Climate change missions did not see 'expected' progress: Govt

Acknowledging that national climate change missions have not achieved "expected" progress, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar today said the government is taking steps to speed up implementation of these programmes.
Towards the eight national climate missions, little over Rs 4,406 crore has been spent since 2011-12 till end of December 2014, Javadekar told the Lok Sabha.
In the last four years, the progress "expected" in regard to implementation of national climate change missions "has not happened", he said during Question Hour.
However, Javadekar, who is the Minister of State for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, said in the past nine months efforts have been made to speed up the activities.

"Climate change is a reality. Everyone must take action. ... We are doing it (efforts) on our own commitment," the Minister said while responding to queries on whether mandatory targets were yet to be achieved.
There are eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) pertaining to the areas of solar, enhanced energy efficiency, sustainable habitat, water, sustainable agriculture, sustaining Himalayan ecosystem, green India and strategic knowledge for climate change.

The total approved costs for these missions was Rs 36,625 crore. In the current fiscal till December 2014, about Rs 2,157.8 crore was spent, higher than the expenditure of Rs 802.13 crore seen in 2013-14, he said.

The expenses touched Rs 701.78 crore in 2012-13 while the same stood at Rs 744.76 crore in 2011-12.
Three out of the eight missions, including those on solar, energy efficiency and green India, relate to mitigation of carbon emissions.
"The carbon dioxide emission intensity of Gross Domestic Product has been reduced by approximately 14 per cent in 2010 as compared to 2015 as base year at constant prices," Javadekar said.