The National Mission for a
Green India, as one of the eight Missions under the National Action Plan on
Climate Change (NAPCC), recognizes that climate change phenomena will seriously
affect and alter the distribution, type and quality of natural resources of the
country and the associated livelihoods of the people. The Mission (henceforth
referred to as GIM) acknowledges the influences that the forestry sector has on
environmental amelioration through climate mitigation, food security, water
security, biodiversity conservation and livelihood security of forest dependent
communities.
The objectives of the
mission are three-fold:
• Double the area to be
taken up for a forestation/eco-restoration in India in the next 10 years, taking the total area to be afforested or
eco-restored to 20
million ha.(i.e., 10
million ha of additional forest/non forest area to be treated by the Mission,
in addition to the 10
million ha which is likely to be treated by Forest Department and other
agencies through other interventions).
• Increase the GHG removals
by India's forests to 6.35% of India's annual total GHG emissions by the year 2020 (an increase of 1.5% over what it would be in the absence of the Mission).
This would require an increase in above and below ground biomass in 10 million ha of forests/ecosystems, resulting in
increased carbon sequestration of 43 million tons CO2-e annually .
• Enhance the resilience of
forests/ecosystems being treated under the Mission enhance infiltration,
groundwater recharge, stream and spring flows, biodiversity value, provisioning
of services (fuel wood, fodder, timber, NTFPs, etc.) to help local communities adapt
to climatic variability.
The Mission targets can be
classified as:
• 2.0 m ha of moderately dense forests show increased cover
and density.
• 4.0 m ha of degraded forests are regenerated/afforested
and sustainably managed.
• 0.10 m ha of mangroves restored/established.
• 0.10 m ha of wetlands show enhanced conservation status.
• 0.20 m ha of urban/peri urban forest lands and
institutional lands are under tree cover.
• 1.50 m ha of degraded agricultural lands and fallows are
brought under agro-forestry.• 0.10 m ha of corridor areas, critical to wildlife
migration are secure.
• Improved fuel wood use
efficiency devices adopted in about 10 million households (along with alternative energy
devices).
• Biomass/NTFP based
community livelihoods are enhanced that lead to reduced vulnerability.
Some key highlights of the
Mission strategy are listed below:
1. Holistic view to “greening”
(broader than plantations):
The scope of greening will
not be limited to just trees and plantations. Emphasis will be placed on
restoration of ecosystems and habitat diversity e.g. grassland and pastures
(more so in arid/semi-arid regions), mangroves, wetlands and other critical
ecosystems. It will not only strive to restore degraded forests, but would also
contribute in protection/enhancement of forests with relatively dense forest
cover.
2. Integrated cross-sectoral
approach to implementation:
The Mission would foster an
integrated approach that treats forests and non forest public lands as well as
private lands simultaneously, in project units/ sub-landscapes/sub-watersheds.
Drivers of degradation e.g. firewood needs and livestock grazing will be
addressed using inter sectoral convergence (e.g. livestock, forest,
agriculture, rural development, energy etc.)
3. Key role for local
communities and decentralized governance:
Local communities will be
required to play a key role in project governance and implementation. Gram
Sabha and its various committees/groups including JFMCs, CFM groups, Van
Panchayats, etc. would be strengthened as institutions of decentralized forest
governance. Likewise, the Mission would support revamping/strengthening of the
Forest Development Agencies. The Mission would support secured community
tenure, capacity building for adaptive forest management and livelihood support
activities e.g. community based NTFP enterprises.
4. Vulnerability' and
'Potential' as criteria for intervention:
An overarching criterion for
selection of project areas/sub-landscapes/sub-watersheds under the Mission
would include vulnerability to climatic change projections and potential of
areas for enhancing carbon sinks.
5. Robust and effective
monitoring framework:
A comprehensive monitoring
framework at four different levels is proposed. In addition to on-ground self-
monitoring by multiple agencies, the Mission would support use of modern
technology like Remote Sensing with GPS mapping of plot boundaries for monitoring
at output/ outcome level. A few identified sites within the project area will
be selected for intensive monitoring using additional parameters like ground
cover, soil condition, erosion and infiltration, run-off, ground water levels
to develop water budgets as well as biomass monitoring indicators. The Mission
would also commission a comprehensive research needs assessment in support of
Mission aim and objectives. The Mission would set up a cell within Mission
Directorate to coordinate REDD Plus activities in the country.
कोई टिप्पणी नहीं:
एक टिप्पणी भेजें