‘Clean air funding programme will be based on performance’

The latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said dangerous levels of heat and rising sea levels are priority concerns for India. What is the ministry planning to do to help mitigate the concerns? 

The steps that we have announced at COP26 are part and parcel of the larger challenge of climate change. We are looking at climate resilient infrastructure that looks at the issues of rising sea levels. For high temperatures, we have announced measures such as reduction in the use of fossil fuel. The action plans have been brought out by the budgetary announcements as well. We have talked about how adaptation and mitigation will be encouraged through sovereign green bonds, and increased emphasis on solar. All of these are part of the circular economy, a larger plan to take systematic steps to address all the connected issues of climate change. 

Which of the adaptive measures have been put in action and what measures can we expect in the future? 

The NCAP has already been launched. The way to build it into the programme of activities in partnership with the states and, in turn, the municipal authorities is part of the Fifteenth Finance Commission recommendations, which is well under way. We are also looking at the solar sector, which was assigned ₹19,000 crore in the budget this year. We are also looking at ways to eliminate plastic pollution. We have had plastic waste management rules since 2016. India was a part of a resolution passed in the UNEA 2022. It is a continuous action that has been taken and continues to be taken in all aspects related to the environment. 

Under the NCAP, performance-based green fund allocation has been adopted. What is the basis of the evaluation for the cities that are part of the programme? 

It will be a Graded Action Plan. There are slabs set for comparison, according to which a city will get that proportionated amount. There is a mathematical calculation where the population and pollution levels are taken into account. There is no specific number as to City A will get this amount or City B will get another amount. The pollution levels will be dynamic and will be compared to the slab, where the improvement is, as compared to where you were. 

What action plan is the ministry contemplating to contain the biodiversity loss? 

The approach is to take care of the mitigation measures. There is a very detailed river basin programme, which has been developed and we are going to release a detailed projects report soon. We are observing the number of wetlands and giving them Ramsar recognition. We are also trying to integrate it with our other plans for biodiversity management. For marine pollution, we have coastal zone management plans. The Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environment Management Plan (EMP) will be attuned with what harms the biodiversity and what the mitigation measures are. 

Green Bonds were announced in the budget this year. What is the objective of these bonds? 

It is all about incentivizing the funding. Climate finance is a very key aspect. At the UNEA we have continued to maintain our stance, India for Climate Justice, to get our share from the developed world. 

The production of single use plastic is under scanner. By when can we expect for it to be banned? Also, how will the ban be implemented? 

We will ban the production of single use plastic in July 2022. We have identified the items such as straws, cutlery, wrappers, etc. A lot of outreaches are done for this through the Central and State Pollution Control Boards and through the MSME (Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) departments. With all the heightened awareness in the consumers as well as the industries who are manufacturing plastic, we will definitely be able to achieve the objective of not having production of these banned items.