NEW DELHI:With the world gearing up for the UN climate change talks in Paris later this year and developing countries like India and China under pressure to take ambitious emission cuts, the Union government is leaving no stone unturned to tell the world the measures taken by it to tackle climate change.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now desired that the country’s efforts in dealing with climate change be highlighted and showcased in the run-up to the talks.
The Prime Minister’s Office has asked all Central ministries and PSUs under them to bring out booklets, brochures and short video films which will provide a snapshot of the environmental and green initiatives taken by them.
The Conference of Parties (CoP) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is scheduled to be held at Paris (November 30 to December 11) later this year, where the world will discuss and come out with a new climate regime to save the planet from global warming. “This is an event in which countries will discuss the issues relating to climate change and the progress on efforts/obligation to reduce greenhouse gas emission. The Prime Minister has desired that India’s efforts in dealing with climate change and other green initiatives should be highlighted and showcased in the run-up to the CoP,” said a senior government official.
Following the direction, Chairman of the Railway Board AK Mittal has directed that each zonal railway may nominate a nodal officer to provide the draft of a booklet and short video film containing the work in areas solar energy initiatives, improving energy efficiency, water conservation and recycling, bio-toilets in trains, use of alternative fuels and waste management among others.
“As railways are an environmentally sustainable mode of transport and have been playing a key role in saving energy and protecting environment, we should launch an effective media campaign targeted at domestic as well as international audience, during the second week of November,” said Mittal. India is scheduled to submit its ‘Intended Nationally Determined Contributions’ (INDCs), which will talk of the measures the government is taking for mitigating the impact of climate change in the long term, to the UN this week.