Wither Green Missions!
By Dr Arvind Kumar
Recent media reports about Prime Minister’s Office in India having found that some of the missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) are ‘slipping from course’ are a serious cause of worry. Launched as part of India’s domestic action in limiting growth of climate changing greenhouse gases, the NAPCC has eight missions – National Solar Mission, National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency, National Mission on Sustainable Habitat, National Water Mission, National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem, National Mission for Green India, National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture; and national Mission for Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change. The mid-term review of these missions has revealed that while some have picked up steam, many have been lagging behind or have not shown any clear results. The review has reportedly brought forth the fact that missions like the one on sustainable agriculture have not even got any funding under the current five-year-plan and is carrying on its research from existing resources.
On the other hand, solar mission has taken off but there are concerns on whether it will be able to deliver on targets owing to wrong pricing of solar energy. Besides, the other mission which is expected to have hard delivery targets is the one on energy efficiency. All these missions have ambitious targets and their timely attainment is in national interest. However, lack of good governance, absence of inter-ministerial convergence, coordination and cooperation, lack of transparency and accountability are perhaps the major hurdles that need to be tamed over to insulate these missions with dynamism.
