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One of the few positive outcomes of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) is the commitment by major nations to achieve net zero carbon emissions by a certain year. <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> has also committed to becoming a net zero country by 2070. While some developed nations may have scoffed at this timeline, the reality is that nations with different developmental trajectories cannot (and should not) be treated equally. The major polluters must first walk the talk and then expect others to follow suit. While it is a never-ending blame game between the developed and developing nations, in the interest of humanity and for their own well-being, the nations must do everything within their powers to ensure that they keep their emissions under control. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Policy initiatives in India" comment="subhead" text="Policy initiatives in India">Policy initiatives in India</cmsannotation> India has taken several measures towards climate change adaptation and mitigation. Our statutory framework ensures that air and water pollution is prevented and controlled, forests are conserved and restored, biological diversity is protected, and energy is generated and utilised efficiently to ensure minimal environmental impact. The Government has launched various policy initiatives to work towards its climate change commitments. The national and state action plans on climate change aim at integrating such climate action into their modus operandi. Among national schemes, the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME-II) focuses on clean mobility and is meant to promote the transition to electric vehicles by providing incentives for manufacturing, adoption and development of associated infrastructure for electric vehicles. Financial assistance is being offered at the central and state levels for developing solar and wind energy projects like solar parks, grid-connected solar rooftops in residential buildings, installing off-grid solar devices and solar-based LED lights. Initiatives like Gujarat Emissions Trading Scheme, Renewable Energy Certificate, Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) Scheme are all meant to promote renewables, reduce emissions and achieve energy efficiency at the central and state levels. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Recent impetus to climate action" comment="subhead" text="Recent impetus to climate action">Recent impetus to climate action</cmsannotation> Some important and innovative schemes initiated in India to combat climate change include the India Cooling Action Plan 2019, which aims to reduce direct and indirect emissions from energy-intensive cooling devices like refrigerators, air conditioners, etc. The National Clean Air Program 2019 aims to reduce air pollution and addresses several forms of harmful emissions. The National Hydrogen Mission launched in 2021 aims to help India achieve its climate targets by making India a green hydrogen hub. India is also targeting to increase the usage of alternative fuels to reduce emissions by blending 20% Ethanol in petrol by 2025. Moreover, policies like National Building Code, 2016, Energy Conservation Building Code, 2017, Buildings Energy Efficiency Programme, green energy rating system, star rating programme, etc., seek to promote sustainability in the construction sector by improving energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management, recycling, etc. The union budget for the financial year 2022-23 also announced initiatives for financing climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies through sovereign green bonds, blended finance, etc. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Local and regional climate action" comment="subhead" text="Local and regional climate action">Local and regional climate action</cmsannotation> In addition to the various central government initiatives being implemented across the country, various states are devising their own strategies and plan to combat climate change. States like Gujarat, Odisha, and <keyword id="20154" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="tamil-nadu" source="Orion">Tamil Nadu</keyword> have constituted specific departments and cells to focus on climate change adaptation and mitigation. Kerala has announced a dedicated fund for this purpose and has issued green bonds to invest in climate resilience activities. <keyword id="13126" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="maharashtra" source="Orion">Maharashtra</keyword> has released the Mumbai Climate Action Plan to address climate change impacts in the coastal megacity and achieve net zero emissions by 2050. It is not just the central and state governments but also the corporates are taking active steps to combat climate change. More than sixty Indian companies have announced their net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets. Leading Indian companies, including <keyword id="8555" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="tata" source="Orion">Tata</keyword>, Reliance, Mahindra, ITC, Adani Transmission, Arcelor Mittal Nippon Steel, and Dalmia Cement, have voluntarily pledged to move towards carbon neutrality through GHG emissions reduction and energy efficiency. With environmental, social and governance (<keyword id="77363" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="esg" source="Orion">ESG</keyword>) issues gaining prominence and ESG reporting becoming mandatory for the top 1000 companies, almost all major companies are addressing ESG issues to set their house in order and adopt the best practices. Various Indian banks have also incorporated ESG considerations into their lending policies. Therefore, be it the government or the private sector, every stakeholder has realised the importance of climate action and is working to prevent the planetary crisis, which, not to forget, affects almost all living species, including humans. <keyword id="12498063" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="nawneet-vibhaw" source="Orion">Nawneet Vibhaw</keyword> is a <keyword id="6399933" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="partner" source="Orion">Partner</keyword> at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas &amp; Co. in the Environmental Law practice. This column is part of a year-long (2022-23) campaign on the theme “Only One Earth: Sustaining People, Planet and Prosperity” by Business Insider India’s <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability">Sustainability Insider</a>. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the author/interviewee do not necessarily reflect the views of Business Insider India. The article has been partly edited for length and clarity.

OPINION: Towards a carbon-neutral India — How central, state governments, and corporations are striving to tackle the planetary crisis

New Delhi, Jun 30 () The World Bank on Monday said it has enhanced its support for Government of India's program to rejuvenate Ganga river with a USD 400 million (about Rs 3,000 crore) assistance that will help stem pollution in the river. The assistance will help strengthen the management of the river basin which is home to more than 500 million people, the World Bank said in a statement. "The Second National Ganga River Basin Project (SNGRBP), approved by the World Bank's Board of Executive Directors on June 25, will support the government's Namami Gange program and its long-term vision for controlling pollution in the river and restoring its water quality," it said. It further said the bank has been supporting the government's efforts since 2011 through the ongoing National Ganga River Basin Project, which helped set up the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) as the nodal agency to manage the river, and financed sewage treatment infrastructure in several riverside towns and cities. "The first World Bank project helped build critical sewage infrastructure in 20 pollution hotspots along the river, and this project will help scale this up to the tributaries," World Bank Country Director (India) Junaid Ahmad said. "It will also help the government strengthen the institutions needed to manage a river basin as large and complex as the Ganga Basin," he added. The Ganga basin covers a quarter of India's landmass, and is a critical economic and environmental resource for the country. It provides over one-third of India's surface water, includes the country's largest irrigated area and is key to India's water and food security, the statement said. "Over 40 per cent of India's GDP is generated in the densely populated basin. But the Ganga river is today is facing pressures from human and economic activity that impact its water quality and flows," it added. The Second National Ganga River Basin Project comprises a loan in the amount of USD 381 million and a proposed Guarantee in the amount of up to USD 19 million. The variable spread loan has a maturity of 18.5 years including a grace period of 5 years, it said. Meanwhile, the Government of India, the Government of Tamil Nadu and the World Bank on Monday signed legal agreements to help low-income groups in the state get access to affordable housing. The legal agreements were signed for two projects -- USD 200 million First Tamil Nadu Housing Sector Strengthening Programme and USD 50 million Tamil Nadu Housing and Habitat Development Project -- to strengthen the state's housing sector policies, institutions, and regulations, the Finance Ministry said in a separate statement. The loan agreements were signed by Sameer Kumar Khare, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs on behalf of the Government of India and Country Director (India) on behalf of the World Bank. Khare said providing safe and affordable housing is a key priority for the state of Tamil Nadu as identified in its vision document. With the allocation provided under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) and the two projects from the World Bank, a large number of urban poor in the state are expected to get access to better housing and, in the process, improve their living conditions, he added. Nearly half of Tamil Nadu's population is urban, and this is expected to increase to 63 per cent by 2030. DP RVK

World Bank enhances support for rejuvenating Ganga, sanctions USD 400 mn

Full text of President Ram Nath Kovind's first address to the Parliament as the 17th Lok Sabha gets underway

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OPINION: Towards a carbon-neutral India — How central, state governments, and corporations are striving to tackle the planetary crisis

Nawneet Vibhaw

World Bank enhances support for rejuvenating Ganga, sanctions USD 400 mn

PTI

Full text of President Ram Nath Kovind's first address to the Parliament as the 17th Lok Sabha gets underway

BI India Bureau

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