- The Union Cabinet today approved the Mission document on the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE).
- This Mission was launched under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) with a budget outlay of Rs. 550 crore during the XII Five Year Plan period.
- The mission's primary objective is to improve the health of the Himalayan Ecosystem for sustainable development through capacity building.
- It will also assist executive bodies with policy-formulation and their implementation in the Indian Himalayan Region to ensure sustainable development.
Detailed Objectives
- It will study the Himalayan glaciers and associated hydrological consequences which will help in prediction and management of natural hazards.
- To calculate vulnerability of the Himalayan region with respect to climate change in all dimensions of physical, biological and socio-cultural aspects.
- Formulation of proper initiatives and building of quick response mechanism to preserve and protect the ecosystem.
- To help build capacities at all executive level to predict and assess consequences due to climate change and launch preventive and restorative measures to beat the challenges in the Himalayan region.
- To safeguard native communities in particular and biodiversity in general in the region from the impacts of climate change through proper mechanism.
- Assist in restoration and rehabilitation process of Uttarakhand which was devastated in last year's ravaging floods.
The NMSHE will address a variety of important issues like
a) Himalayan glaciers and associated hydrological consequences
b) Prediction and management of natural hazards
c) Biodiversity conservation and protection
d) Wild life conservation and protection
e) Traditional knowledge societies and their livelihood
f) Capacity in regulation of science and critical peer evaluation to help governance issues related to sustenance of the Himalayan Ecosystem
g) Assist in restoration and rehabilitation process of Uttrakhand
This mission would also assess the vulnerability of the Himalayan region to climate change scientifically in dimensions like physical, biological and socio-cultural aspects. This scientific assess would lead to formulation of appropriate policy measures and time bound action programme to sustain its ecological resilience and ensure the continued provisions of key ecosystem services.
Other important aims of the Mission
• To build and support capacities at central and state levels to assess climate change and formulation of response measures to challenges in the Himalayan region
• Safeguard the communities in the Himalayas from the impacts of climate change through evidence based policy formulation and enhanced research and capacity (major beneficiaries marginalized and vulnerable communities)
a) Himalayan glaciers and associated hydrological consequences
b) Prediction and management of natural hazards
c) Biodiversity conservation and protection
d) Wild life conservation and protection
e) Traditional knowledge societies and their livelihood
f) Capacity in regulation of science and critical peer evaluation to help governance issues related to sustenance of the Himalayan Ecosystem
g) Assist in restoration and rehabilitation process of Uttrakhand
This mission would also assess the vulnerability of the Himalayan region to climate change scientifically in dimensions like physical, biological and socio-cultural aspects. This scientific assess would lead to formulation of appropriate policy measures and time bound action programme to sustain its ecological resilience and ensure the continued provisions of key ecosystem services.
Other important aims of the Mission
• To build and support capacities at central and state levels to assess climate change and formulation of response measures to challenges in the Himalayan region
• Safeguard the communities in the Himalayas from the impacts of climate change through evidence based policy formulation and enhanced research and capacity (major beneficiaries marginalized and vulnerable communities)
Coverage
The Mission covers all 12 Himalayan States of India
- Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, and two partial hill States namely, Assam and West Bengal.
More
- The Department of Science and Technology will coordinate the implementation of NMSHE.
Background
- The rapidly changing climate around us is both a threat and opportunity to the environmental and sustainable development in the world today and India is no exception.
- With this in mind, Indian Prime Minister released India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) in June 2008.
- The document detailed a road map on how the country should best deal with the challenges posed by climate change on its way to development.
The NAPCC comprises of eight national Missions
- National Solar Mission
- National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency
- National Mission on Sustainable Habitat
- National Water Mission
- National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Eco-system
- National Mission for a Green India
- National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
- National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change
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