Context: Recently, the G20 Environment Ministers Meeting (EMM) has taken place under the Presidency of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

• Global initiatives to reduce Land Degradation and Coral Reef Programme and two documents on climate change, related to managing emissions and climate change adaptations under the G20 in 2020, have been launched.
• G20 EMM, 2019 saw an agreement on adopting a new implementation framework for actions to tackle the issue of marine plastic waste on a global scale.

Key Points

• The Global Initiative on Reducing Land Degradation aims to strengthen the implementation of existing frameworks to prevent, halt, and reverse land degradation within G20 member states and globally, taking into account possible implications on the achievement of other SDGs and adhering to the principle of doing no harm.
• The Global Coral Reef R&D Accelerator Platform is an innovative action-oriented initiative aimed at creating a global research and development (R&D) program to advance research, innovation and capacity building in all facets of coral reef conservation, restoration, and adaptation, and strengthen ongoing efforts and commitments made to enhance coral reefs conservation and their further degradation.

Land Degradation

• Land degradation is the deterioration or loss of the productive capacity of the soils for the present and future.
• It is a global challenge that affects everyone through food insecurity, higher food prices, climate change, environmental hazards, and the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• Land degradation is one of the world’s most pressing environmental problems and it will worsen without rapid remedial action.
• Globally, about 25 percent of the total land area has been degraded.
• When land is degraded, soil carbon and nitrous oxide are released into the atmosphere, making land degradation one of the most important contributors to climate change.
• Scientists opine that 24 billion tons of fertile soil were being lost per year, largely due to unsustainable agriculture practices. If this trend continues, 95 percent of the Earth’s land areas could become degraded by 2050.

India’s Stand

• India intends to take measures to enhance coral reef conservation under the National Coastal Mission Programme.
• The proposed mission under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) will address the impact of climate change on coastal and marine ecosystems.
• It will include all phases of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Project.
• India has also put efforts towards achieving land degradation neutrality and towards the attainment of global goals of climate change mitigation and adaptation.
• The Indian government sees schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Soil Health Card Scheme and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana as tools to tackle the problem of land degradation.
• India is committed to working with G20 nations for a better world and is taking adequate action to meet the Paris Agreement and its climate commitments.
• It was emphasised that equity, common but differentiated responsibilities, finance and technology partnerships are the key pillars to tackle the problem of climate change.

Group of 20 towards climate change

• G20 consists of 19 individual countries, including the US, Russia, China, Japan, Australia, Saudi, plus the European Union.
• The Paris accord was adopted by 195 parties at the UN climate conference “COP 21” held in the French capital in 2015 with an aim to reduce the hazardous greenhouse gas emissions.
• Nineteen members of the G20, except the US, have voiced their commitment to the full implementation of the deal.
• The objective of the Paris Agreement is to prevent an increase in global average temperature and keep it well below 2 degrees Celsius.

National Coastal Mission Programme

• The Government has envisaged establishing a National Coastal Mission under the National Action Plan on Climate Change.
• NAPCC is a comprehensive action plan which outlines measures on climate change-related adaptation and mitigation while simultaneously advancing development.
• This project has been implemented in identified coastal stretches in Gujarat, Odisha and West Bengal.

Objectives

• The Mission aims to address impact of climate change on coastal and marine ecosystems, infrastructure and communities in coastal areas through a combination of adaptation and mitigation measures.
• Strengthening natural shields against extreme weather conditions to protect shorelines, adaptation, improved employment generation opportunities for coastal communities to reduce pressure on coastal and marine ecosystems.

Activities under the programme

• Mangrove plantation
• Shelter-belt plantation
• Coral transplantation
• Enhancement of livelihood security of the coastal communities
• Pollution abatement in coastal areas
• Capacity building

Additional Key Facts

• The government had launched Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project in 2010 to conserve, protect and manage coastal and marine ecosystems, pollution abatement and livelihood security of the coastal communities with the assistance of the World Bank.