With poverty eradication being one of the main objectives of the Narendra Modi Government, the Environment Ministry on Tuesday announced an ambitious programme, which will have participation of people and also Ministries of Water Resources, Rural Development and Agriculture, for making India ‘land degradation neutral’ by 2030.
Further, ahead of the UN climate talks in New York in September, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar reiterated India’s “right to grow” in the process of which “net emissions might increase”.
The Minister was speaking as the chief guest on the occasion of “World Day to Combat Desertification”, organised by the Environment Ministry and Indian Council for Forestry Research and Education. The theme of the programme was ‘land belongs to the Future, let’s Climate Proof it’ .
The Minister said that the objective of the land degradation neutrality programme is to maintain or improve the condition of land resources through the sustainable management of soil, water and biodiversity. This according to him would be a long term solution to the country’s food security and livelihood challenges.
He pointed out that increasing population is resulting in one-third of the country’s land area becoming barren or getting desertified. Climate change and resulting disturbances such as floods also have a negative effect on the land.
The concept of land degradation neutrality was born out of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) where member States recognised the need for urgent action to reverse land degradation. The concept also embraces the restoration of degraded natural and semi-natural ecosystems that provide vital, albeit indirect, services to people and working landscapes.
Speaking from the same platform, the Minister also sent out a strong signal to the developed world on the issue of carbon emission saying developing countries are emerging economies and have “a right to grow” and in the process “our net emission may increase.”
Javadekar stressed that the problem of carbon emission has not been created by the developing nations and hence responsibility for addressing it should not be solely thrust on them. He, however, clarified that the country has to reduce carbon emissions and he is not getting into any type of blame game
His statement assumes significance especially when the meeting of Governments, heads from finance, business, local Government and civil societies are scheduled in New York in September this year to discuss on ways to keep the earth below the globally agreed two degree temperature rise.
Javadekar further noted that poverty is an “environmental disaster”, adding “unless we tackle poverty, unless we eradicate poverty, we cannot really address the climate change”.
The statement is expected to further strengthen the BASIC group of nations on climate comprising of a bloc of four biggest emerging countries viz. Brazil, South Africa, India and China that was formed in November 2009.