (NAPCC).

The Green India Mission puts the 'greening'in the context of climate adaptation andmitigation, aiming to enhance ecosystemservices like carbon sequestration andstorage (in forests and other ecosystems),hydrological services and biodiversity; alongwith provisioning services like fuel, fodder,timber and NTFPs.

Mission Objectives

Increased forest/tree cover on 5 m ha offorest/non-forest lands and improvedquality of forest cover on another 5 m ha (atotal of 10 m ha).

Improved ecosystem services includingbiodiversity, hydrological services andcarbon sequestration as a result of treatmentof 10 m ha.

Increased forest-based livelihood income ofabout 3 million households living in andaround the forests.

Enhanced annual CO2 sequestration by 50to 60 million tonnes in the year 2020.

Key Elements of Mission Strategy

Holistic view to "greening" (broader thanplantations):The scope of greening will go

beyond trees and plantations to encompassboth protection and restoration. Emphasiswill be placed on restoration of degradedecosystems and habitat diversity, forexample, grassland and pastures (more soin arid/semi-arid regions), mangroves,wetlands and other critical ecosystems. Thegreening will not only strive to restoredegraded forests, but will also contribute inthe protection and enhancement of forestswith relatively dense forest cover.

Vulnerability' and 'Potential' as criteria forintervention:Criteria for selection of projectareas/sub-landscapes/sub-watershedsunder the Mission will include projectedvulnerability to climatic change, potentialof areas for enhancing carbon sinks andthe significance of the area from ecosystemservices angle, such as biodiversity and

hydrological services.

Integrated cross-sectoral approach toimplementation:The Mission will foster anintegrated approach that treats forests andnon-forest public lands as well as privatelands simultaneously, in project units/sublandscapes/ sub-watersheds. Livelihoodependencies, for example firewood needsand livestock grazing, will be addressedusing inter-sectoral convergence (e.g.livestock, forest, agriculture, rural

development, and energy).

Significance of the Mission

Ameliorating climate: Over the pastdecades, national policies of conservationand sustainable management havetransformed the country's forests into a netsink of CO2. From 1995 to 2005, carbonstocks stored in our forests were estimatedto have increased from 6245 million tonnes

to 6622 m tones thereby registering anannual increment of 37.68 million tones ofcarbon or 138.15 million tonnes of CO2equivalent.

Food security: Forests are essential formaintaining favourable and stableconditions needed for sustained agriculturalproductivity. Also, forests provide fooddirectly in the following categories: fruits,flowers, leaves, stems, seeds, roots, tubers,mushrooms, etc.


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Water security: Forests are vital formaintaining the hydrological cycle andregulating water flows and sub-soil waterregimes, recharging the aquifers andmaintaining the flow of water in rivers andrivulets.

Livelihood security of local communities:Forests provide a range of provisioning

services, particularly fuel-wood, fodder,small timber, NTFP and medicinal plants,and artisanal raw material like canes andbamboo that are crucial to livelihoodsecurity of forest-dependent communities.Nearly 27% of the total population of India,comprising 275 million rural people,depends on forests for its livelihood. Thisnumber includes 89 million tribal people,who constitute the poorest and mostmarginalized section of the country.

4. COASTAL REGULATION ZONE

To protect and conserve the coastal environmentthe Ministry of Environment and Forests hasissued Coastal Regulation Zone Notification onFebruary 19, 1991 under Environment(Protection) Act, 1986. Some of the major issueswith regard to the Coastal Regulation ZoneNotification, 1991 are-

Stipulates uniform regulations all along the5500 kms of the coastline of the mainland

and 2000 kms of the coastline of islands ofAndaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep.

The Indian coastline, including that of theIslands of Andaman & Nicobar andLakshadweep are highly diverse in termsof geomorphological and geological features,hydrodynamics conditions, demographicpatterns, biodiversity and natural resources.

This fragile coastline is under severepressure due to increased developmental

economic activities and also impacts ofclimate change i.e. increased frequency ofcyclones, floods, etc. and sea level rise.

The Coastal Regulation Zone Notificationis a land based Notification which regulatesdevelopmental activities in the inter tidalarea and 500mt on the landward side.Whereas, the coastal area and theecosystems such as coral reefs, mangroves,fisheries, etc. are dependent upon the coastalwaters.

The Coastal Regulation Zone Notificationdoes not provide for steps to be taken inview of the natural hazards such ascyclones, storms, surges, etc.

No concrete steps are indicated in theCoastal Regulation Zone Notification withregard to the pollution from land-basedactivities that has serious impacts on the

coastal and marine environment.

Several stretches of the coastline isundergoing serious to moderate erosionbecause of various anthropogenic activitiesand natural events. The Coastal RegulationZone Notification does not take into accountthese issues.

The restrictive nature of the CoastalRegulation Zone Notification has causedhardships to the communities/people living

in certain coastal stretches which includesthe slum dwellers and people living in unsafebuildings in Mumbai, communities living inislands within backwaters of Kerala, localcommunities along Goa and the traditionalinhabitants living within ecologicallysensitive areas.

The Coastal Zone Management Plan iscritical to the implementation of the CoastalRegulation Zone Notification. Lack of clarityand non-availability of the Coastal Zone

Management Plans to the communities hasbeen instrumental in causing hardship tothe communities. In addition, this has beenone of the reasons for increase in violationof the Notification.

The Ministry of Environment and Forestshas issued the Coastal Regulation ZoneNotification, 2011 which takes into accountall the above issues in a comprehensivemanner, including the recommendationsmade in "Final Frontier" and the outcome

of the eleven consultations held in variouscoastal States and Union territories.

Objectives of Draft CRZ Notification, 2011

to ensure livelihood security to the fishercommunities and other local communities,living in the coastal areas,

to conserve and protect coastal stretches,its unique environment and its marine area,and


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to promote development throughsustainable manner based on scientificprinciples taking into account the dangersof natural hazards in the coastal areas, sealevel rise due to global warming.

The current notification has several newpositive features:

It widens the definition of CRZ to includethe land area from HTL to 500 m on thelandward side, as well as the land areabetween HTL to 100 m or width of thecreek, whichever is less, on the landwardside along tidal-influenced water bodiesconnected to the sea.

The CRZ also includes, for the first time,water area up to 12 nautical miles in thesea and the entire water area of a tidal

water body such as creek, river, estuarywithout imposing any restrictions of fishingactivities. Thus, the main change in thescope of regulation has been to expand theCRZ to include territorial waters as aprotected zone.

The concept of a 'hazard line' has beenintroduced. While the notification merelystates that the hazard line will bedemarcated by the Ministry of Environment

and Forests MoEF through the Survey ofIndia, by taking into account tides, waves,sea level rise and shoreline changes, thisconcept owes its introduction to therealisation of natural disasters such astsunami and floods that may take place inthis zone.

In May 2010, the MOEF signed aMemorandum of Understanding with theSurvey of India for undertaking this exerciseover a period of four-and-a-half years, at

an estimated cost of Rs 125 crore.

The concept of classification of CRZ intofour zones has continued in the 2011notification with the following delineation:

1. CRZ I- ecologically sensitive areas such asmangroves, coral reefs, salt marshes, turtlenesting ground and the inter-tidal zone.

2. CRZ II- areas close to the shoreline, andwhich have been developed.

3. CRZ III- Coastal areas that are not

substantially built up, including rural coastal

areas.

4. CRZ IV- water area from LTL to the limit

of territorial waters of India

A new category called areas requiring

special consideration has been created

which consists of (i) CRZ areas of GreaterMumbai, Kerala and Goa, and (ii) Critically

vulnerable coastal areas such as

Sunderbans.

With respect to the list of prohibited

activities, one of the most important

changes has been that of expanding the list

of exceptions to the rule prohibiting setting

up of new industries and expansion of

existing industries. While the earlier

exception was limited to those activitieswhich required access to the water front,

four other exceptions have been now

incorporated which include:

1. Projects of Department of Atomic Energy;

2. Facilities for generating non-conventional

energy sources and desalination plants,

except for CRZ-I zones on a case-by-case

basis after doing an impact assessment

study;

3. Development of greenfield airport permitted

only at Navi Mumbai; and

4. Reconstruction, repair works of dwelling

units of local communities, including fishers

in accordance with local town and country

planning regulations.

5. PROJECT TIGER

Project Tiger Scheme has been underimplementation since 1973 as a Centrally

Sponsored Scheme of Government of India.

The impetus behind Project Tiger is to ensure

a viable population of tiger in India for

scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural and

ecological values and to preserve for all

time, areas of biological importance as a

natural heritage for the benefit, education

and enjoyment of the people.



Main objectives under the scheme include

wildlife management, protection measures

and site-specific eco-development to reducethe dependency of local communities on

tiger reserve resources.

Initially, the Project started with 9 tigerreserves, covering an area of 16,339 km2,with a population of 268 tigers.

At present, there are 39 tiger reservescovering an area of 53,547 km2, with apopulation of 1706 tigers. This amounts toalmost 1.63% of the total geographical areaof the country. Project Tiger is undisputedlya custodian of major gene pool. It is also arepository of some of the most valuableecosystem and habitats for wildlife.

TIGER RESERVES IN INDIA (State wise)

1. Manas (Assam) 2. Kaziranga (Assam) 3. Nameri (Assam)

4. Nagarjunasagar (Andhra) 5. Namdapha (Arunachal) 6. Pakke (Arunachal)

7. Valmiki (Bihar) 8. Indravati (Chhattisgarh) 9. Undanti-Sitandadi (Chhattisgarh)

10. Achanakmar (Chhattisgarh) 11. Palamau (Jharkhand) 12. Periyar (Kerala)

13. Parambikulam (Kerala) 14. Bandipur (Karnataka) 15. Bhadra (Karnataka)

16. Dandeli-Anshi (Karnataka) 17. Nagarhole (Karnataka) 18. Tadoba-Andhari (Maharashtra)

19. Pench (Maharashtra) 20. Melghat (Maharashtra) 21. Bandhavgarh (M.P)22. Kanha (M.P) 23. Satpura (M.P) 24. Panna (M.P)

25. Sanjay-Dubri (M.P) 26. Pench (M.P) 27. Dampa (Mizoram)

28. Satkosia (Orissa) 29. Simlipal (Orissa) 30. Ranthambhore (Rajasthan)

31. Sariska (Rajasthan) 32. Mudumalai (Tamil Nadu) 33. Kalakad-Mundanthurai (TamilNadu)

34. Anamalai (Tamil Nadu) 35. Corbett (Uttarakhand) 36 Dudhwa (Uttar Pradesh)

37. Buxa (West Bengal) 38. Sunderbans (West Bengal) 39. Sahyadri (Maharashtra)

Tiger Reserves are constituted on a

'corebuffer' strategy. The core area is keptfree of biotic disturbances and forestryoperations, where collection of minor forestproduce, grazing, human disturbances arenot allowed within. However, the bufferzone is managed as a 'multiple use area'with twin objectives of providing habitatsupplement to the spillover population ofwild animals from the core conservationunit, and to provide site specific eco-developmental inputs to surroundingvillages for relieving their impact on thecore.

Except for the National Parks portion ifcontained within, normally no relocation ofvillages is visualised in the buffer area, andforestry operations, NTFP collection andother rights and concessions to the localpeople are permitted in a regulated mannerto complement the initiatives in the coreunit.

India is one of the thirteen tiger rangecountries and has the largest number ofsource sites with wild tigers. As far as thescale of implementation of Project Tiger andthe diverse habitats under its coverage areconcerned, the project has no parallel inthe contemporary world.

What have been the Major Achievements?

Project Tiger has saved the endangered tigerfrom extinction, and has put the species on

an assured path to recovery by improvingthe protection and status of its habitat.

The core buffer strategy of Project Tiger hasprovided scope for eliciting local publicsupport through site-pecific eco-development in the buffer/fringe areas.

The Project has contributed towards severalintangible environmental benefits to society,such as absorption of carbon dioxide,improvement of micro climate, rainfall andriver flow.


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The Project has generated considerablewages for the benefit of fringe-dwellingcommunities, who are deployed as localwork force for protection.

While conserving the flagship species, theProject has saved several other species ofplants and animals from extinction.

The local communities are benefiting fromeco-tourism apart from eco developmentalinputs in fringe areas.

RECENT INITIATIVES

Strengthening of anti-poaching activities,including special strategy for monsoonpatrolling, by providing funding support totiger reserve states, as proposed by them,for deployment of anti-poaching squadsinvolving ex-army personnel/home guards,apart from workforce comprising localpeople, in addition to strengthening ofcommunication/wireless facilities.

Declaration of nine new tiger reserves andin-principle approval accorded for creationof four new reserves - Biligiri in Karnataka,Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh, Ratapani inMadhya Pradesh and Sunabeda in Orissa.

The revised Project Tiger guidelines have

been issued to states for strengthening tigerconservation, which apart from ongoingactivities, include funding support to statesfor enhanced village rehabilitation packagefor people living in core or critical tigerhabitats (from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh perfamily), rehabilitation of communitiesinvolved in traditional hunting,mainstreaming livelihood and wildlifeconcerns in forests outside tiger reserves andfostering corridor conservation through

restorative strategy to arrest habitatfragmentation.

A Global Tiger Forum of Tiger RangeCountries has been created for addressinginternational issues related to tigerconservation.

As part of active management to rebuildSariska and Panna tiger reserves wheretigers have become locally extinct,reintroduction of tigers have been done.

6. PROJECT ELEPHANT

Asian elephants were believed to be widelydistributed-from Tigris - Euphrates in WestAsia eastward through Persia into theIndian sub-continent, South and SoutheastAsia, including Sri Lanka, Java, Sumatra,Borneo and up to North China. However,currently they are confined to Indian

Subcontinent, South East Asia and someAsian Islands -Sri Lanka, Indonesia andMalaysia.

About half of the Asian elephant populationis in India.

Current distribution of wild elephant in India isconfined to South India; North East, includingNorth West Bengal; Central Indian states ofOrissa, South WB and Jharkhand; and NorthWest India in Uttarakhand and UP.

Project Elephant (PE) was launched by theGovernment of India in the year 1992 as aCentrally Sponsored Scheme with thefollowing objectives :

1. To protect elephants, their habitat &corridors

2. To address issues of man-animal conflict

3. Welfare of domesticated elephants

The Project is being mainly implemented in13 States/UTs, viz. Andhra Pradesh,Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand,Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland,Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, UttarPradesh and West Bengal. Small support isalso being given to Maharashtra andChhattisgarh.

Main activities under the Project are asfollows:

Ecological restoration of existing naturalhabitats and migratory routes of elephants;

Development of scientific and plannedmanagement for conservation of elephanthabitats and viable population of WildAsiatic elephants in India;

Promotion of measures for mitigation ofman elephant conflict in crucial habitatsand moderating pressures of human and



domestic stock activities in crucial elephanthabitats;

Strengthening of measures for protection ofwild elephants form poachers andunnatural causes of death;

Research on Elephant management relatedissues;

Public education and awarenessprogrammes;

Eco-development;

Veterinary care

7. PROJECT SNOW LEOPARD

Project Snow Leopard is a manifestation ofthe Government of India's resolve toconserve biodiversity with community

participation. They are at the apex ofecological pyramid, suffer the most onaccount of relatively smaller population sizeand also because of man-animal conflict.This situation further gets aggravated bythe hostile landscape forming its habitat.Referring to its globally-endangered speciesstatus as well as the most important flagshipspecies of the mountain region, thegovernment informed that Snow Leopardhas been included in the list of species under

Recovery Programme to be funded throughthe umbrella scheme of integratedDevelopment of Wildlife Habitats.

There are more than 26 protected areas inthe Himalayan landscape where snowleopard is reported. However, areas outsideprotected areas are equally important for along range species like Snow Leopard.

To give it the same status of importance inthe high altitude as that of Tiger in theterrestrial landscape, the ministry haslaunched the Project Snow Leopard in thecountry.

The project will be operational in fiveHimalayan States viz. Jammu & Kashmir,Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim,and Arunachal Pradesh with active supportfrom Wildlife Institute of India and theMysore based Nature ConservationFoundation.

The project stresses on a landscape approachto conservation wherein smaller core zoneswith relatively conservation values will beidentified and conserved with support andthe larger landscape will be managed insuch a way that it allows necessarydevelopment benefits to the localcommunities.

For facilitating effective planning and action,the project will set up enablingadministrative mechanisms from the villageduster level to the Central Government. Atthe Central level, a Steering Committeechaired by Director General of Forests &Special Secretary to the Government ofIndia will help guide the project. Each Statewill have a State Snow LeopardConservation Society that will coordinatework by the Landscape level

Implementation Committees, which in turnwill coordinate work by the village WildlifeConservation Committees.

The Project Snow Leopard is an innovativeproject that would help to arrest speciesdecline in the Indian high altitudes andwould lead to conservation based on soundscientific plans and local support. Speciessuch as Snow Leopard, Asiatic Ibex, TibetanArgali, Ladakh Urial, Chiru, Takin, Serow

and Musk Deer will particularly benefit fromthis project.

INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS ON

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

India is signatory to a number of multilateralenvironment agreements (MEA) andconventions. An overview of some of the majorMEAs and India's obligations under these ispresented below.

1. CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONALTRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OFWILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES),1973

The aim of CITES is to control or preventinternational commercial trade inendangered species or products derived fromthem.

CITES does not seek to directly protectendangered species or curtail development


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practices that destroy their habitats. Rather,it seeks to reduce the economic incentive topoach endangered species and destroy theirhabitat by closing off the internationalmarket.

India became a party to the CITES in 1976.

International trade in all wild flora and

fauna in general and species covered underCITES is regulated jointly through theprovisions of The Wildlife (Protection) Act1972, the Import/Export policy ofGovernment of India and the CustomsAct, 1962.

2 . MONTREAL PROTOCOL ONSUBSTANCES THAT DEPLETE THEOZONE LAYER, 1987

The Montreal Protocol to the Vienna

Convention on substances that deplete theOzone layer came into force in 1989.

The Protocol set targets for reducing theconsumption and production of a range ofozone depleting substances (ODS).

In a major innovation, the Protocolrecognized that all nations should not betreated equally.

The agreement acknowledges that certain

countries have contributed to ozonedepletion more than others.

It also recognizes that a nation's obligationto reduce current emissions should reflectits technological and financial ability to doso. Because of this, the agreement sets morestringent standards and acceleratedphaseout timetables to countries that havecontributed most to ozone depletion.

India acceded to the Montreal Protocol along

with its London Amendment in September1992.

The MoEF has established an Ozone Celland a steering committee on the MontrealProtocol to facilitate implementation of theIndia Country Programme, for phasing outODS production by 2010.

To meet India's commitments under theMontreal Protocol, the Government of India hasalso taken certain policy decisions.

Goods required to implement ODS phaseoutprojects funded by the Multilateral Fundare fully exempt from duties.

This benefit has been also extended to newinvestments with non-ODS technologies.

Commercial banks are prohibited fromfinancing or refinancing investments with

ODS technologies. The Gazette of India on 19 July 2000 notified

rules for regulation of ODS phase-out calledthe Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulationand Control) Rules, 2000. They werenotified under the Environment (Protection)Act, 1986. These rules were drafted by theMoEF following consultations withindustries and related governmentdepartments.

3 . BASEL CONVENTION ONTRANSBOUNDARY MOVEMENT OFHAZARDOUS WASTES, 1989

Basel Convention, which entered into forcein 1992, has three key objectives:

1. To reduce trans-boundary movements ofhazardous wastes;

2. To minimize the creation of such wastes;and

3. To prohibit their shipment to countrieslacking the capacity to disposehazardous wastes in an environmentallysound manner.

India ratified the Basel Convention in 1992,shortly after it came into force.

The Indian Hazardous Wastes ManagementRules Act 1989, encompasses some of theBasel provisions related to the notificationof import and export of hazardous waste,illegal traffic, and liability.

4. UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ONCLIMATE CHANGE (UNFCCC), 1992

The primary goals of the UNFCCC were tostabilize greenhouse gas emissions at levelsthat would prevent dangerousanthropogenic interference with the globalclimate.

The Convention embraced the principle ofcommon but differentiated responsibilities



which has guided the adoption of aregulatory structure.

India signed the agreement in June 1992,which was ratified in November 1993.

As per the convention, the reduction/limitation requirements apply only todeveloped countries. The only reporting

obligation for developing countries relatesto the construction of a Greenhouse Gases(GHG) inventory.

India has initiated the preparation of its FirstNational Communication (base year 1994)that includes an inventory of GHG sourcesand sinks, potential vulnerability to climatechange, adaptation measures and othersteps being taken in the country to addressclimate change.

5 . CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICALDIVERSITY, 1992

The Convention on Biological Diversity(CBD) is a legally binding, framework treatythat has been ratified until now by 180countries.

The CBD has three main thrust areas:conservation of biodiversity, sustainable useof biological resources and equitable sharingof benefits arising from their sustainable use.

The Convention on Biological Diversity cameinto force in 1993.

Many biodiversity issues are addressed inthe convention, including habitatpreservation, intellectual property rights, bio-safety, and indigenous people's rights. Theseinclude the promulgation of the Wildlife(Protection) Act of 1972, amended in 1991;and participation in several internationalconventions such as CITES.

6. UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ONDESERTIFICATION, 1994

Delegates to the 1992 UN Conference onEnvironment and Development (UNCED)recommended establishment of anintergovernmental negotiating committeefor the elaboration of an internationalconvention to combat desertification incountries experiencing serious drought and/or desertification.

The UN General Assembly established sucha committee in 1992 that later helpedformulation of Convention onDesertification in 1994.

The convention is distinctive as it endorsesand employs a bottom-up approach tointernational environmental cooperation.

Under the terms of the convention, activitiesrelated to the control and alleviation ofdesertification and its effects are to be closelylinked to the needs and participation of locallandusers and non-governmentalorganizations.

Seven countries in the South Asian regionare signatories to the Convention, whichaims at tackling desertification throughnational, regional and sub-regional actionprogrammes.

The Regional Action Programme has sixThematic Programme Networks (TPN's) forthe Asian region, each headed by a countrytask manager.

7. INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBERAGREEMENT AND THEINTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBERORGANISATION (ITTO), 1983, 1994

The ITTO established by the InternationalTropical Timber Agreement (ITTA), 1983,came into force in 1985 and becameoperational in 1987.

The ITTO facilitates discussion, consultationand international cooperation on issuesrelating to the international trade andutilization of tropical timber and thesustainable management of its resource base.

The successor agreement to the ITTA (1983)was negotiated in 1994, and came into forceon 1 January 1997. The organization has57 member countries.

India ratified the ITTA in 1996.

8 . RAMSAR CONVENTION ONWETLANDS

The 'Convention on Wetlands signed inRamsar, Iran, in 1971, is anintergovernmental treaty which providesthe framework for national action andinternational cooperation for theconservation and wise use of wetlands andtheir resources.


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There are presently 158 Contracting Partiesto the Convention, with 1758 wetland sites,totaling 161 million hectares, designated forinclusion in the Ramsar List of Wetlands ofInternational Importance.

Ramsar Convention is the only globalenvironment treaty dealing with a particularecosystem.

Major obligations of countries which are partyto the Convention are:

Designate wetlands for inclusion in the 'Listof Wetland of International Importance'.

Promote, as far as possible, 'the wise use ofwetland in their territory'.

Promote 'international cooperation'especially with regard to trans-boundarywetlands, shared water systems, and sharedspecies.

Create 'wetland reserves'.

The Montreux Record: The MontreuxRecord is a register of wetland sites on theList of Wetlands of International Importancewhere changes in ecological character haveoccurred, are occurring, or are likely tooccur as a result of technologicaldevelopments, pollution or other humaninterference. It is maintained as part of theRamsar List.

9. UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORKCONVENTION ON CLIMATECHANGE, 2011

The 2011 United Nations Climate ChangeConference was held in Durban, SouthAfrica, from 28 November to 9 December2011.

The conference is officially referred to as

the 17th session of the Conference of theParties COP 17) to the United NationsFramework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC) and the 7th session of theConference of the Parties serving as themeeting of the Parties (CMP 7) to the KyotoProtocol.

A primary focus of the conference was tosecure a global climate agreement as theKyoto Protocol's first commitment period(2008-2012) is about to end.

One of the central outcomes of the meetingin South Africa was to pave the way for alegally binding agreement under the UNClimate Convention applicable to all Parties,to be completed by 2015 and to come intoeffect from 2020.

India's representative at the conference,Jayanthi Natarajan stated that India "will

never be intimidated by any threat orpressure".

The agreement, referred to as the "Durbanplatform", is notable in that for the first timeit includes developing countries such asChina and India, as well as the US whichrefused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

The agreement entails the continuation ofthe Kyoto Protocol in the interim, althoughonly some countries including members ofthe EU are likely to commit.

The conference led to progress regardingthe creation of a Green Climate Fund forwhich a management framework wasadopted. The fund is to distribute US $ 100bn per year to help poor countries adapt toclimate impacts.

10. REDD+

Deforestation and forest degradation,through agricultural expansion, conversionto pastureland, infrastructure development,destructive logging, fires etc., account fornearly 20% of global greenhouse gasemissions, more than the entire globaltransportation sector and second only to theenergy sector.

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation andForest Degradation (REDD) is an effort tocreate a financial value for the carbon storedin forests, offering incentives for developingcountries to reduce emissions from forestedlands and invest in low-carbon paths tosustainable development.

"REDD+" goes beyond deforestation andforest degradation, and includes the role ofconservation, sustainable management offorests and enhancement of forest carbonstocks.

Countries that reduce emissions andundertake sustainable management offorests will be entitled to receive funds andresources as incentives.



REDD+ works on the basis of creating afinancial value for the carbon stored andenhanced in the biomass and soil ofstanding forests.

The REDD+ approach incorporatesimportant benefits of livelihoodsimprovement, biodiversity conservation andfood security services.

REDD+ & INDIA

India has more than 70 m ha under forestcover with four global biodiversity hotspots,and is one of the 17 megadiverse countries.

India recognizes that conserving, expandingand improving the quality of our forests isa major national priority. This has enormousdomestic and transnational mitigatingbenefits. Not only it is a cost-effective and

efficient way to mitigate the effects ofclimate change, but it also improves India'swater security, safeguards its richbiodiversity and provides livelihood securityfor millions of Indians.

India will gain a lot from REDD+ as it hasopened avenues to get compensation for theefforts of pro-conservation and sustainablemanagement of forests, which will result infurther increase of forest cover andconsequently forest carbon stocks.

The incentives which will be received fromREDD+ would be passed on to the localcommunities which are involved in forestconservation. The REDD+ initiative will helplocal Indian communities as it clearlysafeguards their rights.

It is estimated that India could providecapture of more than 1 billion tonnes ofadditional CO2 over the next 30 years and

will gain US$ 3 billion as carbon serviceincentives.

India has been insisting on following acomprehensive and holistic approach inrealizing the full potential of mitigation inthe forestry sector. India's stand was finallyaccepted in 13th Meeting of the Conferenceof Parties (COP 13) at Bali, when elementsof conservation, sustainable management offorests and enhancement of forest carbonstocks were added to the then existing text

of reducing deforestation and forestdegradation as part of the Bali Action Plan.

India has started an ambitious 'Green IndiaMission' under the National Action Plan onClimate Change with a budget of Rs 46,000crore over a period of 10 years. Theobjective of the Mission is to increase forestand tree cover in 5 m ha of land and

improve quality of forest cover in another 5m ha. Thus, the Mission will help inimproving ecosystem services in 10 m ha ofland, and increase the flow of forest-basedlivelihood services and the income of about3 million forest dwellers.

India has made a submission to the UnitedNations Framework Convention on ClimateChange (UNFCCC) on REDD, sustainablemanagement of forest and afforestation andreforestation in December 2008.

A technical group has been set up todevelop methodologies and procedures toassess and monitor contribution of REDD+actions.

A National REDD+ Coordinating Agencyis being established.

A National Forest Carbon AccountingProgramme is being institutionalized.

India is hosting the Conference of Parties

(COP-11) of the Convention on BiologicalDiversity in 2012, to coincide with 20 yearsof Rio.

A report on the study of the impact ofclimate change on India's forests assignedto the Indian Network for Climate ChangeAssessment, has been released in November2010. In the year 2030, 8-56% of forests arelikely to experience a change in vegetationtype with respect to those observed in the1970s. There is likely to be an increase in

net primary productivity ranging from 20%to 57%.

11. NAGOYA PROTOCOL

The Nagoya Protocol on Access to GeneticResources and the Fair and EquitableSharing of Benefits Arising from theirUtilization to the Convention on BiologicalDiversity was adopted at the tenth meetingof the Conference of the Parties on 29October 2010, in Nagoya, Japan.


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The Protocol significantly advances theConvention's third objective by providing astrong basis for greater legal certainty andtransparency for both providers and usersof genetic resources.

It specifies specific obligations to supportcompliance with domestic legislation orregulatory requirements of the Party

providing genetic resources and contractualobligations reflected in mutually agreedterms are a significant innovation of theProtocol. These compliance provisions aswell as provisions establishing morepredictable conditions for access to geneticresources will contribute to ensuring thesharing of benefits when genetic resourcesleave a Party providing genetic resources.

In addition, the Protocol's provisions onaccess to traditional knowledge held byindigenous and local communities when itis associated with genetic resources willstrengthen the ability of these communitiesto benefit from the use of their knowledge,innovations and practices.

The objective of this Protocol is the fair and

equitable sharing of the benefits arising fromthe utilization of genetic resources, includingby appropriate access to genetic resourcesand by appropriate transfer of relevanttechnologies, taking into account all rightsover those resources and to technologies,and by appropriate funding, therebycontributing to the conservation ofbiological diversity and the sustainable useof its components.

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