News Highlight
If India has to achieve the set of goals enunciated in the ‘Panchamrit’ resolution of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow in 2021, it is necessary that local climate action be considered.
Key Takeaway
- Although international and national policies have been formulated with large-scale investments, it is necessary to have a suitable local action plan for implementation and enforcement initiated and coordinated by local governments.
What are local climate actions?
- It is a comprehensive policy tool outlining specific actions that a community will undertake to reduce GHG emissions and adaptation strategies the community will implement to counter the adverse effects of climate change.
- For example, Meenangadi grama panchayat in Wayanad has launched a climate literacy programme to spread awareness among the people about the subject and its impacts.
Importance of local climate actions
- Increase climate-related disasters
- Over the past few decades, there has been a manyfold increase in climate-related natural disasters. Hence, there should be local climate actions at Panchayat levels.
- Rural population
- Much of India’s population still lives in rural areas and is involved in agriculture and other agri based activities.
- The more significant variability in rainfall and temperatures, etc., experienced late has directly affected the livelihood and well being of millions of rural households.
- Carbon neutrality
- The climate change discussion also focuses on the emerging and widely accepted concept of ‘carbon neutrality’ which puts forth the notion of zero carbon developments, nature conservation, food, energy and seeds sufficiency, and economic development.
- As human activities cause the current climate crisis, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to growing and extreme weather events is critical.
- Amplified Local Knowledge
- Local knowledge is a vast and underutilised resource that is more accessible and relevant to programs designed for a specific place.
- Embedding local knowledge in adaptation measures makes them more inclusive, eases uptake and makes them more sustainable while boosting communities’ sense of ownership.
- More Holistic Approaches
- Local adaptation solutions are more likely to be effective because communities approach adaptation holistically.
- They experience the complex relationships between adaptation measures and other development priorities like poverty alleviation, disaster impact reduction and inclusive socioeconomic development and reflect these connections in their climate solutions.
Government initiatives
- The National Action Plan on Climate Change
- India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change 2008 identifies a range of priority areas for coordinated intervention at the national and State levels.
- Panchamrit
- The Union Cabinet recently approved an update to India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).
- These are called five commitments or Panchamrit; they are
- Increase the non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW (gigawatts) by 2030.
- Meet 50% of India’s energy requirements from “renewable energy” by 2030.
- Reduce the projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes from now until 2030.
- Reduce the carbon intensity of its economy by more than 45%.
- Achieve the target of “net zero” by the year 2070.
- Tree Banking Scheme
- Tree Banking Scheme of Kerala.
- The tree banking project has been launched to develop the Meenangadi Panchayath as the country’s first “carbon-neutral panchayath”.
- It encourages the planting of more trees by extending interest-free loans.
- Palli gram panchayat in Jammu and Kashmir
- It has prepared a climate-resilient plan where villagers have been made aware of climate change mitigation factors such as reducing energy consumption, using solar energy etc.
- Tikekarwadi gram panchayat in Maharashtra
- It is well-known for its extensive use of biogas plants and green energy production.
- Chapparapadavu grama panchayat in Kerala
- It has several green islands that the community has nurtured.
- The Clean and Green Village
- The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has focused on localised SDG on a thematic base.
- The Clean and Green village has been identified as the fifth theme.
Way forward
- Expand National Action Plan on Climate Change
- India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change 2008 identifies a range of priority areas for coordinated intervention at the national and State levels. However, there would have been better results had Panchayati raj institutions been given a more significant role.
- Decentralisation of climate actions
- Through the ongoing decentralisation process, which ensures people’s participation, panchayats can play a crucial and frontline role in coordinating effective responses to climate risks, enabling adaptation and building climate change resilient communities.
- Local production of LED bulbs
- Local production and distribution of LED bulbs would improve energy efficiency and economic employment.
- Preservation of local knowledge
- In India, there is vast local knowledge of environmental conservation. Therefore, action should be taken to document and protect this local knowledge.
Content Source: The Hindu