staina ilit and limate han e ndia and he orld 19.9
(i) Climate Change, It is estimated that India’s per capita emission in
(ii) Food Security, 2031 will still be lower than the global per capita
(iii) Water Security, emission in 2005 (in 2031, India’s per capita
GHG emissions will be under 4 tonnes of carbon
(iv) Energy Security, and
dioxide equivalent (CO 2 eq.) which is lower than
(v) Managing Urbanisation. the global per capita emissions of 4.22 tonnes of
Climate change is disturbing the natural CO2 eq. in 2005).
ecosystems and is expected to have substantial Together with the national efforts in different
adverse effects in India, mainly on agriculture (on sectors, India also recognises that rural areas are
which 58 per cent of the population still depends equally prone to stress and pressures from natural
for livelihood), water storage in the Himalayan resource exploitation. In this context, schemes for
glaciers which are the source of major rivers and rural development and livelihood programmes
groundwater recharge, sea-level rise, and threats are very relevant. A vast majority of the works
to a long coastline and habitations. Climate under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
change will also cause increased frequency of Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)
extreme events such as floods, and droughts. are linked to land, soil, and water. There are also
These in turn will impact India’s food security programmes for non- timber forest produce-based
problems and water security. As per the Second livelihood, promotion of organic and low-chemical
National Communication submitted by India to agriculture, and increased soil health and fertility
the UNFCCC, it is projected that the annual to sustain agriculture-based livelihoods. These
mean surface air temperature rise by the end of schemes help mobilise and develop capacities of
the century ranges from 3.5°C to 4.3°C, whereas community institutions to utilise natural resources
the sea level along the Indian coast has been rising in a sustainable manner and their potential can be
at the rate of about 1.3 mm/year on an average. further developed.
These climate change projections are likely to Along with efforts to incorporate sustainability
impact human health, agriculture, water resources, in the rural development process, India is
natural ecosystems and biodiversity. increasingly making efforts to integrate the three
Concerned of the threats imposed by climate pillars of sustainable development into its national
change and pressures on natural resources, policy space. In fact, environment protection
sustainability and environment are increasingly is enshrined in our Constitution (Articles 48 A
taking centrestage in the Indian policy domain. and 51A]). Various policy measures are being
India has been part of 94 multilateral environmental implemented across the domains of forestry,
agreements. India has also voluntarily agreed to pollution control, water management, clean
reduce its emission intensity of its GDP by 20–25 energy, and marine and coastal environment. Some
per cent over 2005 levels by 2020, and emissions of these are policies like Joint Forest Management,
from the agriculture sector would not form Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment,
part of the assessment of its emissions intensity. Coastal Zone Regulation Zone, Eco Labelling
Indian economy is already moving along a lower and Energy Efficiency Labelling, Fuel Efficiency
carbon and sustainable path in terms of declining Standards etc. Over a period of time, a stable
carbon intensity of its GDP which is expected organisational structure has been developed for
to fall further through lower carbon strategies. environment protection.