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Environment (1).pptx climate change and global warming along with sustainability
- 1. Ozone Layer Depletion •Ozone is a naturally occurring gas present in the region of stratosphere. • The layer is about 19 - 23 km. • Ozone protects earth from the harmful ultraviolet radiations of the sun. Ozone Hole • Ozone holes are first discovered in Antarctica in 1970. • The thinning is mainly noticeable over Antarctica and in the polar-regions. • Ozone depletion is occurring as a result of human activity and the discharge of chemicals called CFCs. • Ozone depletion is increasing 0.5 percent per year since 2000. Ozone-depleting substances (ODS) include • Chlorofluorocarbons • carbon tetrachloride • hydrochlorofluorocarbons • methyl chloroform • Hydro bromofluorocarbons • methyl bromide • halons All ozone depleting chemicals contain chlorine and bromine.
- 2. Ozone-Depleting Substances Sources Chlorofluorocarbons(CFCs) Refrigerators, air-conditioners, solvents, dry-cleaning agents, etc. Halons Fire-extinguishers Carbon tetrachloride Fire extinguishers, solvents Methyl chloroform Adhesives, aerosols Hydrofluorocarbons fire extinguishers, air- conditioners, solvents
- 3. Causes Chlorofluorocarbons • CFCs arehighly volatile and non combustible • They are very quickly evaporated and can easily reach in stratosphere where ozone is present here they start depleting ozone molecules. • UV rays degrade the chlorofluorocarbon molecules in the stratosphere and release chlorine atoms. Ozone is destroyed when these atoms interact with it.
- 4. Global Warming Global warmingalso leads to ozone layer depletion. Due to global warming and green house effect most of the heat is trapped in troposphere which is the layer below the stratosphere. As we all know ozone is present in stratosphere so heat don’t reaches troposphere and it remain cold as recovery of ozone layer requires maximum sunlight and heat so it leads to depletion of ozone layer. Nitrogenous Compound Nitrogenous Compounds emitted by human activities in small amount like NO, N2O and NO2 are considered to be greatly responsible for the depletion of ozone layer. Unregulated Launches of Rockets unregulated rocket launches can result in much more ozone depletion than CFCs. It is estimated that if rocket launches will be let unregulated then it would cause huge ozone loss by the year 2050 than the CFCs have done.
- 5. Effects of ozonedepletion • Effects on Eyes There would be 0.3% - 0.6% increase in risk of cataract if there will be 1% decrease in Ozone level. Oxidative oxygen produced by UV radiation can severely damage eye lens and cornea of eye is also badly damaged by UV radiation. It increases the risk of eye cataracts. • Effects on Skin Exposure to UV radiations can cause skin cancer. UV radiations alter the structure of biomolecules and thus lead to different diseases. Melanoma is most serious form of cancer and is often fatal, while non-melanoma is most common type and less fatal. Depletion of ozone layer leads to both Sun burn and skin cancer. • Effects on Human Immunity Exposure to UV radiations can also result in suppression of immune response to skin cancer, infectious diseases and other antigens. Immunosupression is due to changes in skin photoreceptors and antigen presenting cells that are brought by UV radiations. • DNA Damage and Lung Diseases Short exposure to UV-B radiations can cause the DNA damage because UV radiations can disturb biomolecules such as lipids, proteins and Nucliec acids. Due to UV-B radiations there would be cryptic transposable elements which may lead towards the mutations which is more dangerous than the immediate DNA damage. Exposure to UV radiations equally affects lungs. Bronchitis, obstruction of lungs, Emphysema, asthma all can be resulted from UV radiations exposure.
- 6. Environmental Impacts: StrongUV radiation may prevent plants from growing, blooming, or photosynthesis. The detrimental effects of UV light must also be endured by the woodlands. UV radiations are disturbing developmental and physiological processes which is decreasing the productivity of crops. Effects on Marine Life: Planktons are greatly affected by exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays. If the planktons are destroyed, the organisms present in the food chain are also affected
- 7. Prevention of OzoneLayer Depletion Various steps should be taken at the individual level as well to prevent the depletion of the ozone layer. Following are some points that would help in preventing this problem at a global level: Avoid Using ODS Reduce the use of ozone depleting substances. Avoid the use of CFCs in refrigerators and air conditioners, replacing the halon based fire extinguishers, etc. Minimise the Use of Vehicles The vehicles emit a large amount of greenhouse gases that lead to global warming as well as ozone depletion. Therefore, the use of vehicles should be minimised as much as possible. Use Eco-friendly Cleaning Products Most of the cleaning products have chlorine and bromine releasing chemicals that find a way into the atmosphere and affect the ozone layer. These should be substituted with natural products to protect the environment. Use of Nitrous Oxide should be Prohibited The government should take actions and prohibit the use of harmful nitrous oxide that is adversely affecting the ozone layer. People should be made aware of the harmful effects of nitrous oxide and the products emitting the gas so that its use is minimised at the individual level as well.
- 8. Montreal Protocol The Protocolwas signed in 1987 and entered into force in January 1989. The protocol gives provisions to reduce the production and consumption of ODSs to protect the ozone layer. Aims 1.It phases down the use of ODSs in a stepwise, time-bound manner. 2.It gives different time frame for developing and developed countries. 3.All member parties have specific responsibilities related to the phasing out of various groups of ozone-depleting substances, controlling ODS trade, reporting of data annually, controlling export and import of ODs, etc. The ODSs regulated by the Protocol are listed in: 1. Annex A: CFCs, halons, Annex B: other fully halogenated CFCs, carbon tetrachloride, methyl chloroform 2. Annex C: HCFCs, Annex E: Methyl bromide, Annex F: HFCs 4.Developing and developed countries have equal but differentiated responsibilities. There is a provision for it to be amended and adjusted according to the new scientific, economic, and technological advancements made. 5.The Protocol has undergone nine amendments or revisions. Ozone Secretariat is based at the headquarters of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) at Nairobi. 6.It has been ratified by 197 Parties (196 member states of the UN plus the EU). 7.The Montreal Protocol’s provisions relate to the following: Control measures, Calculation of control levels, Control of trade with non-Parties, Reporting of data, Non-compliance, Technical assistance 8.The Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol was set up in 1991 to help developing countries to comply with the provision of the Protocol. It provides financial and technical assistance to developing member countries whose yearly per capita consumption and production of ODSs is less than 0.3 kg.
- 9. Global warming The heatingof Earth's surface due to increases in heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in Earth's atmosphere primarily due to fossil fuel burning. Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2) and other air pollutants collect in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation that have bounced off the earth’s surface. Normally this radiation would escape into space, but these pollutants trap the heat and cause the planet to get hotter. These heat-trapping pollutants—specifically carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor, and synthetic fluorinated gases—are known as greenhouse gases, and their impact is called the greenhouse effect. Since the Industrial Revolution, the global annual temperature has increased in total by a little more than 1 degree Celsius, or about 2 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 10. Causes of GlobalWarming Natural Volcanoes Volcanoes are one of the largest natural contributors to global warming. The ash and smoke emitted during volcanic eruptions goes out into the atmosphere and affects the climate. Water Vapour Water vapour is a kind of greenhouse gas. Due to the increase in the earth’s temperature, more water gets evaporated from the water bodies and stays in the atmosphere adding to global warming. Melting Permafrost Permafrost is frozen soil that has environmental gases trapped in it for several years and is present below Earth’s surface. It is present in glaciers. As the permafrost melts, it releases the gases back into the atmosphere, increasing Earth’s temperature. Forest Blazes Forest blazes or forest fires emit a large amount of carbon-containing smoke. These gases are released into the atmosphere and increase the earth’s temperature resulting in global warming.
- 11. Anthropogenic Deforestation Plants are themain source of oxygen. They take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen thereby maintaining environmental balance. Forests are being depleted for many domestic and commercial purposes. This has led to an environmental imbalance, thereby giving rise to global warming. Use of Vehicles The use of vehicles, even for a very short distance results in various gaseous emissions. Vehicles burn fossil fuels which emit a large amount of carbon dioxide and other toxins into the atmosphere resulting in a temperature increase. Chlorofluorocarbon With the excessive use of air conditioners and refrigerators, humans have been adding CFCs into the environment which affects the atmospheric ozone layer. The ozone layer protects the earth surface from the harmful ultraviolet rays emitted by the sun. The CFCs have led to ozone layer depletion making way for the ultraviolet rays, thereby increasing the temperature of the earth. Industrial Development With the advent of industrialization, the temperature of the earth has been increasing rapidly. The harmful emissions from the factories add to the increasing temperature of the earth. In 2013, the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change reported that the increase in the global temperature between 1880 and 2012 has been 0.9 degrees Celsius. The increase is 1.1 degrees Celsius when compared to the pre-industrial mean temperature. Agriculture Various farming activities produce carbon dioxide and methane gas. These add to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and increase the temperature of the earth. Overpopulation An increase in population means more people breathing. This leads to an increase in the level of carbon dioxide, the primary gas causing global warming, in the atmosphere.
- 12. Effects of GlobalWarming Rise in Temperature Global warming has led to an incredible increase in earth’s temperature. Since 1880, the earth’s temperature has increased by ~1 degrees. This has resulted in an increase in the melting of glaciers, which have led to an increase in the sea level. This could have devastating effects on coastal regions. Threats to the Ecosystem Global warming has affected the coral reefs that can lead to the loss of plant and animal lives. Increase in global temperatures has made the fragility of coral reefs even worse. Climate Change Global warming has led to a change in climatic conditions. There are droughts at some places and floods at some. This climatic imbalance is the result of global warming. Spread of Diseases Global warming leads to a change in the patterns of heat and humidity. This has led to the movement of mosquitoes that carry and spread diseases. High Mortality Rates Due to an increase in floods, tsunamis and other natural calamities, the average death toll usually increases. Also, such events can bring about the spread of diseases that can hamper human life. Loss of Natural Habitat A global shift in the climate leads to the loss of habitats of several plants and animals. In this case, the animals need to migrate from their natural habitat and many of them even become extinct. This is yet another major impact of global warming on biodiversity.
- 13. Ways To StopGlobal Warming 1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Reducing your need to buy new products results in a smaller amount of waste. consider buying eco-friendly products. Reuse bottles, plastic containers, and other items bought at the grocery store. It will lessen having to purchase other items that would fulfill the same function. Try to use disposable products into some other form. Recycle paper, bottles, aluminum foils, cans, newspapers. By recycling, you can help in reducing landfills. 2. Reduce Waste Landfills are the major contributor of methane and other greenhouse gases. When the waste is burnt, it releases toxic gases in the atmosphere, which results in global warming. Reusing and recycling old items can significantly reduce your carbon footprint as it takes far less energy to recycle old items than to produce items from scratch. 3. Use Clean Fuel Electric, smart cars, cars that run on vegetable oil, etc…are great examples of using renewable energy. 4. Look for Renewable Fuel Options
- 14. Climate Change • Climatechange is the long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place. • Fossil fuels – coal, oil and gas – are by far the largest contributor to global climate change, accounting for over 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90% of all carbon dioxide emissions. . • Greenhouse gases trap sun’s heat inside the atmosphere causing Earth’s average temperature to rise. This leads to rise in the planet's temperature (global warming) and climate change. • The planet has warmed 1.1 degrees Celsius (1.9 degrees Fahrenheit) since the preindustrial era that began 250 years ago. The world will show warming by 2.4oC at end of the century. In worst-case scenario a temperature rise of 4 degrees Celsius (7.2 degrees Fahrenheit) is also expected by 2100. • Warmer temperatures change weather patterns and disrupt the balance of nature. Change of one or two degrees in the average temperature of the planet can cause potentially dangerous shifts in climate and weather. This poses many risks to human beings and all other forms of life on Earth. • Many places have experienced changes in rainfall, resulting in more floods, droughts, or intense rain, as well as more frequent and severe heat waves.
- 15. Causes of Climatechange • Natural causes Sun’s intensity, volcanic eruptions, and changes in naturally occurring greenhouse gas concentrations. • Anthropogenic causes Greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide)
- 16. Causes of ClimateChange Generating power Generating electricity and heat by burning fossil fuels lead to global emissions. Electricity is generated by burning coal, oil, or gas, which produces carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide – powerful greenhouse gases that blanket the Earth and trap the sun’s heat. Manufacturing goods Manufacturing, mining and other industrial processes produce emissions. Burning fossil fuels to produce energy for making things like cement, iron, steel, electronics, plastics, clothes, and other goods also release gases. Cutting down forests Cutting down forests to create farms or pastures, or for other reasons, causes emissions. Since forests absorb carbon dioxide, destroying them also limits nature’s ability to keep emissions out of the atmosphere. Each year approximately 12 million hectares of forest are destroyed. Deforestation, together with agriculture and other land use changes, is responsible for roughly a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. Using transportation Most vehicles run on fossil fuels. Thus transportation is a major contributor of greenhouse gases, especially carbon-dioxide. Transport accounts for nearly one quarter of global energy-related carbon-dioxide emissions. Producing food Producing food causes emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases in various ways. Greenhouse gas emissions also come from packaging and distributing food. Consuming too much Your home and use of power, how you move around, what you eat and how much you throw away all
- 23. Climate change ofthe world •The UK and Europe vulnerable to flooding caused by extreme rainfall •Countries in the Middle East experience extreme heatwaves and drought •Island nations in the Pacific region are disappearing under rising seas •Many African nations suffer droughts and food shortages •Drought conditions are likely to be there in the western US regions •Australia suffer extremes of heat and increases in deaths from wildfires Extreme temperatures can also increase the risk of wildfires in Europe. France and Germany recorded seven times more fires in the year 2022. •China, Pakistan and Nigeria have seen extreme rainfall causing
- 24. Effect on theenvironment: •more frequent and intense extreme weather, such as heatwaves and heavy rainfall •rapid melting of glaciers and ice sheets, contributing to sea-level rise •huge declines in Arctic sea-ice •ocean warming
- 25. Effects of Climatechange 1. Rising seas The Arctic is heating up twice as fast as any other place on the planet. As its ice sheets melt into the seas, ocean levels are rising. The levels have increased from 0.95 to 3.61 feet by the end of this century. According to the most recent IPCC report, sea level is predicted to rise by 26–98 centimeters by 2100, due to the thermal expansion of the oceans and the melting of polar ice-caps and ice sheets. The rise in sea level has begun to damage coastlines as a result of increased flooding and erosion. 2. Health risks According to the World Health Organization, “climate change is expected to cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year” between 2030 and 2050. As global temperatures rise, number of fatalities and illnesses from heat stress, heatstroke, and cardiovascular and kidney disease increase. Increase in air pollution affects respiratory health. About 300 million people suffer from asthma worldwide. Incidence of insect-borne diseases such as dengue fever, West Nile virus, and Lyme disease have increased.
- 26. 3. Extreme weather Widespreadshifts in weather systems occur, making events like droughts, hurricanes, and floods more intense and unpredictable. Extreme weather events, such as severe storms and flooding affect life. Higher temperatures have increased frequency of many types of disasters, including storms, floods, heat waves, and droughts. These events can have devastating consequences, jeopardizing access to clean drinking water, wildfires, damaging property, creating hazardous-material spills, polluting the air, and leading to loss of life. some regions could become uninhabitable, as farmland turns into desert. Warmer air also holds more moisture, making tropical cyclones wetter, stronger. In the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), scientists found that daily rainfall during extreme precipitation events would increase by about 7 percent for each degree Celsius of global warming, increasing the dangers of flooding. The frequency of severe Category 4 and 5 hurricanes is also expected to increase. 4. Imperiled ecosystems Increased outbreaks of pests, invasive species, and pathogen infections in forests are expected. It’s changing the kinds of vegetation that can thrive in a given region and disrupting the life cycles of wildlife, all of which is changing the composition of ecosystems and making them less resilient to stressors. Climate change is increasing pressure on wildlife to adapt to changing habitats—and fast. Many species have shown alteration in seasonal behaviors and change in migration patterns. According to a 2020 study, one-third of all animal and plant species could face extinction by 2070.
- 27. 5. Warmer, moreacidic oceans The earth’s oceans absorb more heat and are now 30 percent more acidic than they were in preindustrial times. Acidification poses a serious threat to underwater life, particularly creatures with calcified shells or skeletons like oysters, clams, and coral. It can have a devastating impact on shellfisheries, as well as the fish, birds, and mammals that depend on shellfish for sustenance. In coastal communities where fishing and seafood production sustain the local economy, this impact extends to human populations as well. Rising ocean temperatures are also altering the range and population of underwater species and contributing to coral bleaching events that are capable of killing entire reefs—ecosystems that support more than 25 percent of all marine life. Elevated absorption of carbon dioxide by the ocean leads to its gradual acidification, which alters the fundamental chemical makeup of the water and threatens marine life. Animals like corals, oysters, and mussels will likely feel these effects first, as acidification disrupts the calcification process required to build their shells. 6. More intense wildfires This drier, hotter climate also creates conditions that fuel more vicious wildfire seasons—with fires that spread faster and burn longer—putting millions of additional lives and homes at risk. In California alone, the annual area burned by wildfires increased 500 percent between 1972 and 2018.
- 28. Effects of ClimateChange on Agriculture • Less predictable growing seasons Climate change shifts precipitation patterns, causing unpredictable floods and longer-lasting droughts. More frequent and severe hurricanes can devastate an entire season’s worth of crops. The pests, pathogens, and invasive species will also prove as an additional threat to agriculture. • Reduced soil health Climate change, particularly extreme heat and changes in precipitation, can degrade soil quality. These impacts are exacerbated in areas where industrial, chemical-dependent monoculture farming has made soil and crops less able to withstand environmental changes. • Food shortages Ultimately, impacts to our agricultural systems pose a direct threat to the global food supply. INCREASED CO2 AND PLANT GROWTH Increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere causes increased growth rates in many plant species. Leaf-eating animals like koalas may not be so lucky: increased concentrations of carbon dioxide could diminish the nutritional value of foliage.
- 29. Effects of ClimateChange on Animals • Half of all animal species in the world’s most biodiverse places, like the Amazon rainforest and the Galapagos Islands, are at risk of extinction from climate change. • More than 500,000 species have insufficient habitat for long-term survival—unchecked climate change is poised to push millions over the edge. • Rapid shifts in ocean temperatures stress the algae that nourishes coral reefs, causing reefs to starve—an increasingly common phenomenon known as coral bleaching. • Sea level rise will inundate or erode away many coastal habitats, where hundreds of species of birds, invertebrates, and other marine species live. • Many species’ behaviors—mating, feeding, migration—are closely tied to subtle seasonal shifts, as in temperature, precipitation level, and foliage. In some cases, changes to the environment are happening quicker than species are able to adapt. • Disappearing wetlands means the loss of watering holes and breeding grounds for millions of migratory birds. (Many species are now struggling to survive, as more than 85 percent of wetlands have been lost since 1700). • Changing ecosystems influence geographic ranges of many plant and animal species and the timing of their lifecycle events, such as migration and reproduction.
- 30. Effects of ClimateChange on Humans • Widespread famine, disease, war, displacement, injury, and death. • Climate change can also impact human health by worsening air and water quality, increasing the spread of certain diseases, and altering the frequency or intensity of extreme weather events. • It increases exposure to hazardous wildfire smoke and ozone smog triggered by warmer conditions, both of which harm our health, particularly for those with pre-existing illnesses like asthma or heart disease. • Insect-borne diseases like malaria and Zika become more prevalent in a warming world as their carriers are able to exist in more regions or thrive for longer seasons. • Rise in global average temperature is likely to cause heat stress risk. In the summer of 2022 alone, thousands died in record-shattering heat waves across Europe. • Dozens were killed by record-breaking urban flooding in the United States and Korea—and more than 1,500 people perished in the flooding in Pakistan, where resulting stagnant water and unsanitary conditions threaten even more. • Climate change will drive displacement due to impacts like food and water scarcities, sea level rise, and economic instability. For example, parts of East Africa suffered their worst drought in 40 years, putting more than 20 million people at risk of severe hunger. In 2022, intense European heatwaves led to an abnormal increase in deaths.
- 31. Economic impacts Increases inthe frequency and intensity of droughts, and floods, can increase losses to property, cause costly disruptions to society, and reduce the affordability of insurance. In 2021, the price tag of weather disasters in the United States totaled $145 billion—the third-costliest year on record, including a number of billion-dollar weather events. •Changes in the patterns and amount of rainfall, as well as changes in the timing and amount of stream flow, can affect water supplies and water quality and the production of hydroelectricity. According to the 2018 National Climate Assessment, unless action is taken, climate change will cost the U.S. economy as much as $500 billion per year by the end of the century. Entire local industries— from commercial fishing to tourism to husbandry—are at risk of collapsing, along with the economic support they provide.
- 32. CORAL BLEACHING Warmer seasurface temperatures are blamed for an increase in a phenomenon called coral bleaching. This is a whitening of coral caused when the coral expels their zooxanthellae, a symbiotic photosynthesizing algae that lives within the coral tissues and provides it with essential nutrients. The zooxanthellae also give corals their spectacular range of colours. Zooxanthellae are expelled when the coral is under stress from environmental factors such as abnormally high water temperatures and/or pollution. Since the zooxanthellae help coral in nutrient production, their loss can affect coral growth and make coral more vulnerable to disease. Major bleaching events took place on the Great Barrier Reef in 1998, 2002 and 2006, causing a significant die-off of corals in some locations. Ocean acidification poses yet another challenge for corals because it makes it harder for corals to build their skeletons. This has resulted in a decrease in the ocean’s pH, which in turn affects the rate at which many marine organisms build skeletons, meaning that reefs damaged by bleaching or other agents would recover more slowly.
- 33. Consequences of 2Cglobal warming versus 1.5C could include: •Extreme hot days would be on average 4C warmer at mid-latitudes (regions outside the poles and tropics), versus 3C at 1.5C •Sea-level rise would be 0.1m higher than at 1.5C, exposing up to 10 million more people to events including more frequent flooding •More than 99% of coral reefs would be lost, compared with 70-90% at 1.5C •Twice the number of plants and vertebrates (animals with a backbone) would be exposed to unsuitable climate conditions across more than half the geographical area. •Several hundred million more people may be exposed to climate-related risks and susceptible to poverty by 2050 than at 1.5C.
- 35. There has beenprogress in some areas like the growth of renewable energy and electric vehicles. Major changes need to come from governments and businesses, but individuals can also help: •take fewer flights •use less energy •improve home insulation and energy efficiency •switch to electric vehicles or live car-free •replace gas central heating with electric systems like heat pumps •eat less red meat
- 36. Ways to reduceglobal warming
- 37. ways to preventglobal warming by adjusting your daily routines. 1. Recycle 2. Alter your ways of transportation 3. Avoid wasting food 4. Manage your energy consumption 5. Become informed and educate others
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- 39. A form ofprecipitation that contains high levels of nitric and sulfuric acids. Normal rain is slightly acidic, with a pH of 5.6, while acid rain generally has a pH between 4.2 and 4.4. primarily produced from the emission of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) from human activities, mostly the combustion of fossil fuels. It can reduce the pH of surface waters and lower biodiversity. It weakens trees and increases their susceptibility to damage from other stressors, such as drought, extreme cold, and pests. It also depletes soil of important plant nutrients and buffers, such as calcium and magnesium, and can release aluminum, bound to soil particles and rock, in its toxic dissolved form. Acid rain contributes to the corrosion of surfaces exposed to air pollution and is responsible for the deterioration of limestone and marble buildings and monuments.
- 40. Carbon sequestration The processof capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide. It is one method of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere with the goal of reducing global climate change. Biosequestration is the capture and storage of the atmospheric greenhouse gas carbon dioxide by various processes. •Biological Carbon Sequestration Biological carbon sequestration is the storage of carbon dioxide in vegetation such as grasslands or forests, as well as in soils and oceans. About 30 percent of the carbon dioxide emitted from burning fossils fuels is absorbed by the upper layer of the ocean. Colder and nutrient rich parts of the ocean are able to absorb more carbon dioxide than warmer parts. Therefore, the polar regions typically serve as carbon sinks. By 2100, much of the global ocean is expected to be a large sink of carbon dioxide, potentially altering the ocean chemistry and lowering the pH of the water, making it more acidic. Soil Carbon is sequestered in soil by plants through photosynthesis and can be stored as soil organic carbon (SOC). Soil can also store carbon as carbonates. Such carbonates are created over thousands of years when carbon dioxide dissolves in water and percolates the soil, combining with calcium and magnesium minerals, forming “caliche” in desert and arid soil. Agroecosystems can degrade and deplete the SOC levels but this carbon deficit opens up the opportunity to store carbon through new land management practices.
- 41. Forests About 25 percentof global carbon emissions are captured by forests, grasslands and rangelands. When leaves and branches fall off plants or when plants die, the carbon stored either releases into the atmosphere or is transferred into the soil. Grasslands sequester most of their carbon underground. When they burn, the carbon stays fixed in the roots and soil instead of in leaves and woody biomass. Forests have the ability to store more carbon, but in unstable conditions due to climate change, grasslands stand more resilient. About 25 percent of our carbon emissions have been captured by Earth’s forests, farms and grasslands. Forests as Carbon sinks for sequestration Forests sequester carbon by capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and transforming it into biomass through photosynthesis. •Sequestered carbon is then accumulated in the form of biomass, deadwood, litter, and in forest soils. •The release of carbon from forest ecosystems results from natural processes (respiration and oxidation) as well as deliberate or unintended results of human activities (i.e., harvesting, fires, deforestation). When the net balance of carbon emissions by forests is negative, i.e., carbon sequestration prevails, forests contribute to mitigating carbon emissions by acting as both a carbon reservoir and a tool to sequester additional carbon. In cases when the net balance of carbon emissions is positive, forests contribute to enhancing the greenhouse effect and climate change.
- 42. •Geological Carbon Sequestration. Theprocess of storing carbon dioxide in underground geologic formations, or rocks. Carbon dioxide is captured from an industrial source, such as steel or cement production, or power plant or natural gas processing facility and injected into porous rocks for long-term storage. Chemical processes •Carbon, in the form of CO2, can be removed from the atmosphere by chemical processes called “carbon sequestration by mineral carbonation” or mineral sequestration, and stored in stable carbonate mineral forms. Physical processes •Bio-energy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) refers to biomass in power stations and boilers that use carbon capture and storage. •The addition of biochar (charcoal created by pyrolysis of biomass waste) is a novel strategy to increase the soil-carbon stock for the long term and to mitigate global warming by offsetting atmospheric carbon.
- 43. Technological Carbon Sequestration Scientistsare exploring new ways to remove and store carbon from the atmosphere using innovative technologies. Researchers are also looking at ways to used it as a resource. • Graphene Production The use of carbon dioxide as a raw material to produce graphene, a technological material. Graphene is used to create screens for smart phones and other tech devices. • Direct Air Capture (DAC) A means by which to capture carbon directly from the air using advanced technology plants. Though the process is energy intensive and expensive. • Engineered Molecules Scientists are engineering molecules that can change shape by creating new kinds of compounds capable of capturing carbon dioxide from the air.
- 44. Carbon sequestration methods •Peatbogs act as a sink for carbon because they accumulate partially decayed biomass that would otherwise continue to decay completely. •Afforestation, proforestation, and reforestation to incorporate carbon from atmospheric CO2 into biomass. Afforestation is the establishment of a forest in an area where there was no previous tree cover. Proforestation is the practice of growing an existing forest intact toward its full ecological potential. Reforestation is the replanting of trees on marginal crop and pasture lands. •Urban forestry increases the amount of carbon taken up in cities by adding new tree sites and the sequestration of carbon occurs over the lifetime of the tree. •Wetland restoration has been proposed as a potential climate change mitigation strategy, with carbon sequestered this way known as blue carbon. •Modification of agricultural practices is a recognized method of carbon sequestration as the soil can act as an effective carbon sink offsetting as much as carbon dioxide emissions annually. •Carbon farming is a name for a variety of agricultural methods aimed at sequestering atmospheric carbon into the soil and in crop roots, wood, and leaves. Carbon farming aims to increase the rate at which carbon is sequestered into soil and plant material to create a net loss of carbon from the atmosphere.
- 47. The Basel Convention: •It came into force in 1992, intended to reduce transboundary movements of hazardous waste from developed to less developed countries (LDCs), and ensure their safe disposal as closely as possible to the source of generation. Earth Summit, the Rido Summit or the Rio Conference. • The Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was signed in 1992 and came into force in 1994. It has been ratified by 197 countries. This global conference was held on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the first Human Environment Conference in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1972. The primary objective of the Rio 'Earth Summit' was to produce a broad agenda and a new blueprint for international action on environmental and development issues that would help guide international cooperation and development policy in the twenty-first century. •The summit concluded that the concept of sustainable development was an attainable goal for all the people of the world, regardless of whether they were at the local, national, regional or international levels. • The Convention on Biological Diversity • The Statement on Forest Principles • The Rio Declaration • Agenda 21 More than 178 countries adopted Agenda 21, a comprehensive plan of action to build a global partnership for sustainable development to improve human lives and protect the environment
- 48. Kyoto Protocol •An internationalagreement linked to the UNFCCC, which commits its parties by setting internationally binding emission reduction targets. •The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan in 1997 and entered into force in 2005. •It recognized that developed countries are principally responsible for the current high levels of GHG emissions in the atmosphere as a result of more than 150 years of industrial activity. •Seven greenhouse gases are addressed explicitly by this Protocol: carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide (in the non-fluorinated gas category), and hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride and nitrogen trifluoride (in the fluorinated gas category). • Phase-1 (2005-12) gave the target of cutting down emissions by 5%. • The Kyoto Protocol was revised in 2012 in an agreement known as the Doha Amendment, which was ratified as of October 2020, with 147 member nations having “deposited their instrument of acceptance.” • Phase- 2 (2013-20) gave the target of reducing emissions by at least 18% by the industrialized countries.
- 49. •Rotterdam Convention: • Itwas adopted in September 1998 by a Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Rotterdam, Netherlands and entered into force in February 2004. It covers pesticides and industrial chemicals that have been banned or severely restricted for health or environmental reasons by Parties and which have been notified by Parties for inclusion in the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure. • The Convention creates legally binding obligations for the implementation of the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure. Millennium Declaration at the Millennium Summit in September 2000 at UN Headquarters in New York. The Summit led to the elaboration of eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to reduce extreme poverty by 2015. • Johannesburg Declaration A declaration on Sustainable Development and the Plan of Implementation, adopted at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa in 2002 built on Agenda 21 and the Millennium Declaration by including more emphasis on multilateral partnerships. •The Stockholm Convention: • It is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). India is a member. The Convention entered into force in May, 2004. • POPs are chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods, become widely
- 50. UN World Summit •The2005 World Summit took place at United Nations Headquarters in New York. •More than 170 heads of state and government attended the Summit. •Governments made strong commitments to achieving the development goals set out in the Millennium Declaration by 2015, pledging an additional $50 billion per year to fight poverty, determined to find innovative sources of development finance as well as additional measures to ensure long-term debt sustainability. •They also declared themselves firmly committed to trade liberalisation and pledged to work diligently to implement the development aspects of the Doha work program.
- 51. Rio+20 Earth Summit-June 2012, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil The major themes of these summit were: •Green economy in the context of poverty eradication and sustainable development •Institutional framework for sustainable development 172 governments participated. Some 2,400 representatives of non- governmental organizations (NGOs) attended the meeting. The issues addressed included: •systematic scrutiny of patterns of production — particularly the production of toxic components, such as lead in gasoline, or poisonous waste including radioactive chemicals •alternative sources of energy to replace the use of fossil fuels which are linked to global climate change •new reliance on public transportation systems in order to reduce vehicle emissions, congestion in cities and the health problems caused by polluted air and smog •growing scarcity of water The major outcomes of the summit are as follows: • An agreement to develop a set of global sustainable development goals (SDGs) and to establish a high-level political forum on sustainable development. How to develop green economy and achieve sustainable development. • The conference calls for countries to strive to achieve a 'land degradation neutral' world (which will be implemented through the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification), to integrate planning and building sustainable cities and urban settlements (through assistance to local authorities), to strengthen risk assessments and to develop tools to reduce the risk of disasters. More than 178 countries adopted Agenda 21, a comprehensive plan of action to build a global partnership for sustainable development to improve human lives and protect the environment
- 52. •Paris Agreement (alsoknown as the Conference of Parties 21 or COP 21) •It is a landmark environmental accord that was adopted in 2015 to address climate change and its negative impacts. •It aims to reduce global GHG emissions to limit the global temperature increase in this century to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, while pursuing means to limit the increase to 1.5°C by 2100. Countries agree climate change can only be tackled by working together, and pledged to try to keep global warming to 1.5C. •It includes: • Addressing the financial losses vulnerable countries face from climate impacts such as extreme weather. • Raising money to help developing countries adapt to climate change and transition to clean energy. •More than 180 countries had submitted pledges to cut their carbon emissions (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions or INDCs). •More than 190 nations signed on to the Paris Agreement of 2015, which also sets emission standards and allows for emissions trading. •The Paris Agreement, also known as the Paris Climate Accord, is an agreement among the leaders of more than 180 countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit the global temperature increase to below 2 degrees Celsius (36 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels by the year 2100.
- 53. The 2030 Agendafor Sustainable Development, • Adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. • 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. UN Climate Change conferences (or COPs) take place every year, and are the world’s only multilateral decision-making forum on climate change with almost complete membership of every country in the world. COP is where the world comes together to agree on ways to address the climate crisis, such as limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, helping vulnerable communities adapt to the effects of climate change, and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
- 54. COP27 In November 2022,Egypt hosted a summit for world leaders, called COP27, where countries came together to make new commitments to tackling climate change. Many countries have pledged to get to "net zero" by 2050. This means reducing greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible, and balancing out remaining emissions by absorbing an equivalent amount from the atmosphere. The Glasgow COP26 Climate Change Summit Nearly 200 countries implement Article 6 of the 2015 Paris Agreement, allowing nations to work toward their climate targets by buying offset credits that represent emission reductions by other countries. The hope is that the agreement encourages governments to invest in initiatives and technology that protect forests and build renewable energy technology infrastructure to combat climate change. The most recent UN climate change summit, COP28, was held in the United Arab Emirates. For the first time, countries agreed to "contribute" to "transitioning away from fossil fuels", although they are not forced to take action. The next conference, COP29, will be held in Azerbaijan in November 2024.
- 55. COP 28 standsfor the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC. COP 28 refers to the United Nations Climate Change Conference taking place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 30 November until 12 December 2023. More than 70,000 delegates are expected to attend COP28, including the member states (or Parties) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Business leaders, young people, climate scientists, Indigenous Peoples, journalists, and various other experts and stakeholders are also among the participants.
- 56. Highlights of COP28 •Signalling the 'beginning of the end' for the fossil fuel era. ... •New funding for loss and damage. ... •Enhancing global efforts to strengthen resilience. ... •Linking climate action with nature conservation. ... •Ramping up practical climate solutions. ... •Looking ahead.
- 57. •Chemical Weapons Convention(CWC) 1997. • Munitions, devices and other equipment fall under the definition of chemical weapons. •Chemical Weapons Convention: • It is a multilateral treaty banning chemical weapons and requiring their destruction within the stipulated time. • The convention was drafted in September 1992 and opened for signature in January 1993. It became effective from April 1997. India signed the treaty in January 1993. • It has its headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands. • The CWC has 192 state parties and 165 signatories. • Negotiations for the CWC began in 1980 at the United Nations Conference on Disarmament. • It makes it mandatory to destroy old and abandoned chemical weapons. • Members should also declare the riot-control agents (sometimes referred to as ‘tear gas’) in possession of them. • The OPCW is the authority to which countries parties to the treaty declare their chemical weapons stockpile and then destroy them. About 96% of the world’s chemical weapons have been destroyed after the CWC implementation. • Convention Prohibits: • The development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, or retention of chemical weapons. • Transferring of chemical weapons. • Using chemical weapons. • Assisting other States to indulge in activities that are prohibited by the CWC. • Using riot-control devices as ‘warfare methods’.
- 58. •There are threecategories of chemical weapons stockpiles as per the convention: •Weapons containing schedule 1 chemicals like VX, Sarin •Weapons containing non-schedule 1 chemicals like phosgene •Weapons designed especially to employ chemical weapons •The convention also makes it mandatory to destroy old and abandoned chemical weapons. •Members should also declare the riot-control agents in possession with them. •In India, the 2000 Act provided for the establishment of a National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention or NACWC. This institution, formed in 2005, is the chief liaison between the government of India and the OPCW. It is an office in the Cabinet Secretariat of the GOI.
- 59. •Organisation for theProhibition of Chemical Weapons: • It is an international organization established by the CWC in 1997 to implement and enforce the terms of the CWC. • The OPCW reports on its inspections and other activities to the UN through the office of the Secretary General. • Headquarters • Hague, Netherlands. • Functions • It is authorized to perform inspections to verify that signatory states are complying with the convention • This includes a commitment to grant inspectors full access to chemical weapons sites. • It also performs testing of sites and victims of suspected chemical weapons attacks. • It also provides for assistance to and protection of States attacked or threatened with chemical weapons, cooperation in the peaceful use of chemicals. •Indian Initiative • The Chemical Weapons Convention Act, 2000 was passed to implement the CWC. • It provided for the establishment of a National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention or NACWC. This institution, formed in 2005, is the chief liaison between the government of India and the OPCW. • The Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions are multilateral environmental agreements, which share the common objective of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes.
- 60. United Nations Conventionon Biological Diversity (UNCBD) •The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, informally known as the Biodiversity Convention. •It is a multilateral treaty opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio De Janeiro in 1992. It is a key document regarding sustainable development. It comes under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).’ •The convention is legally binding on its signatories. •The Conference of Parties (COP) is the governing body of the convention. It consists of the governments that have ratified the treaty. •196 countries are a party to the CBD. Its Secretariat is in Montreal, Canada. •Only two member states of the United Nations are not Parties to the CBD, namely: the USA and the Vatican. •India is also a party to the Convention. India ratified it in 1994. • The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 was enacted for giving effect to the provisions of the Convention. • To implement the provisions of the Act, the government established the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) in 2003. The NBA is a statutory body.
- 61. Goals of theConvention on Biological Diversity The goals of the Convention are listed below: 1.Conservation of Biological Diversity 2.Sustainable use of the components of the Biodiversity 3.Fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the genetic resources In order to implement that, the convention does the following: Functions •Asserting intrinsic value of biodiversity •Affirming conservation of biodiversity as a common concern of population •Taking responsibility to conserve biodiversity in the State and that the state uses this biodiversity sustainably •Affirming the State to put the biological resources as the Sovereign Rights of the State. •Taking a precautionary approach towards conservation of biodiversity •Highlighting the vital role of local communities and women •Supporting access to technologies for developing countries and searching for provisions for new and additional financial resources to address the biodiversity loss in the region Cartagena Protocol •The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversityis an international treaty governing the movements of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology from one country to another. •It was adopted on 29 January 2000 as a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity and entered into force on 11 September 2003.
- 62. Objective •The Cartagena Protocolon Biosafety is an additional agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity. •The Protocol establishes procedures for regulating the import and export of LMOs from one country to another. •The Protocol also requires Parties to ensure that LMOs being shipped from one country to another are handled, packaged and transported in a safe manner. •The shipments must be accompanied by documentation that clearly identifies the LMOs, specifies any requirements for the safe handling, storage, transport and use and provides contact details for further information. Nagoya Protocol •The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS) to the Convention on Biological Diversity is a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity. •It provides a transparent legal framework for the effective implementation of one of the three objectives of the CBD. Objective •The fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources, thereby contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Obligations •The Nagoya Protocol sets out core obligations for its contracting Parties to take measures in relation to access to genetic resources, benefit-sharing and compliance
- 63. CITES (Convention onInternational Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) CITES is an international agreement between governments with the objective of the preservation of the planet’s plants and animals by ensuring that the international trade in their specimens does not threaten their survival. It was adopted in 1963 and entered into force in 1975. CITES was conceptualised in 1963 at a meeting of the (IUCN) International Union For Conservation Of Nature. •It came into force in 1975 and consists of 183 member-countries till date that abide by CITES regulations by implementing legislation within their own borders to enforce those regulations. •Located in Geneva, Switzerland, the CITES is administered by the United Nations under its UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) Wing. •The Convention of Parties to CITES is the supreme decision-making body of the Convention and comprises all its Parties. •The last CoP (17th) was held at Johannesburg (South Africa), in 2016. India hosted CoP (3rd) in 1981. •Although CITES is legally binding on the Parties, it does not take the place of national laws. •Rather, it provides a framework to be respected by each Party, which has to adopt its own domestic legislation to ensure that CITES is implemented at the national level. The 19th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora or CITES COP19 was held in Panama City (14th – 25th November 2022). India submitted three proposals to CITES COP19 for stricter protection of its native species – the Jeypore Indian gecko, the red-crowned roofed turtle and Leith’s
- 64. CITES Classification orCITES Appendix CITES classifies plants and animals into three categories, based on how threatened they are. •Roughly 5,600 species of animals and 30,000 species of plants are protected by CITES against over-exploitation through international trade. ppendix Description Examples of Species CITES Appendix-I •Species that are in danger of extinction •Commercial trade is prohibited. •Permits are required for import and export. •Trade permitted just for research only if the origin country ensures the trade won’t harm the species’ chance of survival. •Asiatic lions and tigers (tiger skin trade). •Sea turtles, gorillas, lady slippers orchids (most species), etc. •Total 931 species on the list. CITES Appendix-II •Species that aren’t facing imminent extinction but need monitoring so that any trade doesn’t become a threat. •Trade permits obtained legally and only if the origin country ensures that its harvesting and trade won’t harm the species’ chance of survival. •American Alligators (Alligator skin trade) •Paddlefish, Mahogany, corals, etc. •Total 34,419 species on the list. CITES Appendix-III •Species that are protected in at least one country. •Regulations for these species vary, but typically the country that requested the listing can issue export permits, and export from other countries requires a certificate of origin. •Honeybadger (medicinal or bushmeat purpose) •Walruses, Map turtles, certain beetles, etc. •Total 147 species on the list.
- 65. UNEP : UnitedNations Environment Programme The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading environmental authority in the United Nations system. UNEP uses its expertise to strengthen environmental standards and practices while helping implement environmental obligations at the country, regional and global levels. UNEP’s mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. SIX AREAS OF CONCENTRATION The selection of six areas of concentration was guided by scientific evidence, the UNEP mandate and priorities emerging from global and regional forums. 1. CLIMATE CHANGE UNEP strengthens the ability of countries to integrate climate change responses by providing leadership in adaptation, mitigation, technology and finance. UNEP is focusing on facilitating the transition to low-carbon societies, improving the understanding of climate science, facilitating the development of renewable energy and raising public awareness. 2. POST-CONFLICT AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT UNEP conducts environmental assessments in crisis- affected countries and provides guidance for implementing legislative and institutional frameworks for improved environmental management. Activities undertaken by UNEP’s Post-Conflict & Disaster Management Branch (PCDMB) include post-conflict environmental assessment in Afghanistan, Côte d’Ivoire, Lebanon, Nigeria and Sudan.
- 66. 3. ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENTFacilitates management and restoration of ecosystems in a manner consistent with sustainable development, and promotes use of ecosystem services. Examples include the Global Programme of Action (GPA) for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities. 4. ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE UNEP supports governments in establishing, implementing and strengthening the necessary processes, institutions, laws, policies and programs to achieve sustainable development at the country, regional and global levels, and mainstreaming environment in development planning. 5. HARMFUL SUBSTANCES UNEP strives to minimise the impact of harmful substances and hazardous waste on the environment and human beings. UNEP has launched negotiations for a global agreement on mercury, and implements projects on mercury and the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) to reduce risks to human health and the environment. 6. RESOURCE EFFICIENCY/SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION UNEP focuses on regional and global efforts to ensure natural resources are produced, processed and consumed in a more environmentally friendly way. For example, the Marrakesh Process is a global strategy to support the elaboration of a 10-Year Framework of Programs on sustainable consumption and production.
- 67. How has IndiaProgressed in Achieving the Climate Action Goals? Despite having no binding obligation under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in 2009 India announced its voluntary goal to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 20-25% by 2020 in comparison to 2005 level. •India achieved its pre-2020 voluntary goal. •India achieved a 24% reduction in emission intensity of its GDP between 2005 and 2016. •As per the Paris Agreement, India submitted its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to UNFCCC in 2015 outlining eight targets for the period 2021-2030, including •Reducing the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35% by 2030 from the 2005 level, •To achieve about 40% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030 with the help of the transfer of technology and low-cost international finance including from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), •To create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030. •The other targets pertain to sustainable lifestyles; climate-friendly growth paths; climate change adaptation; climate finance; and technology and capacity building. •India's recent initiatives for combatting climate change (and thus achieving SDGs) - include its goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2070, and initiatives for green energy transition.
- 68. National Action Planon Climate Change (NAPCC) •Government of India is also implementing the National Action Plan on Climate Change which provides an overarching policy framework for all climate actions including mitigation and adaptation. •It comprises eight core Missions in specific areas of solar energy, enhanced energy efficiency, sustainable habitat, water, sustaining Himalayan ecosystems, Green India, sustainable agriculture, and strategic knowledge for climate change. •33 States and Union Territories have prepared State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) consistent with the objectives of NAPCC. •The adaptation activities in the States and Union Territories of India are being supported through National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC). •NAFCC is implemented in project mode and to date, 30 adaptation projects have been approved under NAFCC in 27 States and UTs.
- 69. •The National ActionPlan on Climate Change (NAPCC) was launched in 2008 by the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change. •It aims at creating awareness among the representatives of the public, different agencies of the government, scientists, industry and the communities on the threat posed by climate change and the steps to counter it. •There are 8 national missions forming the core of the NAPCC which represent multi-pronged, long term and integrated strategies for achieving key goals in climate change. These are- • National Solar Mission • National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency • National Mission on Sustainable Habitat • National Water Mission • National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem • National Mission for A Green India • National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture • National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change Salient Features •NAPCC is guided by following principles- • Protection of poor and vulnerable sections of society through inclusive and sustainable development strategy, sensitive to climate change. • Achievements of national growth through qualitative changes enhancing ecological sustainability. • Deployment of appropriate technologies for both adaptation and mitigation of GreenHouse Gases emissions extensively and at an accelerated pace.
- 70. Approach •NAPCC addresses thecountry’s critical and urgent needs by directionally shifting the development path and enhancing the current and planned programmes and technologies. •It identifies measures that promote our developmental goals and co-benefits by addressing climate change also. The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission •Governed by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. •It was launched in 2010 with the primary aim of achieving grid parity by 2022 and with coal-based thermal power by 2030. •Aims to increase the share of solar energy in India's energy mix. •It takes the measures of increasing R&D efforts, promoting decentralised distribution of energy by creating cheaper and more convenient solar power systems. •Emphasis on manufacturing solar panels at the local level and to tie up local research with international efforts. •Seeks to reduce the absolute cost of solar energy to bring it down and make it affordable. Functions and Goals •Making solar water heaters mandatory in buildings to promote the already proven and commercially viable solar heating systems. •By the remote village electrification programme, using solar power as an off-grid solution to provide power to the power deprived poor. •power.
- 71. •Creating conditions forresearch and application in the field of solar technology and support & facilitate the already on-going R&D projects. •The ultimate objective is to develop a solar industry in India, capable of delivering solar energy competitively again the fossil fuel options. •It is hoped that by the end of the third phase, 2022, India should have installed 20,000 MW of solar National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency •Governed by the Ministry of Power. •Based on the Energy Conservation Act, 2001. •It creates a market based mechanism to enhance cost effectiveness of improvements on energy efficiency. Switching to cleaner fuels, commercially viable technology transfers, capacity building needs etc are the way forward for this mission. •Development with energy efficiency as a key criterion. Functions and Goals •Spread awareness about the efficacy and efficiency of energy efficient products and create demand. •Ensure adequate supply of energy efficient products, goods, and services by forming a cadre of energy professionals. •Create financing platforms which can make risk guarantee funds, financial derivatives of performance contracts. •Formulate well thought out evaluation and monitoring mechanisms to capture energy savings in a transparent manner. •Overcome market failures through regulatory and policy measures. •Key areas to work upon are Energy, Efficiency, Equity and Environment.
- 72. National Mission onSustainable Habitat •Governed by the Ministry of Urban Development. •Manifold agenda mission because it looks at energy efficiency within buildings, waste disposal from these buildings and betters the public transport system. •Plans to make urban areas more climate friendly and less susceptible to climate change by a multi-pronged approach to mitigate and adapt to it. Functions and Goals- •To create and adopt a more holistic approach for solid and liquid waste management, ensuring their full potential for energy generation (conversion of solid waste into energy), recycling, reusing and composting. •To encourage alternative transport systems and establish fuel efficiency standards and reduce fuel consumed per passenger travel by the provision of pedestrian pathways. •To provide for adoption and creation of alternative technologies mitigating climate change and to encourage community involvement for it. •Creation of one building code for the entire nation. •A system to enforce law and order. •Establish financial incentives based on green rating. •Reduce need for pumping of water, proper treatment of waste water and use of better designed toilets. •Promote use of natural gas and alternative & renewable fuels. •Comprehensive urban renewal master plan proposals with sustainable designs. A master plan is a dynamic long-term planning document that provides a conceptual layout to guide future growth and development.
- 73. National Water Mission •Governedby the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. •Ensures better integrated water resource management leading to water conservation, less wastage, equitable distribution forming better policies. •Looks into the issues of groundwater and surface water management, domestic and industrial water management, improvement of water storage capacities and protection of wetlands. Functions and Goals •Review and data collection on the network of hydrological, automatic weather and automated rain gauge stations. •Expeditiously implement water projects in climate sensitive regions. •Promotion of water purification and desalination techniques. •Enactment of a bill for the regulation and management of groundwater sources. •Research in water use efficiency in industry, agriculture and domestic sectors. •Providing incentives for water neutral & positive technologies. •Review National Water Policy to include integrated water resources management, evaporation management and basin level management. •Water data base in the public domain and the assessment of impact of climate change on water resource •Promotion of citizen and state action for water conservation, augmentation and preservation. •More focused attention to over-exploited areas. •Improving water use efficiency by 20% through regulatory and pricing mechanisms.
- 74. National Mission forSustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem •Governed by the Department of Science and Technology. •Created to protect the Himalayan ecosystem. The mandate is to evolve measures to sustain and safeguard the Himalayan glaciers, mountain ecosystems, biodiversity and wildlife conservation & protection. Functions and Goals •Human and knowledge capacities- appointing trained personnel who can capture, store and apply knowledge relating to vulnerability and changes in the region. •Institutional capacities- creating capability to conduct long term observations, studies to understand and warn of changes in the Himalayan ecosystem •Evidence based policy building and governance- creating a platform for Himalayan states and the Centre to interact with various bodies. •Continuous self learning for balancing between forces of Nature and actions of mankind by creating strong linkages with community based organisations. •Establishing of a modern centre of Glaciology, standardisation of data collection to ensure interoperability and mapping of natural resources in the area. •Identification and training of experts and specialists in the area relevant to sustaining the Himalayan ecosystem.
- 75. National Mission forGreen India •Governed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. •It has the mandate of reviving degraded forest land with a focus on increasing forest cover & density and conserving biodiversity. •Works towards reducing fragmentation of forests, enhancing private public partnerships for plantations, improving schemes based on joint forestry management etc. •Makes plans to tackle the challenges posed by climate change. Functions and Goals •Enhancing carbon sinks in sustainably managed forests. •Enhancing the resilience of vulnerable species and ecosystems to adapt to climate change. •Enabling forest dependent communities to adapt to climate variability. •Double the area to be taken up for afforestation. •Increase greenhouse gas removals by Indian forests. •Enhance resilience of forests and ecosystems falling under the mission.
- 76. National Mission forSustainable Agriculture •Governed by the Ministry of Agriculture. •It works towards devising strategies to make Indian agriculture less susceptible to climate change. •It would identify and develop new crop varieties, use traditional and modern agricultural techniques. •This mission sees dry land agriculture, risk management, access to information and use of biotechnology as areas of intervention. Functions and Goals •Strengthening agricultural insurance, develop a system based on Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing to map soil resource and land use. •Providing information and collation of off-season crops and preparation of state-level agro- climatic atlases. •Strategise to evolve low input agriculture with enhanced water and nitrogen efficient crops. •Nutritional strategies to manage heat stress in dairy animals. •Using of micro irrigation systems. •Promotion of agricultural techniques like minimum tillage, organic farming and rain water conservation. •Capacity building of farmers and other stakeholders. •Production of bio-fertilizer, compost along with subsidies for chemical fertilizers. •Strengthening of National Agricultural Insurance Scheme.
- 77. National Mission onStrategic Knowledge for Climate Change •Governed by the Department of Science and Technology. •It identifies challenges and requisite responses to climate change. This will be done through open international collaboration and would ensure sufficient funding for this research. •There is a need for strong strategic knowledge system on climate change. Functions and Goals •Develop regional climate science. •Leverage international cooperation. •The efforts undertaken here would feed into the Indian National Network for Climate Change Assessment (INCCA) which is a stock taking exercise conducted every two years as part of the national obligations under UNFCCC. •Creation of a data generation and sharing system by mapping resources on knowledge relevant to climate change. •Identifying knowledge gaps and inspiring from global technological trends to select and test technologies. •Creating new centres dedicated to climate research within existing institutional framework.
- 78. Carbon footprint Amount ofcarbon dioxide (CO2) and greenhouse emissions associated with all the activities of a person or other entity (e.g., building, corporation, country, etc.). It includes • direct emissions, such as those that result from fossil-fuel combustion in manufacturing, heating, and transportation, as well as • emissions required to produce the electricity associated with goods and services consumed. This measures both direct and indirect emissions of compounds like methane (CH4), nitrogen oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and Carbon dioxide (CO2). Averages vary greatly around the world, with higher footprints generally found in residents of developed countries. The per capita carbon footprint is highest in the United States. France had a per capita carbon footprint of 6.0 metric tons (6.6 short tons) Brazil and Tanzania had carbon footprints of 1.8 metric tons (about 2 short tons) and 0.1 metric ton (0.1 short ton) of CO2 equivalent, respectively.
- 79. In developed countries,transportation and household energy use make up the largest component of an individual’s carbon footprint. The remainder of an individual’s carbon footprint is called the “secondary” carbon footprint, representing carbon emissions associated with the consumption of goods and services. A variety of different tools exist for calculating the carbon footprints for individuals, businesses, and other organizations. Commonly used methodologies for calculating organizational carbon footprints include the • Greenhouse Gas Protocol, from the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, • ISO 14064, a standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization dealing specifically with greenhouse gas emissions. Several organizations, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Nature Conservancy, and British Petroleum, created carbon calculators on the Internet for individuals. Such calculators allow people to compare their own estimated carbon footprints with the national and world averages.
- 80. Individuals and corporationscan take a number of steps to reduce their carbon footprints and thus contribute to global climate mitigation. Carbon footprints can be reduced through • improving energy efficiency • changing lifestyles (lifestyle choices that can lower an individual’s secondary carbon footprint include reducing one’s consumption of meat and switching one’s purchasing habits to products that require fewer carbon emissions to produce and transport). • Changing energy sources and transportation . • using public transportation, such as buses and trains, reduces an individual’s carbon footprint when compared with driving. • Individuals and corporations can reduce their respective carbon footprints by installing energy-efficient lighting, adding insulation in buildings • using renewable energy sources to generate the electricity they require. They can purchase carbon offsets (broadly stated, an investment in a carbon-reducing activity or technology) to compensate for part or all of their carbon footprint. Carbon credits, also known as carbon offsets, are permits that allow the owner to emit a certain amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases. One credit permits the emission of one ton of carbon dioxide or the equivalent in other greenhouse gases. The ultimate goal of carbon credits is to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. As noted, a carbon credit represents the right to emit greenhouse gases equivalent to one ton of carbon dioxide.
- 81. "Carbon budget" The numberof greenhouse gases that can be "spent" - or emitted, considering global warming. It is an estimation of cumulative net global anthropogenic CO2 emissions from a given start date to the point where anthropogenic CO2 emissions reach a net zero level. When a company buys a carbon credit, usually from the government, they gain permission to generate one ton of CO2 emissions. •Carbon credits were devised as a mechanism to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. •Companies get a set number of credits, which decline over time, and they can sell any excess to another company. •Carbon credits create a monetary incentive for companies to reduce their carbon emissions. Those that cannot easily reduce emissions can still operate, at a higher financial cost. •Carbon credits are based on the cap-and-trade model that was used to reduce sulfur pollution in the 1990s.
- 82. Company A emitsless than its target amount of CO2; this means that Company A has a surplus of carbon credits. Company B, on the other hand, emits more than its target amount of hydrocarbon, so either Company B pays a fine or tries to buy carbon credits from another company. At this point, Company A and Company B get to an agreement and trade carbon credits: Company A sells its surplus to Company B, getting money and positive image feedback, while Company B buys carbon credits from Company A and avoids paying a fine.
- 83. India’s position insustainable development goals - iPleaders