The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has recently launched the ‘India Climate Change Knowledge Portal.’ This initiative aims to raise awareness among the public about climate change issues and how the government is addressing them, both nationally and internationally. This portal provides a single point for accessing up-to-date information on a variety of climate initiatives.
Understanding the India Climate Change Knowledge Portal
The purpose of the India Climate Change Knowledge Portal is to share vital knowledge with citizens about the significant steps the government is taking at both national and international levels to address climate change issues. Essentially, it serves as a one-stop information source, offering updated status on various climate initiatives undertaken by different Line Ministries.
Main Components of the Portal
Eight major components form the backbone of the knowledge portal:
– **India’s Climate Profile**: The portal provides an overview of India’s diverse climate. The northern part of the country features a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. In contrast, the coastal regions experience warmer temperatures year-round and frequent rainfall.
– **National Policy Framework**: This refers to the government’s policies for environmental conservation. For instance, to improve the management of hazardous waste, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change altered the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management & Transboundary Movement) Rules in 2016.
– **India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Goals**: The essence of the Paris Agreement lies in the NDCs, which outline each country’s efforts to reduce national emissions and adapt to climate change impacts.
– **Adaptation Actions**: The portal highlights India’s shift towards clean energy development, such as the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, which aims to boost India’s solar energy share.
– **Mitigation Actions**: Features initiatives like the National Water Mission launched by the Indian government to resolve water issues.
– **Bilateral and Multilateral Cooperation**: Highlights international cooperation agreements, such as the Paris climate deal.
– **International Climate Negotiations**: It explains India’s role in global climate talks. For example, in COP21 in Paris in 2015, India accepted a target limit of a 1.5-degree Celsius increase in global average temperature and announced an ambitious domestic renewable energy program.
– **Reports & Publications**: Showcases reports like Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
Additional Initiatives to Combat Climate Change
Besides the information included in the portal, other steps taken include:
– **National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)**: A five-year plan aiming for a 20-30% reduction in concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 by 2024, using 2017 as the base year.
– The shift from Bharat Stage-IV (BS-IV) to Bharat Stage-VI (BS-VI) emission norms from 1st April 2020, initially intended to be adopted by 2024.
– Distribution of over 360 million LED bulbs under the UJALA scheme, resulting in an approximately 47 billion units of electricity saving per year, and a reduction of 38 million tonnes of CO2 annually.
– **International Solar Alliance**: An Indian-led coalition of solar-resource-rich countries aiming to meet their unique energy needs.
– **National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)**: Launched in 2008, it intends to raise awareness among public representatives, government agencies, scientists, industry, and communities about the threat of climate change and the steps needed to counter it.
