Questions raised in Rajya Sabha – Part 1

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether any action plan has been checked out by Government to combat ill effects of climate changes in coordination with the global agencies; and

(d) if so, the features of such action plan?

a) whether any proposal for setting up of National Institute of Climate and Environmental Sciences is under consideration;

(b) if so, by when and where it would be set up; and

(c) whether it would also study the state of Himalayan Glaciers?

(d) whether the emission reduction targets for rich countries for a period beyond 2012, when the first commitment period of Kyoto Protocol comes to an end, have been set in Copenhagen;

(e) if so, the details thereof;

(f) if not, whether there is any hope of setting these targets in meetings proposed to be held in Bonn or in Mexico City or elsewhere; and

(g) whether the setting up of climate innovation centres in different countries for green technologies transfer was approved in Copenhagen?

b) if so, the details thereof;

c) whether any technologies, to meet the emission intensity reduction target of 20 to 25 per cent by 2020, have been offered by US; and

d) if so, the details thereof and to what extent the setting up of climate research centres is beneficial for India?

e) whether India and Bangladesh have jointly agreed to launch a programme to save the Sunderbans from the onslaught of climate change;

f) If so, the details in this regard; Whether due to climate change and rising sea levels, Sunderbans is facing the risk of disappearance; and

g) If so, to what extent joint efforts of India and Bangladesh will protect Sunderbans from disappearing?

(b) if so, the details thereof, year-wise and State-wise;

(c) whether Government has made a survey to assess the number of people in different States, including Bihar, who are vulnerable to climate-related extreme weather events; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and the specific plan to reduce the vulnerabilities of people in the drought and flood-affected zones of Bihar which are highly sensitive to climate-related weather events?

(b) whether it is a fact that its principle and objectives continue to be valid and govern all of India’s future activities on the subject?

(b) whether the threat to all developmental areas has been quantified;

(c) if so, the details thereof;

(d) the initiatives undertaken to face this challenge; and

(e) the consequential effect of such initiatives?

a) In what respect the Copenhagen Accord is better and in what respects worse than the Kyoto Protocol from our point of view?

(b) The major issues on which there is a lack of consensus at the global climate change talks and what is our position on those issues?

(b) if so, whether the role of concerned Ministries would be precisely defined to bring about comprehensive benefits of reduced greenhouse gas emission; and

(c) whether a preliminary study has been conducted in related fields like organic cultivation to reduce methane emission, better efficiency of coal plants, mileage-based efficiency entrusted with R&D activities?

(b) whether per capita emission norms are likely to adversely impact some parts of India in the future;

(c) if so, names of the parts and the likely damage; and

(d) the details of plan to tackle the damage?

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the steps taken by Government to check the impact of climate change on country`s water resources including major rivers and basins?

(b) the role played by his Ministry in this regard;

(c) whether Government proposes to prosecute the persons responsible to create such scare; and

(d) if no decision has been taken so far in the matter, whether government would consider exercising the option in view of tremendous tension created by some individuals causing mental torture to the people of this country?

(b) if so, the details of the issues discussed and finalized during the meeting

(b) if so, how Government is planning to address this grave problem?

(b) whether Government has given its consent to many new elements which emerged from the accord; and

(c) whether India had more to loose than to gain from the above mentioned accord

(b) whether there is any agreement on how much individual countries would contribute to and benefit from such fund;

(c) whether this money will go to Copenhagen Green Climate Fund; and

(d) if not, who will monitor this fund?

(b) whether it is not for the first time that climate science relating to India has been found to be fallacious or incorrect and also the revelation that the data regarding melting of Himalayan glaciers was unverified has dented the image of IPCC; and

(c) what steps Government proposes to take to stop such misleading speculations by the UN institutions in future?

a) whether the country can further its climate resilience through a combination of measures and right incentives aimed at multiple levels of Government-local, State and national;

(b) if so, the details worked out, so far, in this direction; and

(c) the present status of Andhra Pradesh in this regard?

(b) if so, the reasons therefore; and

(c) the steps taken in this regard?

SHRI VIJAY
JAWAHARLAL DARDA

(b) if so, whether Government would try to arrive at a consensus among the nations, when Kyoto Protocol is to be discussed in Copenhagen in December, 2009 so that developing nations like China, India and Brazil etc. are able to achieve the objective that they are not forced to agree to the same targets as are imposed on developed countries as 65 percent of emission in stock of carbon already in the air came from industrialized nations; and

(c) the details of the steps currently being taken to meet the global warming menace?

(b) if so, whether Government propose to take up any modification of the Kyoto Protocol to precisely the adverse effect of the industrialized nation thereto and to refix their responsibility towards global warming; if so, the steps taken by Government in this direction?

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether Government has taken up the matter of melting of Himalayan Glaciers with other affected neighbouring countries; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

(b) whether it is also a fact that such cost would cause burden on the consumers; and

(c) if so, the steps proposed by Government to minimize the cost of installation of CCS in the Central and State run power utilities?

(b) if so, the details thereof?

A NATCHIAPPAN

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefore?

(b) if so, what steps Government propose to take in this regard?

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the steps Government is taking in this regard?

(b) The salient features of India’s commitments to the international forum towards global climate protection efforts;

(c) Whether Government is contemplating formulation of a comprehensive environment protection policy outlining both short term and long term measures duly stipulating road-maps for their implementations; and

(d) If so, the salient features thereof and if not, the rationale therefore?

(b) if so, the details of discussions held in the meeting and outcome thereof;

(c) whether the developed countries are pressurising India to be flexible on its stand; and

(d) if so, the latest stand of Government in this regard?

(b) if so, whether the multiple environmental crises, that confront the country, have created an alarming situation in many ways; and

(c) if so, the steps taken by Government to provide special assistance to the State Governments/UTs for the purpose?

(b) Technology to developing Nations by developed world have been fixed so that significant contributory efforts to combat global warming are made; and

(c) if so, whether India and China, who were at the core of global negotiations during August 2009 to finalize a successor to Kyoto Protocol, have made any progress towards achieving this objective?

(b) If so, the details thereof;

(c) Whether this threat is likely to cause large scale migration from India’s neighbouring islands and from Bangladesh; and

(d) If so, the details thereof along with action plan being worked on by Government to tackle this problem?

(b) If so, the details thereof;

(c) Whether millions of people are likely to face water crisis because of ground water and the melting of Himalayan glacier on the large scale would lead to heavy destruction in the Gangetic plain; and

(d) If so, the details thereof?

(b) whether, under the proposed National Mission on Empowerment of Women, Government is planning to include strategies to enhance the coping capacity of women to withstand the adverse impact of climate change and global warming with particular reference to water, fodder, fuel, wood and livelihood?

(b) is so, the details thereof in India, USA and England;

(c) whether Government is considering to take any measures to lessen the present level of emission in India; and

(d) if so, the facts thereof and the effects of said emission on the life of common man and agriculture in India?

(b) if so, the details of the talks held and the outcome thereof?

(b) the findings of reports and recent study and the response of Government thereto;

(c) the details of international deliberations made on this issue at various fora and consensus arrived at on different aspects of prevention, as well as handling the impact; and

(d) the collaborative role to be played by Government to address the issues and steps taken by Government to mitigate the challenge

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether Government is taking steps to address the challenges of climate change; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

(b) if so, the advantages and gains that have been secured at the talks for the developing nations and the assurances given by the developed industrialized nations for development of the developing countries; and

(c) the losses and liabilities that have been incurred by the developing nations as a result of the Bali talks?

(b) whether any steps are being taken by Government for protection of coastal areas; and

(c) if so, the details thereof?

(b) if so, whether we are mobilizing international support for continuance of Kyoto Protocol beyond 2012 which coincides with its expiry; and

(c) if so, any other international bodies’ agreements in operation under which India could get financial support to reduce global emissions?

(b) if so, whether initiatives are proposed/taken in co-ordination with other developing and developed countries to contain the adverse impact of climate change;

(c) if so, furnish the details thereof and what would be the outcome of such initiatives in quantitative terms such as reduction of emission levels, reduction in rising temperatures etc; and

(d) if not, explain the reasons therefor?

(b) if so, the salient features of the national action plan;

(c) the efforts of his Ministry to shift industries to low-carbon emission economies;

(d) whether involvement of private companies is depicted in the plan; and

(e) if so, the details thereof

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether Government has estimated the fund required for taking up various measures under this Policy; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

(b) if so, how many carbon credits would be available from India for trading at the International market;

(c) whether many countries like Japan ( 8 billion tonnes) are desirous of buying billion tonnes of carbon credits through global carbons exchange during the coming years; and

(d) the number of carbon credits required by us during the coming five years?

(c) if yes, the details of

(a) and

(b) above;

(d) whether any key knowledge institution have been identified apart from

(b) above to make them the centres of excellence in climate change related research; and

(e) if so, the details thereon?

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the steps taken by the Government to protect the power disruptions from the climate changes?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI NAMO NARAIN MEENA)
(a) to (c). Yes, Sir. The thirteenth Conference of Parties (COP-13) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the third Meeting of Parties (MOP-3) to Kyoto Protocol was held in Bali in December 2007.

The principal outcome of the Bali conference was to launch a comprehensive process called Bali Action Plan (BAP) that would enable the full, effective and sustained implementation of the UNFCCC through long-term cooperative action, now, up to and beyond 2012. It is expected that an agreed outcome would be reached and a decision adopted regarding BAP, at the fifteenth Conference of Parties (COP-15) to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark in December 2009. The Conference of Parties serving as Meeting of Parties at Bali also took crucial decisions in respect of the Kyoto Protocol. The Adhoc Working Group on further commitments of developed countries (beyond 2012) finally established a deadline of 2009 for the completion of its work and forwarding to COP-15 for a decision, its recommendations on quantified emissions limitation and reduction commitments of Annex I Parties (developed countries).

The decisions cover enhanced action on national/international action on mitigation of climate change; adaptation, which is a critical imperative for developing countries; technology development and transfer and provision of financial resources,
including “new and additional” resources. A major breakthrough of the Conference was on “transfer of technologies”. A positive outcome of the Conference was the Adaptation Fund finally made operational after years of stalemate on governance issues. It was decided that developing country Parties to the Kyoto Protocol that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change are eligible for funding from the Adaptation Fund. The Fund would assist developing countries in meeting the costs of adaptation. The Adaptation Fund shall finance concrete adaptation projects and programmes that are country driven and are based on the needs, views and priorities of eligible Parties.

The Bali Action Plan acknowledged enhanced national/ international action on mitigation of climate change including policy approaches and positive incentives on issues relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries. It also noted the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries as pressed by India. It is expected that the decisions taken at Bali would enhance the implementation of the UNFCCC and as a responsible country, India will engage constructively in these negotiations.

(b) if so, the remedial steps Government propose to initiate in this regard?

(b) if so, the impact on above segments likely to occur in India, sector-wise;

(c) whether, recently, Government accepted the fact of impact of global warming on agriculture and irregular rain;

(d) if so, the details and measures taken; and

(e) the programme Government has launched to create awareness on global warming?