PM's Climate Change Council reconstituted

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Government reconstitutes the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change
The Government has decided to re-constitute the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change to coordinate National Action for Assessment, Adaptation and Mitigation of Climate Change.

The composition of the reconstituted Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change, as approved by Prime Minister, is as follows:




Prime Minister

Chairperson



Minister for External Affairs

Member



Finance Minister

Member



Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change

Member



Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation

Member



Minister for Agriculture

Member



Minister for Urban Development

Member



Minister for Science and Technology

Member



MoS (Power, Coal and NRE)

Member



Cabinet Secretary

Member



Foreign Secretary

Member



Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change

Member



Dr. R. K. Pachauri, Chairperson, TERI

Member



Dr. Nitin Desai

Member



Shri ChandrasekarDasgupta

Member



Shri Ajay Mathur, Chairperson, BEE

Member



Shri J.M. Mauskar

Member



Principal Secretary to PM

Member convenor




Objective of PM’s Council on Climate Change:

The PM’s Council on Climate Change would focus on the following tasks:
· Evolve a coordinated response to issues relating to climate change at the national level;
· Provide oversight for formulation of action plans in the area of assessment, adaptation and mitigation of climate change;
· Periodically monitor key policy decisions.

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change will assist PMO in facilitating the work of this Committee.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Reconstituted Executive Committee on Climate Change holds first meeting


The reconstituted Executive Committee on Climate Change (ECCC) held its first meeting today. The Committee reviewed the progress made by the eight National Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).

The Committee was apprised of the fact that 29 states had prepared their State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC). The committee noted that allocation of additional 1500 MW power was made by the Ministry of Power to Ministry of New and Renewable Energy for bundling scheme and that a team for quantification of GHG emission reduction through the implementation of national missions was set up. The Committee was also apprised about the establishment of a unit to coordinate actions in all Himalayan States and an institutional mechanism in 7 Himalayan States by Department of Science & Technology (DST) etc.

The National Mission on Enhanced Energy Efficiency reported emissions reduction by around 98.55 million tons by 2015 and saving of 23 million tons of oil- equivalent of fuel savings and distribution of 2.58 million LED bulbs. The designated consumers in the PAT scheme would be enhancing energy efficiency by 4.05% per year which would reduce energy cost by 7500 crores per year. The Committee suggested that the Mission should enhance its targets in the next PAT cycle.

The Solar Mission reported the addition of grid solar power of 2870 MW and off -grid solar applications of 364.27 MW along with solar thermal collectors of 8.42 million sq. Mtr till 2013-14 and total CO2 reduction of 15.5 million tonnes. The Committee was apprised of the new projects of solar parks, solar PV power projects on canal top/canal banks and solar power driven agricultural pump sets and water pumping station in 2014-15 and implementation of green corridors transmission infrastructure.

While noting the progress made, the Committee expressed concern on lack of progress in allocation of sub-targets within the existing earmarking of 3 % for solar projects and implementation of Sustainable Habitat standards by the States. The lack of adequate funding was flagged by some of the missions. The committee discussed some other initiatives as envisaged in the NAPCC. These are Greenhouse Gas (GHG) mitigation in power generation; other Renewable Energy Technologies (RET) programmes; Disaster management links; Protection of coastal areas; Health sector; and creating capacity at different levels of government on climate change and suggested that relevant ministries may prepare a work programme on all these initiatives. It advised that Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) should coordinate these initiatives. Suggestions were also made to launch new national missions in the field of Wind Energy, Health, Waste to Energy conversion and Coastal management.

The committee appreciated the efforts of state governments in formulating SAPCCs and recommended launching of a new Central Sponsored Scheme (CSS), if required, for implementing some of their priority projects. The committee suggested expediting the finalisation of remaining 6 SAPCCs. The committee was apprised of the “Low Carbon Strategies for Inclusive Growth” by the Planning Commission.