Context: Recently, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change launched a single point information source for climate action known as the “India Climate Change Knowledge Portal”.
About the Portal

• The portal will provide information on the different climate initiatives taken by various line ministries enabling users to access updated status on these initiatives.
• The portal captures sector-wise adaptation and mitigation actions that are being taken by the various line ministries in one place including updated information on their implementation.
• The knowledge portal will help in disseminating knowledge among citizens about all the major steps the government is taking at both national and international levels to address climate change issues.
• The eight components of the portal are India’s climate profile, national policy framework, India’s NDC goals, adaptation actions, mitigation actions, bilateral and multilateral cooperation, international climate negotiations, reports & public.

India’s Climate Profile

• The northern part of the country is characterized as a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. The coastal regions of the country, however, experience warmer temperatures with little variation throughout the year and frequent rainfall.

National Policy Framework

• For Example In order to strengthen the implementation of environmentally sound management of hazardous waste in the country, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has amended the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management & Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016.

India’s Nationally determined contributions (NDC) Goals

• NDC’s are at the heart of the Paris Agreement and the achievement of these long-term goals.
• NDC’s embody efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Adaptation Actions: To meet the high energy demand India is adapting to clean energy development. Example: Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission which aims to increase the share of solar energy in India.

• Mitigation Actions: For example, to mitigate water issues Indian government launched the National Water Mission.
• Bilateral and Multilateral Cooperation: The Paris climate deal is a great example of multilateral cooperation.
• International Climate Negotiations: In the Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris in 2015, India accepted 1.5 degrees Celsius as a target limit for the increase in the global average temperature and announced an ambitious domestic renewable energy programme.
• Reports & Publications: For example, reports like Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region published by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).

By: Abhipedia