New Delhi: The government today approved a communication to a UN climate change body listing steps taken by it to tackle the threat of global warming.
The Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved India`s Second National Communication to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said.
The 300-page communication is aimed at fulfilling India`s reporting obligation under the Convention. It has to be submitted to the UNFCCC once every 10 years.
The estimations about green house gas (GHG) emissions, included in the Communication, have helped in quantifying the extent of India`s GHG emissions and its rate of growth, so as to help policymakers with appropriate information.
Studies on key sectors were conducted in the short to medium and long time frame using latest models and know-how so as to bring out extant and projected high regional and sectoral variability and vulnerability, Sibal said.
"This report shall benefit state/national level policy makers in enhancing the understanding of the issues related to climate change and its impact," he said.
It would also help create general awareness of the stakeholders relating to the government`s proactive commitment towards addressing the challenges due to climate change, he said.
"The range of studies included in this report has been conducted broadly at the national level, with some specific case studies highlighting the enormous diversity of India and their regional imperatives," Sibal said.
India is a Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate (UNFCCC).
The Convention, in accordance with its Article 4.1 and 12.1, enjoins all Parties, both developed and developing countries, to furnish information, in the form of a National Communication, regarding implementation of the Convention.
This project has been implemented with the financial support of USD 3.5 million provided by Global Environment Facility and matched by a support of USD three million from the Government of India in the nature of co-financing.
PTI
