State Action Plan on Climate Change :

Climate change is a major global environmental and developmental problem and also an issue of great concern to all countries irrespective of their size or level of development. Though all possible consequences of climate change are yet to be understood, it is now established that adverse impacts are likely from increased frequency of extreme weather, floods and droughts, and submergence of coastal areas due to sea level rise and extreme climate variability. Impacts of climate change are also likely to be iniquitous -- the poor, women, the aged, and the very young – especially in underdeveloped or developing area contexts are relatively more vulnerable due to their greater dependence on climatesensitive sectors like agriculture, fisheries, and forestry for their livelihoods or their limited adaptive capacity. The poor status of infrastructure and essential services in most of the poverty-affected areas also limits their ability to cope with adverse impacts of climate change.

Uttarakhand is most vulnerable to climate-mediated risks. Mountainous regions are vulnerable to climate change and have shown “above average warming” in the 20thcentury. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), impacts are expected to range from reduced genetic diversity of species to glacial melt in the Himalayas leading to increased flooding that will affect water resources within the next few decades.

Process Adopted for UAPCC Preparation :

 Initial Processes and Preparation of an Initial Draft Supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the State Government initiated processes towards the preparation of the UAPCC, in early January 2011, with the constitution of the State Council for Climate Change (SCCC) under the Chairmanship of the Chief Secretary and comprising 29 members including Principal Secretaries in-charge of various line departments as well as other senior government personnel. The SCCC was mandated the role of overseeing all aspects of the State’s preparations and initiatives to address climate change and its impacts. Further steps were taken in February 2011, with the formation of a State Steering Committee, headed by the Chief Secretary and included representatives from relevant Government Departments (Agriculture, Water Resources, Planning, Finance, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Panchayati Raj, Science and Technology, Finance, Rural Development, Environment, Forests, Energy, Tourism and Transport, Health). The government identified the Department of Forests as Lead Agency to coordinate preparation of the UAPCC in consultation with various line departments.

State Vision and Commitment  :

Through the UAPCC, the Government of Uttarakhand commits itself to fostering inclusive, sustainable, and climate resilient growth and development of the State. This vision will be achieved through (a) charting a low carbon growth strategy and climate resilient development model; (b) integration of climate concerns into all aspects of development policy and implementation, and (c) ensuring complementarity with and contributing to the national agenda on climate change. These will be supported by the strategies and actions outlined in this UAPCC, and by all other necessary actions by the State Government for the achievement of the vision.

Overall Approach, Principles, and Strategies :

The Overall approach of the UAPCC will be to create and define a overarching climate response framework at the State Government level, as also develop flexible sector specific response strategies and actions, while keeping in mind the overall Vision as articulated above. Climate change escalates the already existing vulnerabilities (social, ecological, economic and cultural) of Uttarakhand and could manifest disastrously if not addressed adequately. Therefore the climate response strategy of Uttarakhand has key elements such as accelerating inclusive economic growth, promoting sustainable development, securing and diversifying livelihoods, and safeguarding ecosystem services. Further, the strategy is not to be viewed as a standalone action; instead it will be integrated into the regular developmental planning process. The state will develop action oriented operational plans and budgetary framework for these by end 2012.It has also been ensured that all actions to be undertaken as part of the UAPCC have broad conformity to the NAPCC and the eight National Missions under it.

Governance Mechanisms, Institutional Decision Making, and Convergence :  As indicated in an earlier section, Uttarakhand is already implementing a range of steps/programmes that are climate-friendly/neutral (there are described in Section 4 below under each sectoral subsection). While continuing to foster such initiatives, the State will seek to fulfil a range of outcomes including:

•  Developing and putting into place overarching institutional and governance mechanisms at the State level to oversee and implement the UAPCC;  
• Review of all state policies and revise these as necessary to articulate and integrate climate concerns, Articulation and integration of climate change considerations into development strategies, plans and programmes;
• Strengthening of institutional decision-making mechanisms and processes (including  monitoring & evaluation) to ensure cross-sectoral coordination related to climate change.

Capacity Development, Education, and Awareness  :

• The State recognises that overall awareness of climate change and its impacts in Uttarakhand is limited. Therefore, the UAPCC seeks the fulfilment of the following outcomes:  
• Significantly improved awareness of climate change and its impacts in government at  all levels as well as in communities, civil society and the private sector in the State;
• Capacities of government line departments and agencies at all levels to analyse, plan, converge, implement and monitor programmes addressing climate change and its impacts;

Private Sector and Financial Institutions :

As has been outlined in Part A, Section 1 of this UAPCC, the private sector already plays a significant role in contributing to the State’s economy in the secondary and tertiary sectors. A range of PPP initiatives and projects are underway in the State through the Uttarakhand PPP Cell under the State Planning Department. Such PPP models can be useful for pooling resources and expertise and for up-scaling climate change adaptation (especially in terms of climate resilient infrastructure and low carbon goods and services) and mitigation initiatives by way of explicit incorporation of climate concerns into project frameworks. Private Sector has great potential and competency for bringing innovative solutions and scale to the various models for climate change adaptation shaped by the civil society and/or govt. institutions however their primary thrust thus far has been limited to clean development mechanism (CDM) and related projects.

Role of Civil Society :

Civil society and voluntary organizations have played critical roles in shaping the development landscape of not only Uttarakhand, but also across the nation. These will continue to have vital roles in the context of climate change, and have the potential to deliver programmes and services to communities and to bridge the roles of not only the government and community but also bridge the roles of scientific research institutions and the private sector with government and the community.

              The Himalayas are highly vulnerable due to geological reasons, stress caused by exploitation of natural resources, and increased population pressure, and other related challenges. These effects are likely to be exacerbated due to the impact of climate change, which may adversely impact the Himalayan ecosystem through increased temperature, altered precipitation patterns, episodes of drought, and biotic influences. If average temperatures increase as predicted (increase in average temperatures, and variation in rainfall patterns have already been observed in the region), all aspects of human and natural life will be affected. Locally, people’s ability to cope will be challenged; further away changes in the Himalayas – extreme rainfall events and glacier melt could affect the life and livelihoods of the 1.3 billion people living in the river basins downstream so it became more important to take preventive steps to deal the climate change.