India’s National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC)

In June 2008, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh released the first National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) for India. Currently, all Indian states are preparing State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCC) to operationalize the NAPCC.
NAPCC outlines how India plans to address national climate change concerns over the coming years without compromising the country’s development. The plan enlists the following eight core missions addressing both climate change adaptation and mitigation concerns across different sectors (GoI 2008a):

• The National Solar Mission promotes the development and use of solar energy for power generation and other uses. Its ultimate objective is to make solar energy competitive with fossil-based energy options.
• The National Missionfor Enhanced Energy Efficiency aims at implementing a host of programmes that will improve energy efficiency in the energy-consuming industries and sectors. Incentives are among others: energy-savings certificates, reduced taxes for energy-efficient appliances and public private partnerships.
• The National Mission on Sustainable Habitat promotes energy efficiency as a core component of urban planning. It includes the extension of the existing Energy Conservation Building Code as well as more efficient waste management and recycling and more environment-friendly transportation.
• The National Water Mission sets the goal of a 20% improvement in water use efficiency through pricing and other measures.
• The National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem aims to conserve biodiversity, forest cover, and other ecological values in the Himalayan region. Background: the region’s glaciers, which are projected to recede as a result of global warming, are a major source of India’s water supply.
• The National Mission for a ‘Green India’ focuses on the afforestation of 6 million hectares of degraded forest lands and the extension of forest cover from currently 23% to 33% of India’s territory.
• The National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture supports climate adaptation in agriculture through the development of climate-resilient crops, the expansion of weather insurance mechanisms and innovative agricultural practices.
• The National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change seeks to establish a better understanding of climate science, impacts and challenges. This mission envisions a new Climate Science Research Fund, improved climate modelling, and increased international collaboration. It also encourages private sector initiatives to develop adaptation and mitigation technologies through venture capital funds.