Haryana Government Participated in UNFCCC-COP for the First Time.

• 17 Nov 2022

Why In News?

According to the information given by an official spokesperson on November 16, 2022, the state government under the leadership of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal participated in the 27^th session of the Conference of Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) ensuring its participation on the world stage for the first time. The summit is being held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt from 6-18 November 2022.

Key Points

• A delegation led by Vineet Garg, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment and Climate Change Department, Haryana, is on a visit to Sharm-el-Sheikh to attend the conference.
• At the COP-27 held in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt, an action plan prepared by the state government on various initiatives being taken to implement 'Mission Life' - Lifestyle for Environment - 'Lifestyle for Environment', which included various countries, UN organizations, Participants from civil society organizations and youth participated in large numbers.
• Mission Life was delivered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in Gujarat in October 2022.
• Under the guidance of Chief Minister Manohar Lal, who also holds the environment and climate change portfolio, the state government has taken concrete steps to increase the green cover in the state along with launching several environmental adaptation initiatives. Apart from this, the participation of students and youth has been ensured in the plantation and greenery campaign under the leadership of Forest and Education Minister Kanwar Pal.
• The UNFCCC is one of the Rio Conventions and more than 190 member states are participating in COP-27 to deliberate on challenges and road maps to consider climate change.
• The spokesperson said that the initiatives being taken by Haryana on the five elixirs (Panchamrit) of India's climate change action plan and commitments during COP-26 in Glasgow, UK, were presented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP-27. The special event showcased initiatives of the Government of Haryana that support the climate goals and India's commitment to climate neutrality by 2070.
• Haryana has set an excellent example in promoting Agroforestry and Tree Outside Forest (TOF). Despite being a forest deficient state with only 3.5 percent under forest area, Haryana accounts for about 50 percent of the country's plywood production with agro-based timber sourced from non-forest areas.
• Haryana is also part of the USAID supported TOFI (Tree Outside Forests in India) program which is to be implemented in seven states of India. The TOFI program will contribute to sequestration of 420 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent and cover 2.8 million hectares of new land under TOF.
• Through the establishment of six interdisciplinary centers focused on research on processes and technologies for thematic areas - Water, Air, Earth, Forest, Energy and Waste to Wealth conservation in a special event organized during COP-27 Climate action is being demonstrated since.