India is ranked the fifth-most vulnerable country according to the Climate Risk Index 2020
India is listed among the countries projected to be the worst affected by climate change.
India is ranked the fifth-most vulnerable country according to the Climate Risk Index 2020, an annual report published by Germanwatch.
Balancing the global commitments with domestic ambitions for growth and providing to its citizens, India has also consistently strengthened its resolve to combat climate change; the latest of which are the announcements made at the Conference of Parties (COP 26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held at Glasgow in 2021. Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi’s announcement of panchamrit or ‘five elixirs’ towards limiting the rising temperatures is seen as a multi-pronged push towards leading the climate change fight.
Panchamrit includes increasing India’s non-fossil capacity to 500 gigawatts by 2030, meeting 50 per cent of its energy needs from renewable sources, reducing at least one billion tonnes of total projected emissions between now and 2030, reducing the country’s carbon intensity to less than 45 per cent and achieving a net-zero emissions target by 2070.
The announcement at COP26 also affirms India’s acknowledgement of the scale of challenge and opportunity offered by climate change, which is also reflected in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted to the UNFCCC as part of the Paris Agreement. NDC includes quantitative mitigation targets like lowering emissions intensity of India’s GDP by 33-35 per cent compared to 2005 levels by 2030; increasing the total cumulative electricity generation from fossil-free energy sources to 40 per cent by 2030 and creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes through additional forest and tree cover. Qualitative targets related to adaptation are included in the NDC, such as better adapting to climate change by enhancing investments in development programs in sectors vulnerable to climate change, particularly agriculture, water resources, the Himalayan region, coastal regions, health, and disaster management.
The multi-sectoral approach to climate actions, founded on science, knowledge creation, and capacity development is ingrained in India’s climate actions, as also seen in the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) under which eight national missions, targeting different priority areas were initiated in 2008 – and more national missions are being considered to be included. At the Sub-national level, states and Union Territories (UTs) in India have prepared their State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCC) that are being revised currently to align with the NDCs, SDGs, goals of the Paris Agreement and to include new scientific information. There are nodal departments in all states and UTs responsible for coordinating the activities related to climate change, for example, preparation of the SAPCC, supporting its implementation, monitoring of climate actions, etc. The focus of the government has been on mainstreaming climate change in existing departmental activities and programs. To help this, nodal officers responsible for climate change-related issues have also been identified in relevant departments at the state level.
In addition, there are innovative and diverse models of institutional structures for climate action emerging in India, particularly at the sub-national level. The state of Gujarat has established a dedicated “Climate Change Department” to act as a bridge within the Government, and between the Government and the Society to address Climate Change. The state of Tamil Nadu has launched a state-specific Climate Change Mission to focus on climate change adaptation and mitigation activities with an outlay of Rs 500 crore. The State Government of Assam has established the Assam Climate Change Management Society (ACCMS) – a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to coordinate all issues related to Climate Change and implement the Assam State Action Plan on Climate Change, aligning state priorities and different national and international goals such as SDGs, NDCs, REDD+, etc. These state-level institutions are tasked to assist the state departments in climate change-related activities.
It can be foreseen that with the increasing focus on climate action at the national and state level, there is a dire need for a dedicated and additional workforce at the district level.
The climate actions are essentially implemented at the district level, and day-to-day monitoring must be coordinated by officers at the district. The emphasis on multi-sectoral climate actions also brings a need at the district level to coordinate between different departments, monitor actions, and report the achievements towards state and national goals. It may not always be possible for state climate change department personnel to have minute oversight of many aspects that need consideration while implementing climate actions at multiple locations at the district level. Many of the climate actions, which were initiated either in mission or project mode are bound to be mainstreamed if green actions are to be sustained with a goal of reaching the ambitious climate goals. A dedicated cadre of climate change district officers will be essential in driving decentralised climate actions at the district level. This workforce could either be part of an existing department responsible for climate change at the state or district level or could be part of an independent department as it is in the case of Gujarat.
Successful examples of district-level climate change personnel driving local actions are also observed in many other countries.
In a country as diverse as India, where knowledge of local nuances is vital to calibrate implementation of national and state missions, the need for district-level climate officers, is even more accentuated. A “District Climate Change Officer” can have the following potential roles and responsibilities:
- Provide expert advice to officials from different departments related to the implementation of climate change mitigation and adaptation projects or mainstreaming of climate change.
- Build capacities of the private sector, civil society and public on issues related to climate change at the district level.
- Implement awareness and engagement campaigns on climate change mitigation and adaptation.
- Support climate change vulnerability and risk assessment at district and sub-district levels at regular intervals.
- Support Monitoring and Evaluation of climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives at the district level, and report to state offices.
- Support development of mitigation and adaptation project proposals for accessing domestic and international climate finance.
- Support the private sector particularly Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in implementing mitigation and adaptation initiatives by linking them with government incentives and schemes.
As hiring a dedicated long-term workforce could be a significant financial commitment that not all states may be willing to undertake immediately, mechanisms to kickstart the process can be explored. One option is for the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), as the nodal ministry for climate action, to consider launching a “Climate Fellows” program in association with partner states. This program could provide an opportunity to young graduates from science or environmental streams to get trained on issues related to climate change through an earmarked national boot camp. After comprehensive training, they can be posted in districts across India (around 600 in total). The climate fellows can be posted at the District Magistrate/Collector Office for supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives for 2-3 years. After the initial period and evaluations, the states can consider continuing the support by grandfathering the position to that of district climate change officers.
A pragmatic and intensive approach is critical for successful implementation and coordination of actions under the NAPCC, NDC, and other national and state goals. District Climate Change Officers can be a game-changer, creating the vital science-policy-practice interface at the district level, which is crucial in achieving the climate change goals.
[author title=”Jai Kumar Gaurav, Senior Advisor – Climate Change, GIZ-India and Ashwin A. S., Advisor – Climate Change, GIZ-India ” image=”http://”][/author]
(Views expressed are personal)
