Climate Issues Kept Environment Ministry Busy In 2015 | News World India

2015 was a mixed bag for the Environment Ministry which claimed its efforts paid off at the
Paris summit saying India was able to secure its interest in the landmark agreement adopted to reduce greenhouse gases even as back home it was plagued by issues like deteriorating air quality in Delhi and other cities.

ALSO READ: Air India Bags National Environment Health And Safety Award There was another setback for the Ministry as a bill to amend six environment laws which was mooted by it after getting recommendations from a high-level committee could not see the light of the day as it failed to introduce it in Parliament. The Environment Ministry headed by Prakash Javadekar remained focused on climate change this year and came on board with 194 countries to reach the global agreement which it termed as “durable and ambitious” and claimed to have acknowledged the development imperatives of developing countries like India. The Ministry started off the year by preparing for the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) or voluntary pledges which every country had to submit to the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) to cut GHG emissions. A “comprehensive” consultation with almost all the ministries, stakeholders and green bodies among others were done before reaching a final plan. India in its climate action plans announced to curb its greenhouse gas emissions by up to 35 per cent from the 2005 level. Apart from that, India also announced its ambitious aim

to achieve around 40 per cent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030 which was “appreciated” by other countries.

The Environment Ministry claimed that its efforts finally paid off after the “historic” agreement was signed in Paris as it was a legally-binding deal which covered both developed and developing countries with the aim of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change. The concepts of climate justice and sustainable lifestyle which had been put forward by India especially by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in various forums was also included. However, experts maintained that the inclusion was just in the preamble of the agreement which means it was a broader goal than an actual one which countries needed to adhere to strictly. Modi along with French President Francois Hollande also launched the International Solar Alliance (ISA) at a much-hyped event on the opening day of the Paris summit, a move

which Prime Minister said was his “long cherished dream” of bringing in countries situated on the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn to tap the enormous potential of solar energy apart from increasing cooperation between countries for research and development in the area.

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  • Environment Ministry
  • Paris summit
  • Prakash Javadekar
  • UNFCCC