New Delhi: Comply with the body’s decision of the UN climate change on mitigation options through the Green Cover – known as the REDD + initiative, India has come out with the draft mechanism to report its progress on this global body.
This mechanism, called ‘Safeguard Information System’ (SIS), will assist the state to report the conservation process at the UN framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC) in various aspects of protection adopted during the afforestation drive.
This step is needed to access results-based financial support for REDD + (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation) which is one of the climate change mitigation options in developing countries for forest carbon stock conservation, sustainable emissions management of deforestation and forest degradation.
“India has developed a national REDD + strategy and forest reference level.
Now, SIS for REDD + has been developed through a broad-stakeholder consultation process,” said Office Note (OM) of the Ministry of Environment, looking for comments and suggestions for the state and other stakeholders to complete the reporting mechanism.
SIS will be resolved after analyzing comments and suggestions that can be shared with the Ministry on October 15.
In accordance with the Cancun Agreement from the UNFCCC, developing countries are required to develop SIS to report compliance with protection while implementing REDD + activities.
After negative SIS, India will periodically submit a summary of information about protection against the UN Climate Change Agency with a report on two-year renewal, national communication or other appropriate ways as decided by the UNFCCC.
To resolve complaints related to the application of protection in the implementation of REDD + activities, three complaints repetition committees are proposed to be set at the national, state and local level.
Twenty indicators have been identified for information gathering / data on how Cancun protection will be intended and respected during the implementation of REDD + activities.
Because REDD + activities can cause some environmental and social risks, UNFCCC member countries have adopted a set of seven protections – known as Cancun protection – which need to be addressed and respected.
Countries through SIS will tell the UN’s body about how they protect the rights of the community while simultaneously taking forest conservation measures.
India has previously developed its National REDD + strategy which aims to achieve climate change mitigation by giving incentives in forest conservation.
This strategy seeks to overcome the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation and also develop roadmaps to increase forest carbon stocks and achieve sustainable forest management through REDD + actions.
The National REDD + strategy of India is one of the tools to achieve the country’s commitment to the Paris agreement.
The target ‘The nationally determined contribution’ (NDC) for the forestry sector under the agreement is to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tons of CO2 equivalent through forest cover and trees in 2030.
The state has planned to achieve this target.
By increasing ongoing programs such as the National Mission for Indian and National Greening Programs.