COP22: India focuses on afforestation and sustainable transport
The India Pavilion at COP22 saw three side-events on afforestation, REDD+ and sustainable transport
Special Secretary Rajani Ranjan Rashmi addressing the session on �Sustainable Transport Systems� at the India Pavilion
On the third day of Conference of Parties (COP-22) on Wednesday, being held at Marrakech in Morocco, the India Pavilion witnessed three side-events that focused on the initiatives in afforestation and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) in India, ecosystem and climate change and sustainable transportation.
During the first session on "Afforestation and REDD+", experts highlighted that forests play a crucial role in mitigating climate change, particularly in India, where nearly 25 per cent of the area has tree cover. The Government has asked the forestry sector to help the country meet its goal of creation of 2.5-3.0 billion tonnes of additional carbon sinks, as per the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). This target will be met using a variety of means, including afforestation, reforestation, and agro-forestry, conducted through community participation and mechanisms like REDD+.
India has begun implementing REDD+ pilot projects, developing protocols for improving measurement, reporting, and verification and safeguard information systems. Emphasis was also placed on promoting the exchange of information and present potential collaborations among South Asian countries that share Himalayan and tropical ecologies.
In the second session on ecosystem and climate change, discussions were held on the role of forest in climate change mitigation and adaptation. Climate change alters existing biome types and can cause forest dieback with consequent loss of biodiversity. Various forest conservation oriented acts and policies in India are contributing to a reduction in CO2 emissions, stabilisation and improvement of carbon stocks in forests, and conservation of biodiversity.
India's forests serve as a major sink of CO2, offsetting around 12 per cent of the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the country. Showcasing India�s efforts on sustainable transport solutions, the country's Ministry of Railways, with its technical partner, Council on Energy, Environment and Water, hosted the third session on "Sustainable Transport Solutions".
Special Secretary, MoEFCC, R R Rashmi, pointed out that India is on the road to managing its transport sector emissions. "In addition, there have been efforts to decrease fossil-fuel dependence in the transport sector, which have been incorporated by moving towards cleaner sources of energy and increasing the share of renewables in driving mobility," she added.
India has focused its low carbon initiatives on the development of railways, waterways, Mass Rapid Transport System and other forms of public transport. Initiatives such as the Dedicated Freight Corridors and the Sagarmala projects on development of waterwayswere discussed by Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Shipping. The initiatives are aimed at increasing the share and volume of freight traffic on the more energy efficient rail and water based transport modes. The representative from Council on Energy, Environment and Water highlighted that the Indian Railways has taken a leadership role by planning to substitute its petroleum use with alternatives like bio-fuels, and consistently pursuing a policy of railway electrification through renewable sources of energy, with potential reduction of 138 MT of CO2 by 2030.
COP 22: India not happy with the mode of work under APA
According to India, the progress report was mitigation-centric and did not capture the range and depth of discussions held during deliberations
Developing countries also supported India's view that mitigation-centric progress report limits the scope of Paris Agreement. Credit: Takver/ Flicker
India and other developing countries raised objections to the mode of work conducted under Adhoc Working Group on Paris Agreement (APA) for formulating rules and modalities for mitigation, global stocktake, adaptation communication, new market mechanism and other aspects. On November 10, all the co-facilitators dealing with different items reported on the progress happened so far under each item.
The work of forming rules and modalities has started under each agenda item but India, along with other developing countries, was not happy with the progress report that was conveyed to the co-chairs of the APA, Sara Bashaan and Jo Tyndall.
Focus on mitigation limits the Paris Agreement
India expressed its concerns saying that the progress report was mitigation-centric and did not capture the range and depth of discussions held during the deliberations. It argued that the Paris Agreement is based on equity, therefore, "when we agree to operationalise the Paris Agreement" with respect to its provisions and elements, "we have to operationalise equity under each element".
India requested that the report should be reflective and balanced. The view was supported by other developing countries who also felt that focus on mitigation limits the Paris Agreement and stress should be also on other elements including adaptation and means of implementation. They put forth that Paris Agreement is built on a balanced approach and this should be sustained.
On adaptation communication, it was agreed that lot of issues remain to be resolved, including tracking adaptation and assessment of adaptation communication. The Parties were invited to make submissions and workshop was scheduled for June 2017 on the same agenda item.
On transparency framework, there was general consensus on having a robust transparency framework, but there were differences on structure of this framework and on the issue of flexibility.
Global stocktake
A non-paper was brought out on the issue of global stocktake. It encapsulated the views of the Parties. Issues for further consideration in the non-paper were categorised into three parts. The first part was related to input of the global stocktake and what all should feed into it. In the second part, the non-paper was about how the global stocktake should be conducted and organised. It included elements like assessment of progress, responsibility of conducting the global stocktake, how to address linkages and how to link it with other processes.
The third category of questions dealt with the outcomes of global stocktake and what would be the form and format of the outcome, who would be the audience of the outcome and how would it be used to raise ambition among the Parties. The non-paper is expected to be the starting point for negotiations under this item.
Developing countries were not happy with the process of work undertaken. According to them, it was not reflective and equity seemed to be absent from the agenda. The developed countries, however, expressed satisfaction with the process of work and welcomed the progress which, it said, was balanced and reflective. The APA further discussed how to capture progress under each agenda item in its closing plenary that is scheduled to take place on November 14.