WWF-India’s reaction to the National Climate Change Action Plan

The National Climate Change Action Plan released by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India is a progressive and forward-looking document that attempts to address the issue of climate change in India. The timely release of the National Action Plan shows government’s strong commitment to mainstream climate issues in India, and also sends a positive message to public, industries and civil society about government’s concern to address climate change through concerted action.

The National Action Plan recognizes that Climate Change can adversely impact the future and a high degree of preparedness is required to ensure that it does not take the fast growing economy off track.

WWF-India feels that that National Action Plan is fairly comprehensive in its coverage and has cross-sectoral links through the eight National Level Missions. At the centre stage of the Action Plan is India’s impetus on following on a low carbon energy path without impending economic growth and quality of life of people.

WWF-India feels that the Plan brings a balanced perspective on mitigation and adaptation through some new dimensions:

• If India has to maintain a low carbon development path, then Industries (especially energy intensive ones) need to play a pivotal role in ensuring energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption. This Action Plan makes an interesting provision of enhancing energy saving and therefore GHG reductions by Industries through a mechanism at the domestic level for trading energy savings excess of mandated savings. However, it will be interesting how Industries respond to this proposal of the Action Plan.
• Renewable energy will play a significant role in ensuring low carbon energy path and proposal for dynamic minimum renewable purchase standards with year-on-year escalation is extremely important integration in the Action Plan. The Action Plan also reiterates the need for a balanced approach for agriculture-based biofuels.
• The Mission on Himalayan Ecosystems for its protection and sustaining water and food security for millions of people is a welcome initiative, however, in its present form its is skeletal and a detailed action plan needs to be developed.
• Creation of National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change is another good initiative as this would ensure exchange of knowledge and informed research in India.
• The traditional areas of government’s intervention such as Water Conservation, Afforestation and Agriculture have been reinforced and a fresh lease of life have been given to areas like Solar, Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Habitat – demonstrating the wide scope of plan.

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For more information, please contact:
Anshuman Atroley, Communications Manager, WWF-India
Tel: +91-98101 69262, E-mail: aatroley@gmail.com