1.

NATIONAL LAKE CONSERVATION

PROGRAMME
Recognizing the importance of urban lakes
in particular, the Ministry of Environment
and Forests launched a National Lake
Conservation Programme in 2001,
exclusively aimed at restoring the lakes in
different parts of the country.
The objective of the scheme is to restore
and conserve the urban and semi-urban
lakes of the country degraded due to waste
water discharge into the lake and other
unique freshwater eco-systems, through an
integrated ecosystem approach.
The scheme operates on a funding pattern
of 70:30 cost-sharing between the Central
and the participating State Governments.
Activities Covered Under NLCP
In situ measures of lake cleaning such as
de-silting, de-weeding, bioremediation, etc.
Catchment area treatment which may
include 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 of
dhobi ghats is generally not covered under
NLCP.
Prevention of pollution from non-point
sources by providing low-cost sanitation.
Public awareness and public participation.
Capacity building, training and research in
the area of Lake Conservation.
Any other activity depending upon location
specific requirements.
2. NATIONAL GANGA RIVER BASIN
PROJECT (NGRBA)
The proposed World Bank assisted National
Ganga River Basin Project (NGRBP) envisages
two main components.
Component One: Institutional Development
(US$ 200 million)
Objectives
The objectives of this component are to:
build functional capacity of the NGRBA's
operational institutions at both the central
and state levels; and
provide support to associated institutions
for implementing the NGRBA programme.
The activities financed under this component
are grouped under the following sub-
components:
NGRBA Operationalization and Programme
Management
Technical Assistance for ULB Service
Providers
Technical Assistance for Environmental
Regulators
Component Two: Priority Infrastructure
Investments (US$ 1,270 million)
Objective
The objective of this component is to finance
demonstrative infrastructure investments to
reduce pollution loads in priority locations
on the river.
The majority of investments are expected
to be in the wastewater sector, particularly
ENVIRONMENT
MANOJ K. JHA
PROGRAMMES & POLICIES 2
in wastewater treatment plants and
sewerage networks.
Investments will also be supported in
industrial pollution control and prevention
(e.g. common effluent treatment plants),
solid waste management (e.g. collection,
transport and disposal systems), and river
front management (e.g. improvement of the
built environment along river stretches,
improvement of small ghats and electric
crematoria, and the conservation and
preservation of ecologically-sensitive sites).
Many investments are likely to combine
elements of more than one of these sectors.
3. NATIONAL MISSION FOR GREEN
INDIA
The National Mission for a Green India was
announced by the Prime Minister as one of
the eight Missions under the National Action
Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
The Green India Mission puts the 'greening'
in the context of climate adaptation and
mitigation, aiming to enhance ecosystem
services like carbon sequestration and
storage (in forests and other ecosystems),
hydrological services and biodiversity; along
with provisioning services like fuel, fodder,
timber and NTFPs.
Mission Objectives
Increased forest/tree cover on 5 m ha of
forest/non-forest lands and improved
quality of forest cover on another 5 m ha (a
total of 10 m ha).
Improved ecosystem services including
biodiversity, hydrological services and
carbon sequestration as a result of treatment
of 10 m ha.
Increased forest-based livelihood income of
about 3 million households living in and
around the forests.
Enhanced annual CO2 sequestration by 50
to 60 million tonnes in the year 2020.
Key Elements of Mission Strategy
Holistic view to "greening" (broader than
plantations): The scope of greening will go
beyond trees and plantations to encompass
both protection and restoration. Emphasis
will be placed on restoration of degraded
ecosystems and habitat diversity, for
example, grassland and pastures (more so
in arid/semi-arid regions), mangroves,
wetlands and other critical ecosystems. The
greening will not only strive to restore
degraded forests, but will also contribute in
the protection and enhancement of forests
with relatively dense forest cover.
Vulnerability' and 'Potential' as criteria for
intervention: Criteria for selection of project
areas/sub-landscapes/sub-watersheds
under the Mission will include projected
vulnerability to climatic change, potential
of areas for enhancing carbon sinks and
the significance of the area from ecosystem
services angle, such as biodiversity and
hydrological services.
Integrated cross-sectoral approach to
implementation: The Mission will foster an
integrated approach that treats forests and
non-forest public lands as well as private
lands simultaneously, in project units/
sublandscapes/ sub-watersheds. Livelihood
ependencies, for example firewood needs
and livestock grazing, will be addressed
using inter-sectoral convergence (e.g.
livestock, forest, agriculture, rural
development, and energy).
Significance of the Mission
Ameliorating climate: Over the past
decades, national policies of conservation
and sustainable management have
transformed the country's forests into a net
sink of CO2. From 1995 to 2005, carbon
stocks stored in our forests were estimated
to have increased from 6245 million tonnes
to 6622 m tones thereby registering an
annual increment of 37.68 million tones of
carbon or 138.15 million tonnes of CO2
equivalent.
Food security: Forests are essential for
maintaining favourable and stable
conditions needed for sustained agricultural
productivity. Also, forests provide food
directly in the following categories: fruits,
flowers, leaves, stems, seeds, roots, tubers,
mushrooms, etc.
PROGRAMMES & POLICIES 3
Water security: Forests are vital for
maintaining the hydrological cycle and
regulating water flows and sub-soil water
regimes, recharging the aquifers and
maintaining the flow of water in rivers and
rivulets.
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 and
bamboo that are crucial to livelihood
security of forest-dependent communities.
Nearly 27% of the total population of India,
comprising 275 million rural people,
depends on forests for its livelihood. This
number includes 89 million tribal people,
who constitute the poorest and most
marginalized section of the country.
4. COASTAL REGULATION ZONE
To protect and conserve the coastal environment
the Ministry of Environment and Forests has
issued Coastal Regulation Zone Notification on
February 19, 1991 under Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986. Some of the major issues
with regard to the Coastal Regulation Zone
Notification, 1991 are-
Stipulates uniform regulations all along the
5500 kms of the coastline of the mainland
and 2000 kms of the coastline of islands of
Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep.
The Indian coastline, including that of the
Islands of Andaman & Nicobar and
Lakshadweep are highly diverse in terms
of geomorphological and geological features,
hydrodynamics conditions, demographic
patterns, biodiversity and natural resources.
This fragile coastline is under severe
pressure due to increased developmental
economic activities and also impacts of
climate change i.e. increased frequency of
cyclones, floods, etc. and sea level rise.
The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification
is a land based Notification which regulates
developmental activities in the inter tidal
area and 500mt on the landward side.
Whereas, the coastal area and the
ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangroves,
fisheries, etc. are dependent upon the coastal
waters.
The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification
does not provide for steps to be taken in
view of the natural hazards such as
cyclones, storms, surges, etc.
No concrete steps are indicated in the
Coastal Regulation Zone Notification with
regard to the pollution from land-based
activities that has serious impacts on the
coastal and marine environment.
Several stretches of the coastline is
undergoing serious to moderate erosion
because of various anthropogenic activities
and natural events. The Coastal Regulation
Zone Notification does not take into account
these issues.
The restrictive nature of the Coastal
Regulation Zone Notification has caused
hardships to the communities/people living
in certain coastal stretches which includes
the slum dwellers and people living in unsafe
buildings in Mumbai, communities living in
islands within backwaters of Kerala, local
communities along Goa and the traditional
inhabitants living within ecologically
sensitive areas.
The Coastal Zone Management Plan is
critical to the implementation of the Coastal
Regulation Zone Notification. Lack of clarity
and non-availability of the Coastal Zone
Management Plans to the communities has
been instrumental in causing hardship to
the communities. In addition, this has been
one of the reasons for increase in violation
of the Notification.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests
has issued the Coastal Regulation Zone
Notification, 2011 which takes into account
all the above issues in a comprehensive
manner, including the recommendations
made in "Final Frontier" and the outcome
of the eleven consultations held in various
coastal States and Union territories.
Objectives of Draft CRZ Notification, 2011
to ensure livelihood security to the fisher
communities and other local communities,
living in the coastal areas,
to conserve and protect coastal stretches,
its unique environment and its marine area,
and
PROGRAMMES & POLICIES 4
to promote development through
sustainable manner based on scientific
principles taking into account the dangers
of natural hazards in the coastal areas, sea
level rise due to global warming.
The current notification has several new
positive features:
It widens the definition of CRZ to include
the land area from HTL to 500 m on the
landward side, as well as the land area
between HTL to 100 m or width of the
creek, whichever is less, on the landward
side along tidal-influenced water bodies
connected to the sea.
The CRZ also includes, for the first time,
water area up to 12 nautical miles in the
sea and the entire water area of a tidal
water body such as creek, river, estuary
without imposing any restrictions of fishing
activities. Thus, the main change in the
scope of regulation has been to expand the
CRZ to include territorial waters as a
protected zone.
The concept of a 'hazard line' has been
introduced. While the notification merely
states that the hazard line will be
demarcated by the Ministry of Environment
and Forests MoEF through the Survey of
India, by taking into account tides, waves,
sea level rise and shoreline changes, this
concept owes its introduction to the
realisation of natural disasters such as
tsunami and floods that may take place in
this zone.
In May 2010, the MOEF signed a
Memorandum of Understanding with the
Survey of India for undertaking this exercise
over a period of four-and-a-half years, at
an estimated cost of Rs 125 crore.
The concept of classification of CRZ into
four zones has continued in the 2011
notification with the following delineation:
1. CRZ I- ecologically sensitive areas such as
mangroves, coral reefs, salt marshes, turtle
nesting ground and the inter-tidal zone.
2. CRZ II- areas close to the shoreline, and
which 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 Greater
Mumbai, 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 activities
which 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
Proj ect Tiger Scheme has been under
implementation 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.
PROGRAMMES & POLICIES 5
Main objectives under the scheme include
wildlife management, protection measures
and site-specific eco-development to reduce
the dependency of local communities on
tiger reserve resources.
Initially, the Project started with 9 tiger
reserves, covering an area of 16,339 km2,
with a population of 268 tigers.
At present, there are 39 tiger reserves
covering an area of 53,547 km2, with a
population of 1706 tigers. This amounts to
almost 1.63% of the total geographical area
of the country. Project Tiger is undisputedly
a custodian of major gene pool. It is also a
repository of some of the most valuable
ecosystem 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 (Tamil
Nadu)
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 kept
free of biotic disturbances and forestry
operations, where collection of minor forest
produce, grazing, human disturbances are
not allowed within. However, the buffer
zone is managed as a 'multiple use area'
with twin objectives of providing habitat
supplement to the spillover population of
wild animals from the core conservation
unit, and to provide site specific eco-
developmental inputs to surrounding
villages for relieving their impact on the
core.
Except for the National Parks portion if
contained within, normally no relocation of
villages is visualised in the buffer area, and
forestry operations, NTFP collection and
other rights and concessions to the local
people are permitted in a regulated manner
to complement the initiatives in the core
unit.
India is one of the thirteen tiger range
countries and has the largest number of
source sites with wild tigers. As far as the
scale of implementation of Project Tiger and
the diverse habitats under its coverage are
concerned, the project has no parallel in
the contemporary world.
What have been the Major Achievements?
Project Tiger has saved the endangered tiger
from extinction, and has put the species on
an assured path to recovery by improving
the protection and status of its habitat.
The core buffer strategy of Project Tiger has
provided scope for eliciting local public
support through site-pecific eco-
development in the buffer/fringe areas.
The Project has contributed towards several
intangible environmental benefits to society,
such as absorption of carbon dioxide,
improvement of micro climate, rainfall and
river flow.
PROGRAMMES & POLICIES 6
The Project has generated considerable
wages for the benefit of fringe-dwelling
communities, who are deployed as local
work force for protection.
While conserving the flagship species, the
Project has saved several other species of
plants and animals from extinction.
The local communities are benefiting from
eco-tourism apart from eco developmental
inputs in fringe areas.
RECENT INITIATIVES
Strengthening of anti-poaching activities,
including special strategy for monsoon
patrolling, by providing funding support to
tiger reserve states, as proposed by them,
for deployment of anti-poaching squads
involving ex-army personnel/home guards,
apart from workforce comprising local
people, in addition to strengthening of
communication/wireless facilities.
Declaration of nine new tiger reserves and
in-principle approval accorded for creation
of four new reserves - Biligiri in Karnataka,
Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh, Ratapani in
Madhya Pradesh and Sunabeda in Orissa.
The revised Project Tiger guidelines have
been issued to states for strengthening tiger
conservation, which apart from ongoing
activities, include funding support to states
for enhanced village rehabilitation package
for people living in core or critical tiger
habitats (from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh per
family), rehabilitation of communities
involved in traditional hunting,
mainstreaming livelihood and wildlife
concerns in forests outside tiger reserves and
fostering corridor conservation through
restorative strategy to arrest habitat
fragmentation.
A Global Tiger Forum of Tiger Range
Countries has been created for addressing
international issues related to tiger
conservation.
As part of active management to rebuild
Sariska and Panna tiger reserves where
tigers have become locally extinct,
reintroduction of tigers have been done.
6. PROJECT ELEPHANT
Asian elephants were believed to be widely
distributed-from Tigris - Euphrates in West
Asia eastward through Persia into the
Indian sub-continent, South and Southeast
Asia, including Sri Lanka, Java, Sumatra,
Borneo and up to North China. However,
currently they are confined to Indian
Subcontinent, South East Asia and some
Asian Islands -Sri Lanka, Indonesia and
Malaysia.
About half of the Asian elephant population
is in India.
Current distribution of wild elephant in India is
confined to South India; North East, including
North West Bengal; Central Indian states of
Orissa, South WB and Jharkhand; and North
West India in Uttarakhand and UP.
Project Elephant (PE) was launched by the
Government of India in the year 1992 as a
Centrally Sponsored Scheme with the
following 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 in
13 States/UTs, viz. Andhra Pradesh,
Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand,
Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland,
Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar
Pradesh and West Bengal. Small support is
also being given to Maharashtra and
Chhattisgarh.
Main activities under the Project are as
follows:
Ecological restoration of existing natural
habitats and migratory routes of elephants;
Development of scientific and planned
management for conservation of elephant
habitats and viable population of Wild
Asiatic elephants in India;
Promotion of measures for mitigation of
man elephant conflict in crucial habitats
and moderating pressures of human and
PROGRAMMES & POLICIES 7
domestic stock activities in crucial elephant
habitats;
Strengthening of measures for protection of
wild elephants form poachers and
unnatural causes of death;
Research on Elephant management related
issues;
Public education and awareness
programmes;
Eco-development;
Veterinary care
7. PROJECT SNOW LEOPARD
Project Snow Leopard is a manifestation of
the Government of India' s resolve to
conserve biodiversity with community
participation. They are at the apex of
ecological pyramid, suffer the most on
account of relatively smaller population size
and also because of man-animal conflict.
This situation further gets aggravated by
the hostile landscape forming its habitat.
Referring to its globally-endangered species
status as well as the most important flagship
species of the mountain region, the
government informed that Snow Leopard
has been included in the list of species under
Recovery Programme to be funded through
the umbrella scheme of integrated
Development of Wildlife Habitats.
There are more than 26 protected areas in
the Himalayan landscape where snow
leopard is reported. However, areas outside
protected areas are equally important for a
long range species like Snow Leopard.
To give it the same status of importance in
the high altitude as that of Tiger in the
terrestrial landscape, the ministry has
launched the Project Snow Leopard in the
country.
The project will be operational in five
Himalayan States viz. Jammu & Kashmir,
Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim,
and Arunachal Pradesh with active support
from Wildlife Institute of India and the
Mysore based Nature Conservation
Foundation.
The project stresses on a landscape approach
to conservation wherein smaller core zones
with relatively conservation values will be
identified and conserved with support and
the larger landscape will be managed in
such a way that it allows necessary
development benefits to the local
communities.
For facilitating effective planning and action,
the proj ect will set up enabling
administrative mechanisms from the village
duster level to the Central Government. At
the Central level, a Steering Committee
chaired by Director General of Forests &
Special Secretary to the Government of
India will help guide the project. Each State
will have a State Snow Leopard
Conservation Society that will coordinate
work by the Landscape level
Implementation Committees, which in turn
will coordinate work by the village Wildlife
Conservation Committees.
The Project Snow Leopard is an innovative
project that would help to arrest species
decline in the Indian high altitudes and
would lead to conservation based on sound
scientific plans and local support. Species
such as Snow Leopard, Asiatic Ibex, Tibetan
Argali, Ladakh Urial, Chiru, Takin, Serow
and Musk Deer will particularly benefit from
this project.
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS ON
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
India is signatory to a number of multilateral
environment agreements (MEA) and
conventions. An overview of some of the major
MEAs and India's obligations under these is
presented below.
1. CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL
TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF
WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES),
1973
The aim of CITES is to control or prevent
international commercial trade in
endangered species or products derived from
them.
CITES does not seek to directly protect
endangered species or curtail development
PROGRAMMES & POLICIES 8
practices that destroy their habitats. Rather,
it seeks to reduce the economic incentive to
poach endangered species and destroy their
habitat by closing off the international
market.
India became a party to the CITES in 1976.
International trade in all wild flora and
fauna in general and species covered under
CITES is regulated jointly through the
provisions of The Wildlife (Protection) Act
1972, the Import/Export policy of
Government of India and the Customs
Act, 1962.
2. MONTREAL PROTOCOL ON
SUBSTANCES THAT DEPLETE THE
OZONE LAYER, 1987
The Montreal Protocol to the Vienna
Convention on substances that deplete the
Ozone layer came into force in 1989.
The Protocol set targets for reducing the
consumption and production of a range of
ozone depleting substances (ODS).
In a maj or innovation, the Protocol
recognized that all nations should not be
treated equally.
The agreement acknowledges that certain
countries have contributed to ozone
depletion more than others.
It also recognizes that a nation's obligation
to reduce current emissions should reflect
its technological and financial ability to do
so. Because of this, the agreement sets more
stringent standards and accelerated
phaseout timetables to countries that have
contributed most to ozone depletion.
India acceded to the Montreal Protocol along
with its London Amendment in September
1992.
The MoEF has established an Ozone Cell
and a steering committee on the Montreal
Protocol to facilitate implementation of the
India Country Programme, for phasing out
ODS production by 2010.
To meet India's commitments under the
Montreal Protocol, the Government of India has
also taken certain policy decisions.
Goods required to implement ODS phaseout
projects funded by the Multilateral Fund
are fully exempt from duties.
This benefit has been also extended to new
investments with non-ODS technologies.
Commercial banks are prohibited from
financing or refinancing investments with
ODS technologies.
The Gazette of India on 19 July 2000 notified
rules for regulation of ODS phase-out called
the Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation
and Control) Rules, 2000. They were
notified under the Environment (Protection)
Act, 1986. These rules were drafted by the
MoEF following consultations with
industries and related government
departments.
3. BASEL CONVENTION ON
TRANSBOUNDARY MOVEMENT OF
HAZARDOUS WASTES, 1989
Basel Convention, which entered into force
in 1992, has three key objectives:
1. To reduce trans-boundary movements of
hazardous wastes;
2. To minimize the creation of such wastes;
and
3. To prohibit their shipment to countries
lacking the capacity to dispose
hazardous wastes in an environmentally
sound manner.
India ratified the Basel Convention in 1992,
shortly after it came into force.
The Indian Hazardous Wastes Management
Rules Act 1989, encompasses some of the
Basel provisions related to the notification
of import and export of hazardous waste,
illegal traffic, and liability.
4. UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON
CLIMATE CHANGE (UNFCCC), 1992
The primary goals of the UNFCCC were to
stabilize greenhouse gas emissions at levels
that would prevent dangerous
anthropogenic interference with the global
climate.
The Convention embraced the principle of
common but differentiated responsibilities
PROGRAMMES & POLICIES 9
which has guided the adoption of a
regulatory structure.
India signed the agreement in June 1992,
which was ratified in November 1993.
As per the convention, the reduction/
limitation requirements apply only to
developed countries. The only reporting
obligation for developing countries relates
to the construction of a Greenhouse Gases
(GHG) inventory.
India has initiated the preparation of its First
National Communication (base year 1994)
that includes an inventory of GHG sources
and sinks, potential vulnerability to climate
change, adaptation measures and other
steps being taken in the country to address
climate change.
5. CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL
DIVERSITY, 1992
The Convention on Biological Diversity
(CBD) is a legally binding, framework treaty
that has been ratified until now by 180
countries.
The CBD has three main thrust areas:
conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use
of biological resources and equitable sharing
of benefits arising from their sustainable use.
The Convention on Biological Diversity came
into force in 1993.
Many biodiversity issues are addressed in
the convention, including habitat
preservation, intellectual property rights, bio-
safety, and indigenous people's rights. These
include the promulgation of the Wildlife
(Protection) Act of 1972, amended in 1991;
and participation in several international
conventions such as CITES.
6. UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON
DESERTIFICATION, 1994
Delegates to the 1992 UN Conference on
Environment and Development (UNCED)
recommended establishment of an
intergovernmental negotiating committee
for the elaboration of an international
convention to combat desertification in
countries experiencing serious drought and/
or desertification.
The UN General Assembly established such
a committee in 1992 that later helped
formulation of Convention on
Desertification in 1994.
The convention is distinctive as it endorses
and employs a bottom-up approach to
international environmental cooperation.
Under the terms of the convention, activities
related to the control and alleviation of
desertification and its effects are to be closely
linked to the needs and participation of local
landusers and non-governmental
organizations.
Seven countries in the South Asian region
are signatories to the Convention, which
aims at tackling desertification through
national, regional and sub-regional action
programmes.
The Regional Action Programme has six
Thematic Programme Networks (TPN's) for
the Asian region, each headed by a country
task manager.
7. INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBER
AGREEMENT AND THE
INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBER
ORGANISATION (ITTO), 1983, 1994
The ITTO established by the International
Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA), 1983,
came into force in 1985 and became
operational in 1987.
The ITTO facilitates discussion, consultation
and international cooperation on issues
relating to the international trade and
utilization of tropical timber and the
sustainable management of its resource base.
The successor agreement to the ITTA (1983)
was negotiated in 1994, and came into force
on 1 January 1997. The organization has
57 member countries.
India ratified the ITTA in 1996.
8. RAMSAR CONVENTION ON
WETLANDS
The 'Convention on Wetlands signed in
Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, is an
intergovernmental treaty which provides
the framework for national action and
international cooperation for the
conservation and wise use of wetlands and
their resources.
PROGRAMMES & POLICIES 10
There are presently 158 Contracting Parties
to the Convention, with 1758 wetland sites,
totaling 161 million hectares, designated for
inclusion in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of
International Importance.
Ramsar Convention is the only global
environment treaty dealing with a particular
ecosystem.
Major obligations of countries which are party
to the Convention are:
Designate wetlands for inclusion in the 'List
of Wetland of International Importance'.
Promote, as far as possible, 'the wise use of
wetland in their territory'.
Promote ' international cooperation'
especially with regard to trans-boundary
wetlands, shared water systems, and shared
species.
Create 'wetland reserves'.
The Montreux Record: The Montreux
Record is a register of wetland sites on the
List of Wetlands of International Importance
where changes in ecological character have
occurred, are occurring, or are likely to
occur as a result of technological
developments, pollution or other human
interference. It is maintained as part of the
Ramsar List.
9. UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK
CONVENTION ON CLIMATE
CHANGE, 2011
The 2011 United Nations Climate Change
Conference was held in Durban, South
Africa, from 28 November to 9 December
2011.
The conference is officially referred to as
the 17th session of the Conference of the
Parties COP 17) to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) and the 7th session of the
Conference of the Parties serving as the
meeting of the Parties (CMP 7) to the Kyoto
Protocol.
A primary focus of the conference was to
secure a global climate agreement as the
Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period
(2008-2012) is about to end.
One of the central outcomes of the meeting
in South Africa was to pave the way for a
legally binding agreement under the UN
Climate Convention applicable to all Parties,
to be completed by 2015 and to come into
effect from 2020.
India's representative at the conference,
Jayanthi Natarajan stated that India "will
never be intimidated by any threat or
pressure".
The agreement, referred to as the "Durban
platform", is notable in that for the first time
it includes developing countries such as
China and India, as well as the US which
refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.
The agreement entails the continuation of
the Kyoto Protocol in the interim, although
only some countries including members of
the EU are likely to commit.
The conference led to progress regarding
the creation of a Green Climate Fund for
which a management framework was
adopted. The fund is to distribute US $ 100
bn per year to help poor countries adapt to
climate impacts.
10. REDD+
Deforestation and forest degradation,
through agricultural expansion, conversion
to pastureland, infrastructure development,
destructive logging, fires etc., account for
nearly 20% of global greenhouse gas
emissions, more than the entire global
transportation sector and second only to the
energy sector.
Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and
Forest Degradation (REDD) is an effort to
create a financial value for the carbon stored
in forests, offering incentives for developing
countries to reduce emissions from forested
lands and invest in low-carbon paths to
sustainable development.
"REDD+" goes beyond deforestation and
forest degradation, and includes the role of
conservation, sustainable management of
forests and enhancement of forest carbon
stocks.
Countries that reduce emissions and
undertake sustainable management of
forests will be entitled to receive funds and
resources as incentives.
PROGRAMMES & POLICIES 11
REDD+ works on the basis of creating a
financial value for the carbon stored and
enhanced in the biomass and soil of
standing forests.
The REDD+ approach incorporates
important benefits of livelihoods
improvement, biodiversity conservation and
food security services.
REDD+ & INDIA
India has more than 70 m ha under forest
cover with four global biodiversity hotspots,
and is one of the 17 megadiverse countries.
India recognizes that conserving, expanding
and improving the quality of our forests is
a major national priority. This has enormous
domestic and transnational mitigating
benefits. Not only it is a cost-effective and
efficient way to mitigate the effects of
climate change, but it also improves India's
water security, safeguards its rich
biodiversity and provides livelihood security
for millions of Indians.
India will gain a lot from REDD+ as it has
opened avenues to get compensation for the
efforts of pro-conservation and sustainable
management of forests, which will result in
further increase of forest cover and
consequently forest carbon stocks.
The incentives which will be received from
REDD+ would be passed on to the local
communities which are involved in forest
conservation. The REDD+ initiative will help
local Indian communities as it clearly
safeguards their rights.
It is estimated that India could provide
capture of more than 1 billion tonnes of
additional CO2 over the next 30 years and
will gain US$ 3 billion as carbon service
incentives.
India has been insisting on following a
comprehensive and holistic approach in
realizing the full potential of mitigation in
the forestry sector. India's stand was finally
accepted in 13th Meeting of the Conference
of Parties (COP 13) at Bali, when elements
of conservation, sustainable management of
forests and enhancement of forest carbon
stocks were added to the then existing text
of reducing deforestation and forest
degradation as part of the Bali Action Plan.
India has started an ambitious 'Green India
Mission' under the National Action Plan on
Climate Change with a budget of Rs 46,000
crore over a period of 10 years. The
objective of the Mission is to increase forest
and tree cover in 5 m ha of land and
improve quality of forest cover in another 5
m ha. Thus, the Mission will help in
improving ecosystem services in 10 m ha of
land, and increase the flow of forest-based
livelihood services and the income of about
3 million forest dwellers.
India has made a submission to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) on REDD, sustainable
management of forest and afforestation and
reforestation in December 2008.
A technical group has been set up to
develop methodologies and procedures to
assess and monitor contribution of REDD+
actions.
A National REDD+ Coordinating Agency
is being established.
A National Forest Carbon Accounting
Programme is being institutionalized.
India is hosting the Conference of Parties
(COP-11) of the Convention on Biological
Diversity in 2012, to coincide with 20 years
of Rio.
A report on the study of the impact of
climate change on India's forests assigned
to the Indian Network for Climate Change
Assessment, has been released in November
2010. In the year 2030, 8-56% of forests are
likely to experience a change in vegetation
type with respect to those observed in the
1970s. 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 Genetic
Resources and the Fair and Equitable
Sharing of Benefits Arising from their
Utilization to the Convention on Biological
Diversity was adopted at the tenth meeting
of the Conference of the Parties on 29
October 2010, in Nagoya, Japan.
PROGRAMMES & POLICIES 12
The Protocol significantly advances the
Convention's third objective by providing a
strong basis for greater legal certainty and
transparency for both providers and users
of genetic resources.
It specifies specific obligations to support
compliance with domestic legislation or
regulatory requirements of the Party
providing genetic resources and contractual
obligations reflected in mutually agreed
terms are a significant innovation of the
Protocol. These compliance provisions as
well as provisions establishing more
predictable conditions for access to genetic
resources will contribute to ensuring the
sharing of benefits when genetic resources
leave a Party providing genetic resources.
In addition, the Protocol's provisions on
access to traditional knowledge held by
indigenous and local communities when it
is associated with genetic resources will
strengthen the ability of these communities
to 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 from
the utilization of genetic resources, including
by appropriate access to genetic resources
and by appropriate transfer of relevant
technologies, taking into account all rights
over those resources and to technologies,
and by appropriate funding, thereby
contributing to the conservation of
biological diversity and the sustainable use
of its components.