Year-end Review | Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change - Part 1

About the Ministry

• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is the nodal agency in the administrative structure of the Central Government:
  • For the planning, promotion, co-ordination and overseeing the implementation of India’s environmental and forestry policies and programmes.
• Union Minister – Bhupender Yadav.
• The broad objectives are:
  • Conservation and survey of flora, fauna, forests and wildlife,
  • Prevention and control of pollution,
  • Afforestation and regeneration of degraded areas,
  • Protection of the environment and
  • Ensuring the welfare of animals.
• Nodal agency for the following:
  • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP),
  • South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP),
  • International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and
  • For the follow-up of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED).

Schemes/initiatives for Wildlife

International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)

• India has launched the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) on 9th April, 2023 and established a demonstrative step to conserve 7 wild cats across the globe in the world.
• 5 countries namely India, Nicaragua, Eswatini, Somalia and Liberia have signed the Framework Agreement (FA) and have become the members of IBCA.
• The Framework Agreement is intended to establish IBCA to collectively address common challenges for the protection and conservation of seven Big Cats in the world.
• The parties to this agreement shall be guided by the principles of coordinated action for protection and conservation of 7 big cats, seeking the benefits of collective action under the IBCA.

First-ever Ganges River Dolphin Tagging

• First-ever Ganges River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica) was tagged in Assam.
• This is the first tagging, not only in India, but also for the species, and this milestone is a significant advancement of Project Dolphin.
• Implementation – By the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in collaboration with the Assam Forest Department and Aaranyak.
• Funding – from the National Authority Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning (CAMPA) Authority.

Schemes/initiatives for Climate Action

Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)

• CCUS has an important and critical role to play in decarbonising the industrial and power sector.
• CCUS is key to ensuring sustainable development and growth in India, particularly for the production of clean products and energy, leading to an Atmanirbhar Bharat.

National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)

• NCAP was launched in 2019 covers 130 cities in 24 States and UTs.
• Objective – To achieve substantial improvement in air quality, up to 40% reduction in particulate matter by 2025-26 from 2017-18.
• PRANA portal – Has been launched to update the air quality data in real time.
• Portal for Regulation of Air-pollution in non-attainment cities, is a portal for monitoring of implementation of National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).

India Cooling Action Plan

• ICAP provides an integrated vision towards cooling across sectors by reduction of cooling demand, refrigerant transition, enhancing energy efficiency and better technology options by 2037-38.

India is the first Country in the World to develop a comprehensive cooling action plan.

• The 7 thematic groups are:
  1. Space Cooling in Buildings
  2. Air-conditioning Technology
  3. Cold-chain and Refrigeration
  4. Transport Air-conditioning
  5. Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Servicing Sector
  6. Refrigerant Demand and Indigenous Production
  7. Research & Development
• As against 35% phase out reduction target of Hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) during 2020-24, as per Montreal Protocol reduction schedule,
  • India achieved reduction of 50% of Hydro chlorofluorocarbons in the consumption sector.
• Use of HCFCs in manufacturing of new equipment will be phased out as on 31.12.2024.

Schemes/initiatives for Biodiversity

• The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023 came into force on 1st April, 2024.
• India submitted its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan on 31st October, 2024 during the COP-16 to the Convention on Biological Diversity meetings.
  • Both the National Biodiversity Targets and Action Plan are aligned with the goals and targets set under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
• The Biological Diversity Rules, 2024 were notified in the Gazette of India on 22 October 2024.

Protected Areas

• MoEFCC is mandated to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forest and wildlife of the country under Article 48-A of the Constitution.
• Conservation planning in India is based on the philosophy of identifying and protecting representative wild habitats across all the ecosystems.
• The number of Protected Areas in the country, which stood at 745 in the year 2014 have risen to 1022.
  • This accounts for 5.43% of the country’s total geographic area. Participation of people are given more impetus.
• The numbers of Community Reserves in the country has increased from 43 in the year 2014 to 220 as of now.
• Apart from the protected areas, the country also has 57 tiger reserves notified under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 with the prime focus of conservation of tigers and its habitat.
• States have also declared 33 elephant reserves for providing safer habitats to the elephants.
• Since 2014, 59 wetlands have been added to the list of Ramsar Sites, taking the tally to 85 Ramsar Sites in the country covering an area of 1.35 million ha.
• As per All India Tiger Estimation 2022 report, the estimated tiger population in India is 3,682, which accounts for 70% of wild tiger population of the World.

“Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” Campaign

• The campaign ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ translates to ‘Plant4Mother’.
• Aim – It exhorts people to plant trees as a mark of love and respect for one's own Mother and for protecting and preserving the Mother Earth.
• Launched by – Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Launched – On the occasion of ‘World Environment Day’-5^th June, 2024.
• MoEFCC has reached out to Central Government Ministries/Departments, State Governments and Organizations to ensure the plantation of 140 crore trees by March, 2025.
• As of now, more than 102 crore trees have been planted under the campaign.

Amrit Dharohar

• The initiative is a part of the 2023-24 budget announcement and was launched during June 2023 to promote unique conservation values of the Ramsar Sites in the country.
• The Amrit Dharohar is implementation strategy, launched on the 5^th June, 2023, focuses on 4 key components, which are:
  1. Species and Habitat Conservation
  2. Nature Tourism
  3. Wetlands Livelihoods
  4. Wetlands Carbon

MISHTI – Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes

• Aim – To restore and promote mangroves as a unique, natural eco-system and for preserving and enhancing the sustainability of the coastal habitats.
• Launched – On 5th June, 2024.
• Objective – To 'restore mangrove forests' by undertaking mangrove reforestation/afforestation measures along the coast of India.

Nagar Van Yojana (NVY)

• Nagar Van Yojana (NVY) which envisages developing 600 Nagar Vans and 400 Nagar Vatikas in the country during the period from 2020-21 to 2026-27.
• Objective – To significantly enhance the trees outside forests and green cover, enhancement of biodiversity and ecological benefits to the urban and peri-urban areas apart from improving quality of life of city dwellers.
• Implementation – By the National Afforestation and Eco-development Board (NAEB).
• It envisages developing 600 Nagar Vans and 400 Nagar Vatikas in the country during the period from 2020-21 to 2026-27.
• National Authority of CAMPA – The Central grants from CAMPA is provided to cover mainly the cost of fencing, soil-moisture conservation measures & related activities, administrative activities, plantation and maintenance.
• Financial assistance – The Scheme provides financial assistance of Rs.4 lakh per hectare for the creation and maintenance of these urban forests.
• It encourages the involvement of citizens, students and other stakeholders in the creation and management of these green spaces.
• Range – Nagar Van areas range from a minimum of 10 hectare to 50 hectare.

Reference

1. PIB | Year-end review