Lok Sabha Debates
The Speaker Made An Observation Regarding The Importance Of The Discussion On ... on 8 December, 2021
Seventeenth Loksabha > Title: The Speaker made an observation regarding the importance of the discussion on climate change.
माननीय अध्यक्ष:मैं इस विषय पर नियम 193 के तहत आज जिस विषय पर अल्पकालीन चर्चा हो रही है, यह विषय पूरी मानवता के लिए अत्यंत महत्वपूर्ण है । जलवायु परिवर्तन मानव सभ्यता पर एक बड़ा संकट है, जिसे लेकर आज पूरा विश्व चिंतित है ।
हमारे लिए यह हर्ष का विषय है कि माननीय प्रधान मंत्री जी के नेतृत्व में भारत अनेक अंतर्राष्ट्रीय मंचों पर इस समस्या के समाधान के लिए अग्रिम भूमिका निभा रहा है । यह एक ऐसा व्यापक विषय है, जिसमें देश की सभी लोकतांत्रिक संस्थाओं, समस्त जनता तथा जनप्रतिनिधियों के सामूहिक भागीदारी की आवश्यकता है ।
मेरा आग्रह है कि हमारे जनप्रतिनिधियों ने इस संदर्भ में जो भी प्रयास किए हैं, इस चर्चा में अवश्य साझा करें ताकि अपने योगदान और अनुभव से देश की विभिन्न लोकतांत्रिक संस्थाओं और जनप्रतिनधियों को प्रेरणा मिल सके ।मेरा विश्वास है कि इस विषय पर आज की चर्चा अत्यंत सार्थक, रचनात्मक और प्रोडक्टिव रहेगी ।
श्रीमती करुणानिधि कनिमोझी ।
SHRIMATI KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI (THOOTHUKKUDI): Thank you, Sir. It is very heart-warming to listen to your words which give us a lot of credibility because there are people who still do not accept that there is climate change and it is a crisis. So, I start by thanking you for your words.
Today, human beings have become richer, more powerful, and more advanced. The literacy rate is much higher than ever before. But today’s youth have never ever been faced with this kind of climate anxiety.
माननीय अध्यक्ष : माननीय सदस्यगण, सदन में आपस में चर्चा मत कीजिए ।
… (व्यवधान)
माननीय अध्यक्ष : प्लीज, आप लोग बैठ जाइए ।
SHRIMATI KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI: Their minds are eclipsed with fear. When I was talking to a group of youngsters, one of the boys told me that he is not sure whether he will reach the age of 50. It was very disturbing to listen to a young person, in his early 20s, saying that he does not know whether he will reach the age of 50. We cannot wish climate change away.
One of our youngest climate activists, Greta Thunberg said, “I want you to act as if your house is on fire”. We cannot call climate activists as alarmists or we cannot push it away saying that there is a conspiracy behind it. Our oceans are heating up. The rains are acidic. Forests are burning. Coasts are eroding. Sea levels are rising, and people are getting displaced. That is the truth.
We are bickering and politicking over caste, religion, and racial differences. While we are doing all these, we are losing the only habitat known to human kind. This is an existential crisis and nothing is more important than this.
The IPCC Assessment Report, which was released in August this year, has stated that it is a ‘code red for humanity’. It is said that it is not just climate change but a climate emergency.
The COP 26, 26th Conference of Parties for United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was held one month ago in Glasgow. The 26th COP meeting is considered as the most significant meeting of the century because of the crisis in front of us.
15 . 28 hrs (Dr. Prof. Kirit Premjibhai Solanki in the Chair) There were around six trillion trees on this earth before agriculture revolution, which started nearly 10,000 years ago. Today, it is less than half of what was there before the revolution started. Losing our forests is not just losing places of calm and comfort. We are losing the diversity of life, human health, the livelihood it provides, and the climate resilience it gives to the earth.
Global warming is simply increasing carbon emissions in the atmosphere, more than what can be absorbed by the trees, seas, and natural environment. Sir David Attenborough recently mentioned that the concentration of carbon in our atmosphere finally comes down to a single number. We should all join our hands together to combat it.
The IPCC Report 2018 also warned us that global warming will increase during the 21st century unless de-production in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse emissions occur in the coming decades.
The Paris Climate Agreement of 2015 was about limiting the rise in global temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius. The Glasgow Agreement has gone a step ahead and has set an ambitious goal of reducing it to around 1.5 degrees Celsius, that is pre-industrial revolution levels.
Our hon. Prime Minister has made five important commitments in the Climate Summit. They are: India will increase its non-fossil energy capacity to 500 gigawatts by 2030; India will fulfil 50 per cent of its energy requirements with renewable energy by 2030; India will reduce its carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030; India will reduce carbon intensity of its economy by 45 per cent by 2030; and India will achieve net zero emissions by 2070.
‘Net zero’ is a balance between the amount of greenhouse gases produced and removed from the atmosphere.
All five commitments made by India are about mitigation aspects of climate change. The final commitment of achieving net zero by 2070 has received the most praise. The IPCC Report – 1.5 degrees Celsius is the first document that mentions about net zero emissions. The report explored and presented pathways for countries to limit the global average temperature increase within 1.5 degrees Celsius. One of the key insights from this Report is that the world needs to achieve this by 2050 to limit its temperature. Sir, I would like to ask what does it mean to achieve net zero emissions by 2070 for India.
According to the study conducted by the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water, India’s total installed solar power capacity needs to increase to 5,630 gigawatts by 2070 to achieve this net zero which we have made as a promise in the Summit to the world. But the Government in its reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on 2nd December, 2021, has said that only 46.25 gigawatt of grid-connected solar power has been installed in this country. So, how are you going to achieve your target? I mean this is nothing compared to what we have promised to the world.
The usage of coal especially for power generation would need to peak by 2040 and drop by 99 per cent between 2040 and 2060. Further, crude oil consumption also has to peak by 2050 and fall substantially by 90 per cent. In the Paris Agreement, India committed to increase the share of non-fossil fuel resources to 40 per cent of the power generation capacity and reduce the emissions intensity of the economy by 30 to 35 per cent compared to the 2005 levels. To achieve our Paris pledge, we have to complete, at least, 175 gigawatt of renewable energy generation by 2022. But we have not even achieved two-thirds of what we have to achieve. So, how are you going to keep up the promise you have made to this world?
To achieve its new goals, India will need to do much more in a holistic way. For instance, our country has a target of achieving 40 gigawatt of green energy from the rooftop solar sectors by 2022. But so far, we have not been able to achieve even 20 per cent of that.
In the transport sector, India’s target is that around 30 per cent of the share of the electric vehicles will be increased by 2030. But according to the Climate Action Tracker, to be compatible with the Paris Agreement, the share of EV sales needs to be between 95 to 100 per cent by 2040. Our target is 30 per cent but it has to be nearly 85 to 100 per cent. How are you going to bridge this gap?
The next major roadblock for India achieving its net zero emissions is India’s increased reliance on coal for power generation. More than 52 per cent of India’s energy needs are met by coal alone and more than 60 per cent are from fossil fuels. While in the past seven years, the country has invested Rs. 5.2 trillion in renewable energy but the investment in fossil fuel industry has come down only by four per cent which is around Rs. 245 trillion. So, how are you going to keep the promise you made to the world?
The coal production is estimated to increase by one billion tonnes by 2024 from 716 million tonnes in 2021. India has the second largest coal fired power plant pipeline in the world. According to the Central Electricity Authority, coal capacity is projected to increase from 202 gigawatt in 2021 to 266 gigawatt by 2029-30. The thermal power plants are not only a major source of carbon emissions, they also have other emissions like nitrous and sulphur oxide. India is the largest emitter of sulphur dioxide in the world. How are we going to reduce this? The Government initially had set a deadline for 2017 to instal flue gas desulfurization units that will cut sulphur dioxide in coal plants. But then, we have moved the deadlines for future. We did not do anything to cut the emissions. But the easiest thing to do was to move the deadlines from 2017 to a future date. The reason is cost. It is because private players and corporate companies do not want to pay that much to instal the desulfurization units to cut down the emissions and even the Government did not want to do it. But I would like to ask one question. Which is more important - human lives or the costs? It is very clear that the reliance on coal for energy in India will continue and it will peak by 2040. But the Government is not honouring it. After that, demand for energy will fall and then only, you will be able to reach your net zero by 2070. You have not started honouring your commitments. You are just pushing deadlines. How will you achieve what you have promised to do?
Sir, everybody blames the developed nations and it is true that all of us are paying the price for what the developed nations did. Today, India wants to position itself as the voice of the developing nations and the third world countries. It is our duty to make sure that they have made a commitment of Rs. 100 billion dollars to combat climate change. What have we done to ensure that this commitment made by these nations is fulfilled?
Today, what we eat, how we travel, how we live, everything has an impact on environment. Who is making profits out of it? It is the big corporate companies. These corporate companies do not let justice be done to people. Their lobbies will not allow the Governments to make policy changes and they do not allow justice to be done to the people and we have examples like the Union Carbide plant. Even after 35 years of that incident, still people are seeking justice. The people have not got what they have to be given. The compensation has not been given to them and there is no clean up. Whatever was dumped there, it is still there. It is lying around. They have not cleaned up. Same thing has happened in Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu. The Unilever which has dumped mercury is poisoning the forests for the past 14 years. The people who are working are facing the problems. The river water is so polluted. Are they held accountable? No, they get away without any penalty. Without getting justice for the common people, what are we going to do? How are we going to keep the promises made to the world?
Sir, we talk about so many disasters. We talk about refugees around the world -- people who are affected because of political turmoil; because of religion; because of race and because of so many other reasons. But we forget to talk about climate refugees. These people are going to constitute the largest number of people in the future.
According to statistics, an average of 26 million people around the world have been forcibly displaced by floods, wind storms, earthquakes and droughts. This number of people, by 2050 will be increasing to 2 more million who will be forced to flee their home, the places where they live in; the places where they work; where their forefathers lived; where their children are supposed to live. They will have to leave these places and move and run as refugees because of climate change. Sadly, the Refugee Convention in 1951 did not talk about the climate refugees and we did not care about them then. We did not even know much about them then. But it is the responsibility of countries like India to make sure that these climate refugees are included and there is a definition for climate refugees so that their plight can be addressed and the world can be more sympathetic towards them.
In India itself, close to 1.5 million people are being displaced every year because of climate change and because of extremities which we face every year. This displacement of people does not affect just the people of our country, but even neighbouring countries are going to be affected because of the rising water levels in the sea and if they are submerged, then people are going to come to our country and we will be affected. What is the plan? What is the policy? Does the Government have any clarity or idea? Have the Government thought how they are going to handle the people who are going to be internally displaced? Agriculture is going to be affected. People living in the coastal areas are going to be affected. The fishermen are going to be affected. Their livelihoods are going to be affected? How are we going to handle that? How are we going to handle people who would be coming from other nations into our country?
Sir, the hon. Members of this House must have seen as to what happened in many of the States in India. Recently, in the State of Tamil Nadu there has been 75 per cent rainfall. These extreme weather conditions are caused by erratic rainfall pattern. The impact of climate change cannot be ignored because they are overlapping. Cities and agricultural lands are being affected. Cities are being flooded. Does the Government have any plan about how we are going to deal with this problem in future? We have a problem; there is excessive rainfall. Chennai was flooded. My parliamentary constituency Thoothukuddi was flooded. We are struggling to drain the water out. I think, the Union Government has to have a clear plan on how we are going to deal with it. How future monsoons are going to be dealt with? Does the Government have any plan and clarity about it?
Sadly, Chennai is struggling with floods. Water has stagnated and does not have a way out to the sea. In spite of all that the Government intends to expand the port. The Government even proposes to close the Ennore Creek and the Kosasthalaiyar River Basin because they want to expand the port. What happens to the city and the people there? Should we all get drowned? That is the only thing which will happen if the Creek is closed.
We have to think about what is good in the long run, what is good for the people and not what is good for the corporates.
The Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change was constituted in 2007 and then it was reconstituted, like every organisation would be reconstituted, in 2014. The Prime Minister held the first meeting of the Council on 19th January, 2015. I would like to ask the Minister if the Council ever met after that or not. I have gone through the media news and other reports. There is no information of the Council meeting ever again. So, the Council did not meet after that, and the Prime Minister went to the Glasgow Summit on Climate Change. He made promises, he delivered a speech and said what the stand of the country is going to be. The Minister was also there.
If you had not consulted the Council, then why do you have it? You did not consult any of the States; you did not consult any of the Chief Ministers. Whatever promise you make, it is the State Governments which have to implement it. Without the support of the State Governments, nothing can move. This is a federal nation and it is called the Union of States. I hope the Government remembers that and it has to consult the States. It has to include the States because we are the worst affected. When there is a flood, when farmers and people are affected, and when we ask the Central Government for funds, we get very little funds. If we ask for Rs. 4000 crores, not even Rs. 150 crores reach us. So, neither you help us by giving funds nor you consult us. I think it is very important to consult us.
Moreover, I would like to ask about the progress achieved through the National Action Plan on Climate Change. It was recently constituted. I would like to know what they have done. The Report of the Apex Committee for implementation of the Paris Agreement is also not available. We do not know what they have done and what they have achieved. It should be made available to the public so that they can understand what you have been doing and how you have been working.
On Atma Nirbhar…..… (Interruptions) That is the problem. You do not understand that we speak different languages. Either it should be in English or you should have it in regional languages so that all of us can say it.… (Interruptions)
All right. I will speak in Tamil from now onwards. You tell me whether you understand or not. For that, you are saying that we have to seek permission. That is the problem.
The stimulus package not only has no place for environmental safeguards but also it is actually ecologically very regressive. One would have thought that the increasing scientific evidence linking economic problems and livelihood and disease outbreaks to ecological devastation would prompt the Government, that proclaims itself to be sustainable, to put in place measures for conservation of natural eco systems and wildlife. This is totally missing from your vision.
We say ‘Make in India’. I would rather say it as Tharcharbu India but we are waiting for technologies from developed nations for tackling climatic change problems. There is a lot of discussion about carbon capture, utilisation, storage, hydrogen cells, etc. I would like to know the stand of the Government on what it thinks about it. Do you think it is efficient, do you think that we can also include that or that we can think about it? Nobody knows what the Government thinks about it and whether it can be taken seriously or we are not going to include that in our Climate Policy. It is prohibitively very expensive. You are not doing anything to stop emissions. Sulphur oxide emissions are there in the coal factories. This is very prohibitive. So, under ‘Make in India’, why can we not think about technologies which will reduce emissions and protect our people?
India has not invested in policies to facilitate our Net Zero commitments to COP26. It has also not made the budgetary allocations necessary to execute our promise to Net Zero 2070.
The Union Government has actually reduced the budgetary allocation to the Environment Ministry. The Minister, I am sure, is well aware of it and he must have felt the pinch. It has been reduced by Rs.230 crore this year compared to the previous year.
In Glasgow Summit, our Environment Minister had said that climate finance is not charity. This is an obligation, responsibility, duty and a vow. I hope he reminds the Government and the Finance Ministry about this that it is not charity and it is a very, very important department and they have to allocate enough funds to protect our people and the country.
The economic development and environmental conservation do not have to be on opposite sides. There are many models in front of us which can ensure both development and conservation. But we have to listen and we should believe in consultation. We should consult the experts, scientists and people who have been working at the grass-root level.
I think climate literacy is very important. Not just for students, I think the for politicians, for public representatives, for the officers, whoever is involved in policy making and will be policy makers of the future, they have to have climate literacy and they should understand that it is very important to protect this world.
The Governments needs to formulate a policy on climate change mitigation and adaptation with adequate investment in research and development. It is imperative that the Central Government holds the consultations with all the State Governments, environmentalists, activists and people who have been working towards combating climate change.
I would like to conclude by quoting Mr. Jay Inslee, 23rd Governor of Washington: “We are the first generation to feel the sting of climate change and we are the last generation that can do something about it”. So, let us do something about it together. We are not here to say that you are in the Treasury and we are in the Opposition. Nobody can be above the criticism. We accept that. I think that we have to come together to protect and do something about climate change. That is the only true gift we can give to the next generation. Thank you. * डॉ. संजय जायसवाल (पश्चिम चम्पारण): सभापति महोदय, सबसे पहले मैं माननीय लोक सभा अध्यक्ष महोदय जी के प्रति आभार व्यक्त करना चाहता हूं कि उन्होंने आसन से जलवायु परिवर्तन के संबंध में जो रूलिंग दी है, उसके लिए संसद ही नहीं, बल्कि पूरा देश उनका आभारी है । साथ में, उन्होंने यह भी कहा था कि हम अपने क्षेत्रों में क्या कर रहे हैं, अगर इसके बारे में माननीय सांसद बताएंगे, तो बहुत अच्छा रहेगा ।
मुझसे पहले जो वक्ता बोल रही थीं, तो एनसाइक्लोपीडिया ब्रिटेनिका में जितने प्रश्न लिखे हुए हैं, उनके उतने प्रश्न थे । उन्होंने अपने क्षेत्र में क्या किया, प्रदेश में क्या किया? वह खुद ही कह रही थीं कि हम बिना प्रदेश के सहयोग के चल नहीं सकते हैं, प्रदेशों को हर हालत में काम करना होगा, प्रदेश के साथ ही काम करना होगा, लेकिन प्रदेश ने क्या किया, वहउसके बारे में भी हम लोगों का ज्ञानवर्धन करतीं, तो हम लोगों को भी अपने प्रदेशों में उसे लागू करने का मौका मिलता । उन्हीं का प्रदेश है, उन्हीं का शहर है, जहां पर ग्राउंड वाटर जीरो हो गया है । जिस तरह से लोग हिमालय टेरेन में परेशान रहते हैं, उसी तरह से समुद्र के किनारे भी लोग बाढ़ से परेशान रहने लगे हैं ।… (व्यवधान)अगर आप वह बता देतीं, तो वह बहुत अच्छा रहता । आपके बगल में महिला मित्र कमेंट कर रही थीं, अगर वह भी बतातीं, तो और अच्छा रहता ।
भारत क्या कर रहा है, इसके बारे में इन्होंने बहुत प्रश्न पूछे हैं । अगर इसका हम बहुत छोटे में जवाब दें, तो कॉप-26 कॉन्फ्रेंस में मैं खुद युनाइटेड नेशन्स के ऑब्ज़र्वर की हैसियत से वहां गया था । राष्ट्राध्यक्षों की जो बैठक हो रही थी, उसमें भी मैं शामिल था । राष्ट्राध्यक्षों के उस सम्मेलन में अमेरिका के राष्ट्रपति श्री जो बाइडेन भी मौजूद थे, यूरोपियन यूनियन की सम्माननीय अध्यक्षा भी मौजूद थीं । इसके अलावा अन्य देशों के अध्यक्ष भी थे और साथ में बहुत सारे एनर्जी मिनिस्टर्स भी थे । उस मंच से ब्रिटेन के माननीय प्रधान मंत्री जी कहते हैं -“There is one Sun, one world, one grid and one Narendra Modi”. मुझे लगता है कि माननीय सदस्या के सारे प्रश्नों का जवाब देने के लिए यही काफी है ।
सभापति महोदय, हम लोग जलवायु परिवर्तन के प्रति बहुत संवेदनशील हैं । हम इतने संवेदनशील आज से नहीं हैं, बल्कि हजारों वर्षों से उसके प्रति बहुत संवेदनशील हैं । हमने हमेशा पृथ्वी को अपनी माता का स्थान दिया है । हमारे वेदों में भी कहा गया है कि ‘हे पृथ्वी माता, आप हमें हमेशा कामधेनु की तरह दूध दो, पर हम आपका इतना भी दोहन न करें कि आप बीमार पड़ जाओ’ । आज कहीं न कहीं पृथ्वी बीमार पड़ गई है । मैं जब छोटा बच्चा था, तो मुझे जो चीज़ सबसे ज्यादा आकर्षित करती थी, उसमें से एक थी, जब मेरे यहां खेतों से व्यक्ति और अन्य लोग आते थे । वे लोग धोती-कुर्ते में आते थे और पढ़े-लिखे भी नहीं होते थे । वे अपनी लोकल भाषा में कहते थे कि आज तो काम करना है, क्योंकि कल हथिया नक्षत्र है, बहुत पानी बरसने जा रहा है ।
हम सोचते थे कि इतना अच्छी तरह सूरज उगा हुआ है, यह क्यों बारिश की बात कर रहा है । अगले दिन जमकर बारिश हो जाती थी । अर्थात हमारे पास सैकड़ों सालों का जो पुरातन एक्सपीरिएंस था, उस कारण सब लोग जानते थे कि कब बारिश होनी है, कब हमें बुआई करनी है और कब कटाई करनी है । यह प्रक्रिया अनवरत चली आती थी और सभी लोग इस बात को जानते थे । लेकिन समय के साथ आज हम देख रहे हैं कि सब कुछ बदल गया है । आज तो आईएमडी जो कहता है, उस पर विश्वास करना मुश्किल हो जाता है, जबकि हम इतनी सारी लेटेस्ट टैक्नोलॉजीज़ के साथ हैं ।
मैं हिमालय की तलहटी के क्षेत्र से आता हूं । मैंने देखा कि मई में, जब लू चलने का सीज़न था, तब भी हमारे यहां बाढ़ आई और अक्टूबर में दशहरा के समय, जब कोई सोच भी नहीं सकता था, उस समय भी ऐसा ही हुआ । हर महीने हिमालय पर लगातार अनसीज़नल रेन हो रही है । हमारे यहां के किसानों ने चार बार बोआई की और चारों बार बीज बह गया । अत: यह जो जलवायु परिवर्तन है, यह बहुत सीरियस इश्यू है । इस पर हम लोगों को बहुत सीरियसली सोचना पड़ेगा ।
मुझसे पहले माननीय नेत्री कह रही थीं कि सभी को साथ मिलकर काम करना होगा, बिलकुल हमें मिलकर काम करना पड़ेगा । हम इस दुनिया के सबसे वलनिरेबल देशों में से एक हैं । अगर क्लाइमेट रिफ्यूजी की बात हो रही है, तो हमें उसके बारे में जरूर सोचना चाहिए, क्योंकि हमारे पास तीन प्रतिशत जमीन है, तीन प्रतिशत स्वच्छ जल है और हम दुनिया की 17 प्रतिशत आबादी का पालन-पोषण और सब कुछ कर रहे हैं ।
अगर मानसून का 20-25 परसेंट भी डेविएशन होता है, तो यह पूरे भारत की कृषि व्यवस्था के लिए बहुत ही खराब होगा । अगर पिछले वर्षों की बात करें, तो कोरोना के विपरीत काल में भी हमारे पास जो कृषि आधारित धन था, उसी से हमने काम किया । मैं माननीय प्रधान मंत्री जी का आभार भी व्यक्त करना चाहूंगा कि दुनिया के किसी देश ने जो नहीं किया, वह उन्होंने प्रधान मंत्री गरीब कल्याण अन्न योजना के तहत दो सालों तक गरीबों को मुफ्त अनाज देकर किया । 80 करोड़ जनता को अनाज देने का जो काम किया है, वह बताता है कि हम हर कार्य के लिए, दूसरों की चिंता करने के लिए, गरीबों की चिंता करने के लिए कितने ज्यादा संवेदनशील हैं ।
15.58 hrs (Shrimati Rama Devi in the Chair) माननीय सभापति महोदया, अगर हम लोग आधुनिक भारत के इतिहास की बात करें, तो सबसे पहले जलवायु के बारे में अगर किसी ने चिंता की थी, तो वह हमारे राष्ट्रपिता महात्मा गांधी जी थे । उन्होंने आज से 80 साल पहले कहा था - “This world has enough for everyone’s need, but it does not have enough for everyone’s greed.” अर्थात, धरती इंसानों की जरूरत की आसानी से भरपाई कर सकती है, लेकिन हम इंसानों के लालच की वह भरपाई नहीं कर सकती है । महात्मा गांधी जी के इस आदर्श सूत्र को ध्यान में रखते हुए अगर भारत में किसी सरकार ने पहली बार जलवायु परिवर्तन पर सीरियसली काम किया था, तो वह गुजरात की सरकार थी, जो वर्ष 2002 से 2010 के बीच तत्कालीन मुख्य मंत्री और आज के वर्तमान प्रधान मंत्री श्री नरेन्द्र मोदी जी ने जो प्रदेश में कार्य किया था, अगर वह भी उन लोगों ने देख लिया होता, तो उन्हें समझ में आता कि प्रदेश क्या-क्या कर सकते हैं ।
16.00 hrs सभापति महोदया, यदि हम आधुनिक भारत के इतिहास की बात करें, तो सबसे पहले जलवायु के बारे में किसी ने चिंता की थी तो वे हमारे राष्ट्रपिता महात्मा गांधी थे । उन्होंने आज से 80 साल पहले कहा था कि This world has enough for everyone’s need but it does not have enough for everyone’s greed. अर्थात् धरती इंसानों की जरूरत की भरपाई आसानी से कर सकती है, लेकिन हम इंसानों के लालच की भरपाई वह नहीं कर सकती है । महात्मा गांधी जी के इस आदर्श सूत्र को ध्यान में रखते हुए यदि भारत में किसी सरकार ने पहली बार जलवायु परिवर्तन पर गंभीरता से काम किया था, तो वह गुजरात की सरकार है । वर्ष 2002 से 2010 के बीच तत्कालीन मुख्य मंत्री और आज के वर्तमान प्रधान मंत्री श्री नरेन्द्र भाई मोदी जी ने जो प्रदेश में कार्य किया था, यदि वह भी उन लोगों ने देख लिया होता, तो उन्हें समझ में आता कि प्रदेश क्या-क्या कर सकते हैं । वर्ष 2002 से 2010 के बीच में भारत सरकार की अपनी कोई निश्चित नीति नहीं थी कि हम जलवायु परिवर्तन पर कैसे काम करें । उस समय भी गुजरात के तत्कालीन मुख्य मंत्री और वर्तमान प्रधान मंत्री नरेन्द्र भाई मोदी जी ने वाटर ग्रिड बनाकर जहां कम पानी के क्षेत्र थे, वहां ज्यादा पानी वाले क्षेत्रों से पानी पहुंचाने का काम किया और इतना ही नहीं इसके अलावा उन्होंने ग्लोबल वार्मिंग हटाने के लिए, पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट को आगे बढ़ाने के लिए मेगर ट्रांसिट सिस्टम का काम भी गुजरात के मुख्य मंत्री जी ने किया था । इसके अलावा वर्ष 2002 में सोलर और विंड एनर्जी में गुजरात की क्षमता केवल 11.95 मेगावाट थी । वर्ष 2010 में गुजरात की क्षमता 1865 मेगावाट की हो गई और इसमें केंद्र सरकार का कोई योगदान नहीं था, जिस बात को यहां बार-बार कहा जा रहा है । उनके द्वारा जलवायु परिवर्तन के लिए किए गए कामों को उन्होंने किताब के रूप में रखा था, जिसका नाम ‘Convenient Action’ था । इस किताब में उन्होंने तब लिखा था क्लाइमेट चेंज कोई पर्यावरण का मुद्दा नहीं है, यह विकास से जुड़ा हुआ मुद्दा है । मिस्टर स्टीव हॉवर्ड जो लंदन के क्लाइमेट ग्रुप के सीईओ और बहुत प्रसिद्ध पर्यावरणविद् हैं, उन्होंने इस पुस्तक को फार्वर्ड करते हुए उस समय के मुख्य मंत्री मोदी जी की तारीफ की थी ।
“It is remarkable to know that as early as 2010, when climate change did not even dominate the national debate, somebody was thinking of it.” यह प्रदेश कर सकते हैं, केवल यह बात रखने से काम नहीं होता है । उस समय हम भी लोक सभा में मौजूद थे और आज केंद्र सरकार से जो प्रश्न पूछे जा रहे हैं, मैं उस समय एस्टीमेट कमेटी का सदस्य था और कांग्रेस के भी हमारे बहुत मित्र सदस्य थे । सभी ने मिलकर एस्टीमेट कमेटी में एक प्रस्ताव पास किया था कि वन परसेंट प्लांड बजट को हम सोलर और रिन्युएबल एनर्जी के लिए देना चाहते हैं । क्लाइमेट चेंज विषय पर पार्लियामेंट का हमारा एक ग्रुप है, हम उस समय के प्रधान मंत्री श्री मनमोहन सिंह से भी मिले थे । उन्होंने हमें कहा कि यह मुद्दा हमारे हृदय से जुड़ा मुद्दा है लेकिन भारत के प्लांड बजट का एक प्रतिशत रिन्युएबल को तभी मिल सका जब प्रधान मंत्री श्री नरेन्द्र भाई मोदी इस देश के प्रधान मंत्री बने । इतना ही नहीं, इससे भी आश्चर्य यह है कि बहुत सारे मिशन्स यूपीए सरकार के समय भी आए थे, लेकिन फिर भी ये अपनी तारीफ करेंगे । मैंने लोक सभा में प्रश्न पूछा था कि आपने जो सब्सिडी दी है, वह गुजरात राज्य सरकार को क्यों नहीं दी है । इसी लोक सभा में मैं नाम नहीं लेना चाहूंगा क्योंकि वे इस समय भी सदस्य हैं, लेकिन यहां मौजूद नहीं हैं । उन्होंने जवाब दिया कि गुजरात ने हमसे पहले योजना शुरू कर दी, इसलिए सब्सिडी नहीं देंगे । जब आज वे उधर हैं तो इस तरह की बात आज कोओपरेटिव फैड्रलिज्म के लिए करती हैं ।
सभापति महोदया, आज हम हर कार्य को पूरा करने के लिए तैयार हैं । यह देश डिटरमाइन्ड है कि हम पर्यावरण के लिए बहुत ही चिंतित हैं और उसके लिए हम कह रहे हैं कि पेरिस एग्रीमेंट को किसी ने लेटर एंड स्प्रिट में लागू किया है, तो वह केवल और केवल भारत है । हमने अपने जो एनडीसीज दिए थे, उसे हम लगातार पूरा कर रहे हैं और कोई दूसरा देश इस कार्य को नहीं कर रहा है । इतना ही नहीं जर्मन वॉच वैश्विक जलवायु परिवर्तन प्रदर्शन सूचकांक है, इसमें टॉप-10 में लगातार पिछले तीन सालों से भारत है । इसके वन, टू, थ्री में कोई नहीं है, क्योंकि कोई ऐसा नहीं है जो इतना अच्छा काम कर सके और जो बाकी छह देश हैं, मेरे बिहार की आबादी के बराबर उन छह देशों की आबादी नहीं है, फिर भी हम हमेशा उसमें शामिल रहते हैं ।
सभापति महोदया, स्वस्थ शरीर के लिए जिस प्रकार माननीय मोदी जी ने योग का मंत्र पूरी दुनिया को दिया, उसे ग्रहण करते हुए 21 जून को पूरी दुनिया अंतर्राष्ट्रीय योग दिवस के रूप में मनाती है । ठीक वैसे ही कॉप-26 में भी माननीय प्रधान मंत्री जी ने लाइफ का मंत्र दिया है, अर्थात् लाइफ स्टाइल फॉर इनवायरमेंट । इसका ध्यान जब तक प्रत्येक नागरिक, प्रत्येक व्यक्ति नहीं रखेगा, तब तक हम पर्यावरण में वह सब-कुछ नहीं कर पाएंगे, जो हम करना चाहते हैं । किसी समय हमारी हिंदू संस्कृति को बहुत अजीब ढंग से देखा जाता था । लोग कहते थे कि भारत जाइए तो आप देखेंगे कि ये लोग पेड़ की पूजा करते हैं, पहाड़ों की पूजा करते हैं, पत्थर की पूजा करते हैं और नदियों की पूजा करते हैं । पूरी दुनिया के लिए यह एक कौतूहल का विषय था । आज पूरी दुनिया यह समझ चुकी है कि अगर हम इन सभी चीजों को पूजनीय नहीं बनाएंगे, तो यह पृथ्वी बचने नहीं पाएगी । आज हर व्यक्ति इस बात को मानने के लिए तैयार बैठा हुआ है ।
“माता भूमि पुत्रोहं पृथिव्या” इसका मतलब यह है कि पृथ्वी हमारी माता है और मैं उसका पुत्र हूं । यही माननीय प्रधान मंत्री जी की सोच है और इसी के तहत हम लोग ‘मनरेगा’ से पौधरोपण, तालाबों का निर्माण, जैविक खेती, वर्मी कम्पोस्ट एवं जैविक कूड़े से कम्पोस्ट खाद बनाने से लेकर ‘नमामि गंगे’ परियोजना में हजारों करोड़ रुपये पर्यावरण को बचाने के लिए खर्च कर रहे हैं । आज भारत सरकार की नीतियों के तहत इलेक्ट्रिक वाहनों की सब्सिडी, एथेनॉल मिश्रण, सोलर पीवी और बैटरी निर्माण के लिए पीएलआई, पेट्रोलियम में भारत का स्टेज-4 से सीधे स्टेज-6 पर जाना वर्ष-2030 तक भारतीय रेल को नेट-जीरो का लक्ष्य रखना जैसी योजनाओं में हजारों करोड़ रुपये का निवेश किया जा रहा है । इससे न केवल पर्यावरण की रक्षा होगी, बल्कि यह हमारे लिए विकास और रोजगार का रास्ता भी खोलेगा ।
महोदया, कॉप-26 में भारत और ब्रिटेन ने ‘ग्रीन ग्रिड इनीशिएटिव’, ‘वन सन, वन वर्ल्ड, वन ग्रिेड’ की घोषणा पूरी दुनिया के पर्यावरण को बचाने के लिए की है, जो न केवल दुनिया के लिए एक मील का पत्थर साबित होगा, बल्कि हमारे लिए रोजगार के अवसर देगा । पॉवर ग्रिेड कॉरपोरेशन के क्षेत्र में पूरी दुनिया में हमारा देश ही एकमात्र ऐसा देश है, जहां पूरा देश एक ग्रिड की कनेक्टिविटी से जुड़ा हुआ है । हम सीधे कहीं से कहीं स्विच ओवर कर सकते हैं । पूरी दुनिया में यह किसी दूसरे देश के पास नहीं है । जब हम “OSOWOG” की बात कर रहे हैं, तो कहते हैं कि जब यह ग्रिड बनेगा तो इससे बहुतों को रेाजगार मिलेगा और यह पावर ग्रिड कॉरपोरेशन को आगे बढ़ाकर पूरे विश्व में एक हस्ती बनाने का काम करेगा । इंग्लैंड ने भी अपनी तरफ से जो जीजीआई “green grid initiative” जोड़ा है, वह भी उनका शब्द नहीं है । वर्ष-2015 क्लाइमेट पार्लियामेंट, शंघाई की मीटिंग में हम लोगों ने “green grid initiative” को पूरे विश्व के सामने रखा था । कॉप-26 में भी ब्रिटिश गवर्नमेंट ने हम लोगों की हेल्प ली थी और हम लोगों ने इस पर लगातार काम किया था । यह एक सिम्पल-सी योजना है । अगर हम चाइना के मरुस्थल से थार होते हुए, मोरक्को के मरुस्थल तक एक डीसी ग्रिेड बना दें तो हम सोलर से ही इन तीनों महाद्वीपों का हमेशा के लिए विद्युतीकरण कर सकते हैं, क्योंकि कहीं न कहीं इन इलाकों में 24 घंटे सूरज जरूर मौजूद रहेगा और इससे हम तीनों महाद्वीपों को बिजली दे सकते हैं ।
महोदया, “green grid initiative” कहीं न कहीं हमारी ही देन है और मैं माननीय मंत्री जी, जो कॉप-26 को भारत की तरफ से चेयर भी कर रहे थे, का ध्यान एक बात की ओर जरूर दिलाना चाहूंगा कि हम लोगों ने अप्रैल में इस बात की घोषणा कर दी थी कि दोनों देशों के एनर्जी मिनिस्टर्स मिलकर एक संयुक्त डिक्लेरेशन देंगे और हम दुनिया के सभी एनर्जी मिनिस्टर्स को उस मीटिंग में बुलाएंगे, जिसमें माननीय प्रधान मंत्री जी और ब्रिटेन के प्रधान मंत्री जी “green grid initiative” और “OSOWOG” की घोषणा करेंगे । आखिर यह लेटर क्यों 15 सितम्बर तक पहुंच पाया?, इसमें पांच-छ: महीने की देरी क्यों हुई? यही वजह थी कि इसके कारण बहुत सारे एनर्जी मिनिस्टर्स चाहते हुए भी नहीं पहुंच सके । अत: इस पर जरूर चिंतन होना चाहिए । मैं माननीय भूपेंद्र जी का बहुत-बहुत आभारी हूं । मैं लगातार पूरे कॉप को फॉलो कर रहा था । विकसित देश अड़े हुए थे कि हम फॉसिल फ्यूल को फेजआउट करेंगे, लेकिन माननीय मंत्री जी ने जिस तरह से साथ दिया और उन्होंने कहा कि नहीं, फेजआउट नहीं, बल्कि फेजआउट शब्द का प्रयोग होगा, वह यह बात बताने के लिए पर्याप्त है कि भारत अपने विकास को लेकर किसी से भी समझौता नहीं कर सकता है । हम तीन बहुत-बड़े काम करने में सफल हो पाए हैं । माननीय प्रधान मंत्री जी ने जो पंचामृत की घोषणा की है और भारत ने जो लक्ष्य रखा है, वह अपने-आप में ऐतिहासिक है । उन्होंने कहा था कि मैं भारत की ओर से इस चुनौती से निपटने के लिए 5 अमृत तत्व रखना चाहता हूं । पंचामृत की सौगात देना चाहता हूँ । पहला, भारत वर्ष 2030 तक अपनी जीवाश्म रहित ऊर्जा क्षमता को 500 गीगावाट तक पहुँचायेगा । दूसरा, भारत वर्ष 2030 तक अपनी 50 प्रतिशत ऊर्जा जरूरतों को रिन्यूएबल एनर्जी से पूरी करेगा । तीसरा, भारत अब से लेकर वर्ष 2030 के कुल प्रोजेक्टेड कार्बन एमिशन में एक अरब टन की कमी करेगा । चौथा, वर्ष 2030 तक भारत अपनी अर्थव्यवस्था की कार्बन इंटेंसिटी को 45 प्रतिशत से भी कम करेगा और पाँचवा, वर्ष 2070 तक भारत नेट जीरो लक्ष्य हासिल करेगा । यह पहला सबसे महत्वपूर्ण कदम भारत का था ।
दूसरा जो सबसे महत्वपूर्ण कदम था, वह माननीय प्रधान मंत्री जी का यह दुनिया को बताना कि आपने वर्ष 2009 में 100 बिलियन डॉलर का वादा किया था और आज भी आप वर्ष 2025 की बात कर रहे हैं । यह विकासशील देशों के प्रति अन्याय है और आपको हर हालत में यह तो करना ही चाहिए, बल्कि उन्होंने वन ट्रिलियन डॉलर की बात की थी । हमारा आज भी 5 प्रतिशत हिस्सा ही कार्बन उत्सर्जन में है । जिन्होंने 60 प्रतिशत खर्च किया, यूरोप, अमेरिका, जापान, रूस आदि देशों ने, इनको इसके लिए आज जो विकासशील देश हैं, उनको हर हालत में मदद करनी ही चाहिए । तीसरा, जो सबसे बड़ा कॉप 26 का निर्णय हुआ, आखिरी दिन फॉसिल फ्यूल को फेजआउट करने की जो एक साजिश थी, वे लोग तो अपनी पूरी एनर्जी बना चुके हैं, आज उन्हें एक्सट्रा की जरूरत ही नहीं है । जितनी बिजली आज अमेरिका में है, जितने बल्ब जलते हैं, जितनी फैक्ट्रियाँ हैं, उससे ज्यादा वे क्या बना पाएंगे, लेकिन हम विकासशील देश हैं । हम आज गति शक्ति के माध्यम से एक लाख किलोमीटर से बढ़कर दो लाख किलोमीटर सड़कें बनाने की बात कर रहे हैं । हम अपनी विभिन्न योजनाओं में विकास की बात कर रहे हैं । हमें अपनी जरूरत है । मैं माननीय मंत्री श्री भूपेन्द्र यादव जी को धन्यवाद दूँगा कि विकसित देशों के प्रैशर के आगे नहीं झुकते हुए उन्होंने जो फेजडाउन की बात की, उसने पूरे के पूरे विकासशील देशों के ब्लॉक में पूरी दुनिया को भारत का मुरीद बना दिया । हमने वैश्विक पटल पर यह साफ संदेश दिया कि हम एक तरफ तो जो हमारे एनडीसीज हैं, हम पेरिस एग्रीमेंट के एक-एक एनडीसीज को पूरा करने के लिए तत्पर हैं, हम पर्यावरण के लिए सबसे ईमानदार देश हैं, पर हम अपने देश के विकास के लिए किसी भी दबाव में नहीं झुकेंगे । इसके लिए मैं माननीय मंत्री श्री भूपेन्द्र यादव जी का बहुत-बहुत धन्यवाद करता हूँ । आज दुनिया के सारे विकासशील देश ब्रिटेन के प्रधान मंत्री की ही बात दोहरा रहे हैं कि ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid, and only One Modi’.
महोदया, हम जितने संवेदनशील हैं कि दो डिग्री सेल्सियस से कम ग्लोबल वार्मिंग का तापमान है । ये दुनिया में भारत के ही नेतृत्व में सक्षम हो सकते हैं और सफल हो सकते हैं, क्योंकि मुझको पूरा विश्वास है कि ‘मोदी है तो मुमकिन है’ और इसलिए हम अपने सभी विकास को करते हुए पृथ्वी के पर्यावरण को बचाने में जरूर सफल होंगे ।
महोदया, आपने मुझे बोलने का मौका दिया, इसके लिए आपको बहुत-बहुत धन्यवाद ।
SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY (BAHARAMPUR): Madam, climate change has become a household term, not only in the country but also across the world. It is because now, each and every nook and corner of the globe has been affected by climate change or climate warming.
Climate change refers to the change of composition of the atmosphere which is attributable by the direct and indirect intervention of human beings. That is why, it is the people of the globe who are responsible for this kind of nemesis under the rubric of climate change. Nature does not do any bail-outs; that is why, no one on the globe, no one under the Sun is spared from the onslaught of nature’s fury and frenzy.
Simply, nature has been committing its retributive action against us because we have never given the due importance to the nature which has given birth to all of us, and that is why, we are all suffering. So, the time has come to have a deep introspection by all of us without exchanging credits and discredits because you know that you can easily measure the Gross National Product by applying a few parameters. It is a very simple thing and could be done in a short moment. But how can you measure the sustenance of our life? Do you have any parameters of it to measure the life to be sustainable, to be worthwhile? No. Everybody knows the Greenhouse gases, that is, carbon dioxide, in addition to other gases also. It is the most potential source of global warming and pollution. It is invisible. It is tasteless. It is odourless and it is largely invisible to the market calculation also. And, whichever is beyond the market calculation, it always treated it indifferently. This is the problem of the globe. This is the problem of the humanity. Right now, it is much easier for the Government machinery and the rest of us to pretend that it does not exist. Yes, we can easily pretend that it does not exist but by pretending this, willy-nilly, we are destroying the inhabitability of the planet. There lies the crux of the problem.
Each and every day, we are putting more than a billion tonnes of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. India, in the year 2019, had emitted 2.96 billion tonnes. By 2030, it is estimated to emit 4.5 billion tonnes. The crude reality is that we are treating the earth as if it is a business in liquidation. So, we are playing ducks and drakes with our own existence. Again, there lies the problem of humanity in the globe.
According to the IPCC, yes, the average global temperature is estimated to have increased by 0.85 Celsius between 1880 and 2012. In 2013, the IPCC had estimated that the global temperature is likely to increase by at least 1.5 centigrade as compared to the pre-industrial level, that is, 1850 to 1900, by the end of the 21st century.
However, in August 2021, the IPCC estimated that 1.5 degree centigrade increase may happen much earlier by 2040. This could lead to a reduction of the snow cover, increasing heatwave, extreme precipitation, and intensification of tropical cyclone and increase in sea level.
Our Minister, Shri Bhupender Yadav ji, recently joined the COP26 global initiative, where 197 countries have participated. We must know that India is already feeling the heat and impact of climate change. Heat waves are becoming more common and severe with many cities reporting temperatures as high as 48 degree Celsius in 2020. Heavy rain events have increased three-fold since 1950. But total precipitation is declining.
A billion people in India currently face severe water scarcity for at least one month of the year. Rising sea levels are also creating risks as a third of India’s population live along the coasts where the north Indian ocean has risen by an average of 3.2 millimetre per year over the last two decades. The alarming signs are already in sight.
The economic costs of climate impact in India are already immense. In 2020, a single event, cyclone Amphan has ravaged the entire Bengal, affected 13 million people and caused over $13 billion in damage after it made landfall. Declining agriculture productivity, rising sea level and negative health outcomes were forecast to cost India 3 per cent of gross domestic product at one degree Celsius of global warming.
Low income and other marginalised groups are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Lower carbon development could yield initial benefits such as cleaner air, greater energy security, and rapid job creation. We all know the impacts of climate change across the globe. India spans a wide range of climate. In parts of Jammu and Kashmir the annual average temperature is an icy 2 degree Celsius and temperature in the mountains can fall as low as -45 degree Celsius. The Himalayas shields most of the country from the cold winds of Central Asia. So, the average temperature in some of the southern States is a balmy 29 degree Celsius.
The amount and frequency of rainfall across the country equally varies. Parts of Meghalaya receive over 4000 millimetre of rain a year and parts of the Thar deserts receive less than 100 millimetres of rain, recorded in 2017. The southwest monsoon – June to September – brings the majority of the country’s rainfall while the northeast monsoon – October to December – plays an important role in supplying southern India.
The country’s coastline of over 7500 kilometres also influences local climate patterns. Taken together India’s size and topography create a wide range of ecological zones including the Alpine ecosystem, arid and semi-arid deserts, humid sub-tropical landscape, and both wet and dry tropics. The country’s immense climatic and geographic diversities is key to making sense of the diverse climate change impacts different regions are experiencing.
Recently published data suggests that the average temperature across India increased by 0.62 degree Celsius over the last 100 years. Temperatures are therefore rising at a slower rate than the global average, but the impacts are nonetheless being felt. The reason is that as the economy has been globalised, the climate is also being globalised. Any incident which may take place anywhere in the world will certainly have a cascading effect on us. It may be in the field of economy, climate or any other field. Now, we should ponder over what is to be done in an effective manner so as to mitigate the fury and frenzy of climate change. It is not the time to pass the buck on each other; it is the time to sit together, it is the time to think together, and it is the time to ponder over together. I would suggest that we should think globally, but act locally. That would be the most effective measure right now which we can adopt.
Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP-26 Summit was held in Glasgow. Our Sanjay Agarwalji also visited Glasgow. He was very effusive in praising our Prime Minister, Modiji. He has every right to praise him, but the fact is that I do not know whether his ‘Panchamarit’ will solve the problem of the world. We had got one amrit and thought that it was nectar, it was elixir. The first elixir we had got was notebandi. The second elixir we had got was GST. The third elixir we had got was lockdown. We do not need any more elixir or nectar, before being too cautious.
Let me come to India’s position at COP-26. India has the lowest per capita emissions among the major economies of the world with contribution of only five per cent to total emissions despite accounting for around 17 per cent of global population. At present, India is the fourth largest carbon emitter after China, the USA and the EU.
Delivering the national statement at COP-26 Summit, the Prime Minister Narendra Modiji announced a 5-Point Action Plan, ‘Panchamrit’, to underline India’s commitment to containing climate action. Certainly, he has contributed something more tangible. I do not have any dispute about it, but we have to think reasonably and judiciously. Otherwise, it may go astray. The first of the ‘Panchamrit’ is that India will increase its share of non-fossil fuel energy capacity, renewable energy to 500 GW by 2030. The country will meet 50 per cent of its total energy requirements from clean, renewable energy by 2030. India will reduce by one billion tonnes of carbon emissions equivalent of greenhouse gases from total projected carbon emissions from now till 2030. By 2030, the country will reduce the carbon intensity, carbon emissions per unit of gross domestic product, of its economy by 45 per cent from 2005 levels. By the year 2070, India will achieve the target of net zero emission. It refers to a balance where the emission of greenhouse gases is offset by absorption of an equivalent amount from the atmosphere. This is the first step. This is the first time that India has committed to net zero emission to become a carbon neutral country. So what? It has been committed only. But how will it be realised? In the Paris Agreement you have committed to do it by 2050 but now you are committing to do it by 2070. However, this is the first time India has committed to net zero emission to become a carbon neutral country. But how is it possible? What is your roadmap? How much fund do you require? These are all the aspects that need to be elaborated. We should not take it as a matter of right in so far as climate change is concerned. Otherwise, we all will be deceiving ourselves because the ultimate sufferers will be the people of our country, the people of the globe.
Glasgow Pact has some salient features also. I will highlight some of them. The first is adaptation. Glasgow Pact has created a two-year Glasgow-Sharm el-Sheikh Work Programme to define the global goal on adaptation. It is very good. It called for developed countries to, at least, double their 2019 levels of adaptation financed by 2025. Adaptation finance lacks behind finance for mitigation representing roughly 25 per cent of total climate finance in 2019. This is the first time an adaptation specific financing goal has ever been agreed globally. It has been agreed globally.
Now, I will come to mitigation part of Glasgow Agreement. It called upon countries to scale up their 2030 climate action plan for NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution) by COP27 next year. It asked countries to accelerate shift of fossil fuel and coal to renewable energy.
Sanjay Jaiswal Ji, you are saying that India took the lead. But no, it is not right. After objection by India, China, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba and other developing countries, the amended paragraph asked for all countries to escalate a force towards the phase-down instead of earlier phase-out.
डॉ. संजय जायसवाल: आपने बोला कि इंडिया ने नहीं किया ।… (व्यवधान)
श्री अधीर रंजन चौधरी: सिर्फ इंडिया की बात नहीं है । देखिए, चाइना ने क्या किया? चाइना ने Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and respective capabilities की बात कही है । इसमें आपकी सरकार का रवैया क्या है? वह तो जानते ही नहीं हैं । मैंने कहा कि सिर्फ इंडिया ने नहीं किया । यह फेज़ डाउन का मसला अनअबेटेड कोल पर… (व्यवधान)
THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE, AND MINISTER OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV): Adhir Ranjan Ji, CBDR (Common But Differentiated Responsibilities) is a principle which is accepted in the Paris Agreement by all the countries. We all agree to go for the mitigation about the global warming and that is our common aim but differentiated responsibility according to the national circumstances.
श्री अधीर रंजन चौधरी: भूपेन्द्र जी, मैं यह कह रहा हूं कि अभी तक इसमें स्पष्टीकरण नहीं है । चाइना ने इसमें ज्यादा तर्क किया है ।
श्री भूपेन्द्र यादव: मैं आपको विषय नहीं कहना चाहता हूं । वह केवल चाइना का विषय नहीं है । सीबीडीआर पूरी दुनिया ने समग्रता के साथ पेरिस में स्वीकार किया था और बाकी पेरिस के बाद जितनी भी जलवायु परिवर्तन पर वार्ताएं हुई हैं, उसमें सीबीडीआर प्रिंसिपल को माना ही जाता है । यह सबके लिए स्वीकार्य है ।
श्री अधीर रंजन चौधरी: मैं यह नहीं कह रहा हूं कि आपने नहीं माना । ये एनडीसी की बात कह रहे थे, सीबीडीआर की बात नहीं कह रहे थे । मैंने कहा कि यह भी एक मुद्दा है, जिसे चाइना ने उठाया । आपने माना या नहीं माना, मैंने यह मुद्दा नहीं उठाया । मैं कह रहा हूं कि जो फेज़ डाउन का मुद्दा है, वह सिर्फ हिंदुस्तान ने ही नहीं उठाया । इंडिया के साथ, चाइना, ईरान, वेनेजुएला, क्यूबा और दूसरी डेवलपिंग कंट्रीज़ ने भी ऐसा किया है, मैं यही कह रहा हूं । हर चीज में ढिंढोरा पीटने का एक काम बन गया है । ढिंढोरा पीटते-पीटते कब खुद को पीटने लगेंगे, पता नहीं है । आपने ग्लासगो में बैठते हुए फेज डाउन के बारे में एक्सप्रेशंस दिए हैं ।
फेसडाउन ऑफ़ अनएबेटेड कोल, मैंने पढ़ा है । यह भी कंट्रोवर्शियल है । आप यह नहीं कह सकते कि हमने दुनिया को कोई राह दिखाई है । ऐसी भी कंट्रोवर्सी है । अगर फेस डाउन ही करना है तो मकसद क्या पूरा होगा? यह भी चर्चा है । बहुत देशों ने इस विषय पर आपत्ति भी जताई है । अगर फेस आउट के बदल फेस डाउन करने में और वह भी वर्ष 2070 तक, तब तक क्या बचेगा? यह भी तर्क है । आप मानें या न मानें, हमारे देश की जानी मानी हस्ती, Shyam Saran, former Foreign Secretary and senior fellow at Centre for Policy Research says, “India's intervention to get the language on coal watered down might have been a misstep.” यह भी तर्क है । यह श्याम सरण जी ने भी कहा है । मैं तर्क के मुद्दे पर कह रहा हूं । Further, at COP, these facts were also put. “Phase-down of Unabated coal power and `phase out’ of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies while providing targeted support to the poorest and most vulnerable in line with national circumstances.” यह पहला कदम है । This was the first time that cutting down on coal consumption was explicitly mentioned in a COP text. यह भी सही है । “Committed to halting and reversing deforestation, speeding up to switch to electric vehicles and reducing methane emissions; launched a work programme to enhance mitigation ambition and implementation, and convening of annual high level Ministerial meetings; preparation of annual synthesis reports to provide latest information on progress of countries on NDCs and long-term strategies for mid-century low greenhouse gas emissions.” इसके बाद तो मैंने एडॉप्टेशन के बारे में पढ़ दिया । मिटिगेशन आ गया अब फाइनेंस आ गया । The developed countries had promised in 2009 to mobilize at least USD 100 billion of climate finance every year from 2020 to 2025 for developing countries. I do not know what is the fate of it. The developed countries now affirmed that this climate finance goal will be met in 2023. So, it is a very positive stand if it is rightly adopted. I must say that. the Glasgow Agreement asked the parties to initiate the process of setting the new climate finance target beyond USD 100 billion for the post-2025 period.
Now, I talk about Paris Rulebook. COP26 finalized the `Paris Rulebook’ by resolving the key outstanding political decisions needed for parties to fully operationalize the Paris Agreement provisions at COP26. वहां इतने विषय रखे गए । यह कहते हैं कि पहले कुछ नहीं किया गया । जो कहते हैं पहले कुछ नहीं किया, सिर्फ मोदी जी ने ही देश के लिए सब कुछ किया, उनके सामने मैं एक तथ्य रखना चाहता हूं । Addressing climate change as one of the key national priorities, India launched its National Action Plan on Climate Change in 2008 with eight National Missions which are - National Solar Mission, National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency, National Mission on Sustainable Habitat, National Water Mission, National Mission on Sustaining Himalayan Eco-system, National Mission for a Green India, National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture, and National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change.
इसके बाद और स्टैप ग्लासगो में लिया गया, यह मैं संजय जी को बता रहा हूं । At the COP26, India and the United Kingdom launched a new initiative - Infrastructure for Resilient Island States.और भी लिया गया ।
डॉ. संजय जायसवाल: गुजरात को पैसे केवल इसलिए नहीं दिए जा रहे थे कि उन्होंने पहले क्यों शुरू कर दिया । यही तो मैं आपके ध्यान में दिलाना चाहता हूं । … (व्यवधान)
श्री अधीर रंजनचौधरी: सारे मोदी जी के कॉप्स हो रहे हैं । मोदी जी ढिंढोरा पीटने में माहिर हैं, सब जानते हैं । … (व्यवधान)आप जैसे लोगों के साथ रहेंगे तो और ढिंढोरा पीटने चले जाएंगे, यह भी हम जानते हैं ।… (व्यवधान)
संसदीय कार्यमंत्रालय मेंराज्य मंत्रीतथा संस्कृतिमंत्रालय मेंराज्य मंत्री(श्री अर्जुन राममेघवाल): मोदी जी काम करने में माहिर हैं, ढिंढोरा आप पीटते हैं । मोदी जी काम करने में माहिर हैं ।… (व्यवधान)
श्री अधीर रंजनचौधरी:अभी देखकर बता रहे हैं कि आप कैसे काम कर रहे हैं । आपको धैर्य नहीं हुआ । अभी बता रहे हैं कि कैसे काम कर रहे हैं, एक मिनट रुकिए । … (व्यवधान)
मैं तो आपकी प्रशंसा कर रहा हूं ।
मैं आपको अभी बता रहा हूं कि आप कैसा काम कर रहे हैं । … (व्यवधान)आपको तो धैर्य नहीं है । मैं अभी आपको बता रहा हूं । एक मिनट रूकिए । हम तो आपकी प्रशंसा कर रहे हैं । … (व्यवधान) India launched an ambitious initiative -- One Sun, One World, One Grid during the COP26 along with the Green Grids Initiative of the United Kingdom. मैंने मान लिया कि आपने किसी के साथ चलना चाहा । यह अच्छी बात है । यह क्लाइमेट चेंज का ग्लोबल फिनामिना है, हम इससे अकेले नहीं लड़ सकते हैं । हम सबको साथ मिलकर लड़ना पड़ेगा । यह अच्छी बात है । मैं आपके ध्यान में एक बात और लाना चाहता हूं । अर्जुन मेघवाल जी, आप थोड़ा गौर से सुनिए । Climate change is the most under-reported failure of the Modi Government. The assault on climate began as soon as the Modi Government took over in 2014. कैसे ? In June 2014, मतलब, जिस साल मोदी जी हिन्दुस्तान के प्रधान मंत्री बने, the Environment Ministry used a bureaucratic shortcoming to remove the ban on setting up of factories in eight critically-polluted industrial belts.
Secondly, environment clearances were eased to allow mid-sized polluting industries to operate within five kilometres of eco-sensitive areas as against the earlier limit of 10 kilometres. Norms for coal tar processing, sand mining, and paper pulp industries were also eased.
In August 2014, the number of Independent Members in the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) was reduced from 15 to just three. More Government Members in this Board meant more Government influence -- a decision that many say was key to the environmental damage that was to follow. The new NBWL was a mere puppet of the Government. Five years later, we saw the result that NBWL approved 99.82 per cent of all industrial projects giving them environmental clearance. A total of 682 projects were allowed from the 687 projects it had to examine. In contrast, under the UPA-II, … (Interruptions) यूपीए-2 की बात करते हैं,only 80 per cent of the projects got clearance -- 260 were allowed out of 328 projects. सबसे बड़ी बात यह है कि मुझे भूपेन्द्र यादव जी की काबिलियत पर जरा सा भी शक नहीं है । लेकिन, वे इतनी सारी जिम्मेदारी कैसे संभालेंगे? इस बारे में मुझे जरूर शंका है । क्योंकि, दावे को छोड़कर, हर बार जितने भी एनवॉयरमेंट मिनिस्टर बनाए गए हैं, उनके कंधों पर और ज्यादा बोझ रख दिये गये । मुझे नहीं पता कि इतने सारे बोझ वे कैसे संभालेंगे?However, I must admit that he is a versatile personality. I have the fullest regard for him. The next assault came on 11th December, 2017 when the Central Pollution Control Board wrote to over 400 thermal power units in the country allowing them to release pollutants in violation of the 2015 limits set by the Government, which were to be followed till another five years. It also wanted newer thermal power plants to follow the new norms of clean technologies set by the Government.
मैडम, आप चिंता मत कीजिए । हमारे पास समय है ।
माननीय सभापति: आधे घंटे से ज्यादा समय हो गया है ।
श्रीमती काकोली घोष जी ।
SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY: It comes as no surprise that by 2018, 15 of the world’s most 20 polluted cities were in India. विश्व के अंदर 15 सबसे पॉल्यूटेड सिटी कहां है? मोदी जी के हिन्दुस्तान में है । … (व्यवधान)
श्री अर्जुन राम मेघवाल: क्या हिन्दुस्तानआपका नहीं है? क्या आपका बांग्लादेश या पाकिस्तान है? … (व्यवधान)
श्री अधीर रंजन चौधरी: हिन्दुस्तान हमारा भी है । मैंने क्या कहा? … (व्यवधान)
श्री अर्जुन राम मेघवाल: आपने मोदी जी का हिन्दुस्तान कहा है । क्या हिन्दुस्तान आपका नहीं है? … (व्यवधान)
श्री अधीर रंजन चौधरी: मैंने मोदी जी को दोष नहीं दिया । … (व्यवधान)
श्री अर्जुन राम मेघवाल: देश की आलोचना मत कीजिए । आप हमारी आलोचना करेंगे तो समझ में आता है, लेकिन देश की आलोचना मत कीजिए । … (व्यवधान)
श्री अधीर रंजन चौधरी: यह सबका दोष है । मैं दावे के साथ कहता हूं कि यह सबका दोष है । मोदी जी का अकेला दोष नहीं है । यह सबका दोष है और सारी दुनिया का दोष है । … (व्यवधान)तभी तो हमें यह सब भुगतना पड़ रहा है । यह मानना चाहिए इसमें सबका दोष है । लेकिन, यहां ढिंढोरा पीटा जा रहा है । इसलिए, मैं बोलने पर मजबूर हूं ।
According to the 12th Edition of the Environment Performance Index … (Interruptions)
माननीय सभापति : आपको बोलते हुए 32 मिनट्स हो गए हैं ।
… (व्यवधान)
श्री अधीर रंजन चौधरी : महोदया, अभी मेरा समय बाकी है । मुझे बोलने दीजिए ।…(व्यवधान)
माननीय सभापति : आपको 35 मिनट का समय दिया गया है ।
… (व्यवधान)
श्री अधीर रंजन चौधरी : महोदया, … *…(व्यवधान)
माननीय सभापति : क्या कहा आपने? यह गलत बात है ।
… (व्यवधान)
श्री अधीर रंजन चौधरी : महोदया, … * मैं बस 5-7 मिनट में अपनी स्पीच खत्म कर दूंगा ।…(व्यवधान)
माननीय सभापति : आप एक मिनट में अपनी बात समाप्त कीजिए ।
… (व्यवधान)
श्री अधीर रंजन चौधरी : महोदया, मैंने बता दिया है कि मुझे कितने समय की जरूरत है ।…(व्यवधान)
माननीय सभापति : आप और भी लोगों को बोलने दीजिए ।
… (व्यवधान)
SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY : Madam, according to the 12th edition of the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) released by Yale University, India has performed poorly. Out of 180 countries analysed, India stood at 168th position behind all South Asian nations, except Afghanistan. हम लोग अफगानिस्तान को छोड़कर बाकी सभी देशों से पीछे हैं ।
We have the score of 27.6. According to the Report, the laggards, such as, Nigeria and India, need to redouble their sustainability efforts. As the Environmental Performance Index shows India needs to match its talk on environment with more action. मैं यही तो कह रहा हूं कि भाषण कम कीजिए, एक्शन ज्यादा कीजिए । मैं यही कह रहा हूं ।
India performed the worst regionally on all five key parameters for environmental health. क्या-क्या पैरामीटर्स हैं? सैनीटेशन फिसड्डी हो गया, ड्रिंकिंग वॉटर, फिसड्डी हो गया, एयर क्वॉलिटी, दिल्ली में पता चलता है कि कैसी एयर क्वॉलिटी है । हम सभी यहां रहते हैं । हैवी मेटल्स, वेस्ट मैनेजमेंट, सब कुछ फिसड्डी हो गया ।
We are all lagging behind on all environmental health parameters. We need to seriously focus on fixing air and water quality and biodiversity. India, this Report shows, is quite far from achieving the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals on environment. While the rhetoric on sustainability efforts of India has gone up, the increased vigour of efforts, though significant, still fall short. महोदया, आप मुझे बोलने दीजिए ।…(व्यवधान) मैं मंत्री जी से बात कर रहा हूं ।…(व्यवधान)
माननीय सभापति : अभी कई माननीय सदस्यों को बोलना है । हाउस छः बजे तक ही चलेगा । अन्य माननीय सदस्यों को भी अपने विचार रखने हैं ।
… (व्यवधान)
श्री अधीर रंजन चौधरी : महोदया, मैं मुद्दे पर बात कर रहा हूं ।…(व्यवधान)
माननीय सभापति : मुद्दे पर तो सभी लोग बोलेंगे ।
… (व्यवधान)
श्री अधीर रंजन चौधरी : महोदया, मैं इधर-उधर की बात नहीं कर रहा हूं । यह हो सकता है कि उनको न अच्छा लग रहा हो, लेकिन इसमें मेरा कोई दोष नहीं है ।…(व्यवधान)
माननीय सभापति : आप पूरे हिन्दुसतान को दोषी बना रहे हैं ।
… (व्यवधान)
श्री अधीर रंजन चौधरी : महोदया, यह हो सकता है कि किसी को मेरी बात न अच्छी लग रही हो, लेकिन इसमें मेरा कोई दोष नहीं है ।…(व्यवधान)
माननीय सभापति : डॉ. काकोली घोष दस्तीदार जी, आप बोलिए ।
… (व्यवधान)
श्री अधीर रंजन चौधरी : महोदया, अगर आप मुझे बोलने देंगी, तो मैं बोलूंगा, अन्यथा मैं छोड़ दूंगा ।…(व्यवधान)
माननीय सभापति : आप बाद में बोल लीजिएगा ।
… (व्यवधान)
माननीय सभापति : अब आप बैठ जाइए ।
… (व्यवधान)
श्री अधीर रंजन चौधरी : महोदया, मैं एक कविता सुनाकर बैठ जाऊंगा ।…(व्यवधान)
यह प्रकृति शायद कुछ कहना चाहती है, यह हवा की सरसराहट, यह पेड़ों पर फुदकती चिड़ियों की चहचहाहट, यह समंदर की लहरों का शोर, यह बारिश में नाचते सुंदर मोर, कुछ कहना चाहती है हमसे, यह प्रकृति शायद कुछ कहना चाहती है, यह खूबसूरत चांदनी रात, यह तारों की झिलमिलाती बरसात, यह खिले हुए सुंदर रंग-बिरंगे फूल, यह उड़ते हुई धूल, कुछ कहना चाहती है हमसे, यह प्रकृति शायद कुछ कहना चाहती है, यह नदियों का कल-कल, यह मौसम की हलचल, यह पर्वत की चोटियां, यह झींगुर की सीटियां, कुछ कहना चाहती है हमसे, यह प्रकृति शायद कुछ कहना चाहती है ।
माननीय सभापति : डॉ. काकोली घोष दस्तीदार जी ।
… (व्यवधान)
DR. KAKOLI GHOSH DASTIDAR (BARASAT): Madam, it is a very appropriate decision to include in today’s business to have discussion on Climate Change under Rule 193. I thank you for giving me this opportunity. I thank the All India Trinamool Congress for letting me speak on this important issue.
Yes, the climate is changing and we are all suffering because air is such a thing which we cannot compartmentalise. We can put on a mask for certain hours a day as we are doing for the COVID-19, we cannot sleep with a mask on. Some rich people are using air fresheners in their rooms but the poor people cannot afford it. We cannot have air fresheners all over the city, all over the town. Now, we know that air from another State is coming towards Delhi and the Air Quality Index is falling every day; sometimes, it is even more than 400 to 500.
This makes it very difficult for patients suffering from asthma and young children to breathe. Now, the experts say that this is due to stubble burning. The air is coming towards the east. However, the farmers have their own problems. So, the Government should stand by their side as far as stubble burning is concerned because they have been doing it for ages. They should be taught that, instead of burning, they can convert the stubble into compost to use it in farming. They can put it under the ground, and then there will be no pollution here.
Air pollution is generally caused by automobile industry. Too many cars are running on the streets. Pollution is caused by construction sites, and mostly by burning of fossil fuel about which the discussion is going on throughout the world. First, we can quote the Paris meeting where 210 countries signed the agreement, and later also, the agreement was signed in Glasgow as was being discussed here just now.
I would like to draw your attention and of this august House that every year, the sea is advancing and an area of 4000 sq. miles is being submerged. This flooding is all pervasive, and there are 7.5 million people who are in danger. There is a particular place. I am not trying to make this a political issue. It is a topic of survival. The Sundarbans are submerging. The ‘Sundarbans’ was named on Sundari trees, the mangrove forest. They are located in the Ganges Delta which is partly in the State of West Bengal and partly in the neighbouring country of Bangladesh. This low-lying area is submerging every day and every year because of the rise in water level. The glaciers are melting because of the climate change. Due to the melting of glaciers, the water level is rising. So, we would like the Central Government’s intervention with substantial financial help towards saving the Sundarbans and saving the people living there. There are 7.5 million people whose lives and properties are in danger.
Now, the experts are of the opinion that the unplanned development is leading to this kind of climate change and the unplanned development is not keeping with the Sustainable Development Goals which 192 countries have signed. The Kyoto Protocol was not heeded to. The air from one area goes to another area. If pollution is caused by stubble burning, that means the pollution is going all over the world as the globe is moving. It is affecting the globe adversely. The air quality of another place also deteriorates when it goes there. The only limit that the meetings have decided on was to cut out on the greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon dioxide emissions. India decided that it would make zero emissions by 2050. Now, they have extended the time further.
With regards to automobile industry, let us come to the local issue of Delhi or the local issue of our country. We can, at least, invent or think of some method either of transforming cars and certain engines into electrical engines or hybrid models or implementing the rule of odd-even car numbers to ply on roads so that we can save the people from getting this kind of breathing diseases. Everything is getting affected. The water bodies are getting affected. The fish and the aquatic animals are getting affected. The farm products are getting reduced. The farming is getting affected because of the poor air quality and the climate change that is coming and affecting everybody’s life.
Unpredictability of the weather and severe natural disasters are foretold. We can see that even over the last weekend there was a very bad depression in the Bay of Bengal which affected parts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal. We are seeing this kind of natural calamities happening every two, three months. If we do not sit up and take cognizance of these right away, within the next few years the climate change will affect us so adversely that living will become difficult. So, instead of doing politics, instead of doing tu-tu, main-main about this, we should all stand together and fight this menace of climate change so that we can leave a livable world for our future generations.
Our next generations have not done anything wrong but we are erring. The present and the past generations, particularly in the developed countries, have caused a lot of carbon emission. We have to reduce our carbon footprint. What was decided after the climate conferences held in different cities like Kyoto, Paris, and Glasgow is that we have to shift to renewable energy.
It is definitely a proud moment that India is ranked fourth in the world as far as renewable energy production is concerned. But there are countries which have done better. Denmark is running on 100 per cent renewable energy. Germany is doing very well as far as renewable energy production is concerned. So, we have to phase out or totally stop fossil fuel and go towards renewable energy production.
In the United Nations’ Emission Gap Report of 2019, renewable energy has not completely replaced fossil fuel yet. Fossil fuel burning badly affects the air quality. The current national energy plan is inadequate. Not only that, we do not stand by the companies, private companies and also the public sector undertakings, which are trying to produce renewable energy through solar panels. Solar energy is a comparatively new subject, and there is a lot of scope for employment generation and mitigation of climate change.
Eighty per cent of the raw material for solar energy production comes from China. Although the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme has been launched, only a few large investors will benefit and smaller companies will get washed out. So, we have to stand by the smaller companies which are trying to produce solar energy.
Government of India has issued guidelines for the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification and has made the approved list of makes and models mandatory. But the implementing agencies are not implementing the same strictly. Hence, large quantities of imported material, particularly from China, are being dumped in the Indian market. So, we are suffering.
There was a Safeguard Duty (SGD) on the modules but it was phased out last year and the Basic Customs Duty will come into effect only from 1st of April, 2022. So, although no gazette notification has come, this has to be implemented immediately. For machines to manufacture solar modules, we are 100 per cent dependent on imports from Europe, USA and China. Without creating indigenous capacity for machine manufacturing, we will be lagging behind in global solar competition. India should catch up with other countries in this regard and we should be able to build this capacity. In 2018, renewable energy supply was only 26 per cent of the total electricity of the country. We should catch up on this too.
Renewable energy is investment intensive but low on running cost, and it produces a lot of employment opportunities. But we require transmission infrastructure and grid operating procedures. Global fossil fuel subsidy must also be phased out and it is most imperative that we do it.
Government of India plans to establish renewable energy capacity of 500 GW by 2030. I think the installed capacity as of 2020 was 87.26 GW only. Like I said, India ranked fourth in production of renewable energy. So, we should be more concerned about this.
17.00 hrs The MPLAD fund can be used for installation of renewable energy, that is solar panel in the rural areas, particularly for health centres, rural health centres to get uninterrupted electricity supply by solar energy panels. We can do it. The Government can make compulsory building of green buildings, smart grid implementation and also clean energy corridor for trading in renewable energy.
Thank you, Madam.
SHRI SRIDHAR KOTAGIRI (ELURU): Thank you, Madam. We have seen COVID-19 over the last two years. It has been a pandemic. We have lost, perhaps, four lakh people in India and about three million people worldwide. Global warming will be a deadly pandemic in the longer term. Our population in 1900 was 1.6 billion on this earth, and in 2020 it has been eight billion. This is totally unviable to continue at this pace of human activity. Every country has a share of cutting down on emissions to do. I am happy that as a population, as different political parties, all of us agree that climate change is a problem unlike our friends in the United States where climate change is a political issue.
I am happy that our hon. Prime Minister made a pledge to cut emissions in Paris and we have also met our promise. I am sure that we are on the path to achieving the increased promise in Glasgow. As a person from Andhra Pradesh, I personally can pledge that we are in the forefront of the solar revolution and we are on line to meet every deadline that is there, as far as Andhra Pradesh is concerned. We have also started a new technology where all the renewable energies come together in the name of pumped storage technology where we do not need any battery storage system to supplement our renewable energies.
The majority of our pollution today in the country is from industries and power generation. I hope that we can strengthen our Pollution Control Boards in the State. I hope that the relaxations that Adhir Ranjan ji mentioned, which were given by the Government, stand corrected. Deforestation is another major cause for climate change. I have no doubt – we have all seen what is going on in our constituencies – that forest and water seem to be the least of priorities as far as activity is concerned. We are all worried about essential services to our population, while we seem to neglect and ignore our forest resources and our water resources. I hope that our Government can have some dedicated satellites to pinpoint and protect our forest boundaries. It is not only that, as far as rainwater flood flow is concerned, I hope that our Government can make fresh surveys and identify and retrieve land from occupations to preserve it for our waterways, let it be streams, lakes, canals or rivers and even seas.
Another major source of climate change is from methane coming from livestock. Thankfully, I think, as far as livestock is concerned, our country is better placed than most countries in the West as livestock, amongst Indians, is a part of our agriculture supplement. It is more a lifecycle than an exclusive farming. So, I am glad to say that we Indians are polluting less as far as methane pollution from livestock is concerned.
Then, as we all know, for the last 70 years or 100 years, the major source of pollution resulting in global warming is from motor vehicles. We have a solution down, that is electric vehicles. World over, it has been transforming in the last few years. India has done its share. But I do not think we have done it fast enough, and I do not think we are paying enough attention to transforming or to transitioning from traditional fossil fuel to electric vehicles. I hope the Government focuses and makes a time-bound programme to move towards electrification of all kinds of vehicles, be it freight or passenger.
We have made a huge stride in moving from wood cooking to LPG cooking. Though LPG cooking is cleaner than traditional timber burning, LPG is still a form of combustion and it emits carbon dioxide which adds to global warming. Considering the latest or recent inventions or innovations in the solar technology, I wish to point to the Government that it is possible to invent an induction or an electric stove using solar cells. This can be a stand-alone solution to each house along with battery, where cooking will not only be clean but also almost free using sunlight as a resource. This can help reduce adverse impact of climate change. Not only that, our dependency today on fossil fuel, either for motor vehicles or clean cooking, can almost come to zero helping our economy as such, as well as keeping the environment cleaner.
The other major contributor to global warming in India is garbage burning. We do not have any solution to our waste which we generate mainly in rural areas. The only way to dispose of the garbage in villages today is by burning, or the alternative being dumping in the water bodies. It is a shame that we are unable to address the issue of waste management in rural areas. The only hope that I have is from our hon. Prime Minister’s pledge to ban single-use plastic, which has taken a back seat, I think since COVID-19.
I would like to bring to the attention of the Government that environment-friendly regulations, especially as far as single-use plastic is concerned, will help in decentralised development. Plastic is sourced from a few suppliers. We all know that Reliance Industries are perhaps the major suppliers of plastic in our country. The alternative being, either paper or timber or wood which can be sourced from a million farmers. This is where cottage industries can come into the picture. We can develop rural enterprises instead of a few suppliers or a few industries, and pour life into villages.
I would also like to bring to light an example of Lays Chips made by Pepsi. It is a shame that a company which is listed in the New York Stock Exchange has to make money out of a small village in India. Only because there is no regulation on the packaging, they are openly polluting not just India, but the rest of the world. Maybe 20 or 30 years ago, all of us would have seen, every village had a sweet shop which made local ladoos. It was made locally and consumed locally. There was not a single point of pollution. I hope we can regulate every single bit of single-use plastic, which will help our rural economy, rural enterprises, and rural employment as such.
My final plea is, all of us have to agree that climate change is a clear danger at the present time. I hope we can all come together to prepare for our future generations. Not only that, the Prime Minister has made a commitment, as we all spoke about, to reduce carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030. I hope it will be a reality. I hope we will see more plans for reaching this goal. He has also pledged to reach carbon neutral by 2075.
I hope this discussion will lead to more regulations and laws and we prioritise on environment and global warming as, so far, it has taken a backseat in every way.
I hope we can make that a priority versus just development and economy. Thank you very much.
श्री राहुल रमेश शेवाले(दक्षिण-मध्य मुम्बई) : माननीय सभापति महोदया, आपका धन्यवाद । आज हम नियम-193 के तहत जलवायु परिवर्तन पर चर्चा कर रहे हैं । मैं आपके माध्यम से जलवायु परिवर्तन विषय पर कुछ महत्वपूर्ण बातों को संबंधित मंत्री जी के सामने रखना चाहूंगा ।
सभापति महोदया, उन्नीसवीं सदी में हुई औद्योगिक क्रांति की ओर सभी का ध्यान आकर्षित हुआ । रोजगार पाने के लिए गांवों में स्थित आबादी शहरों की तरफ प्रस्थान करने लगी और शहरों का आकार दिन-प्रतिदिन बढ़ने लगा । मुंबई, कोलकाता, दिल्ली और चेन्नई जैसे महानगरों में उनकी क्षमता से कई गुना अधिक आबादी निवास कर रही है, जिससे शहरों के संसाधनों को भारी नुकसान हो रहा है । जैसे-जैसे शहर बढ़ रहे हैं, वहां उपलब्ध भू-भाग दिन-प्रतिदिन ऊंची-ऊंची इमारतों से ढंकता जा रहा है । इससे उस स्थान की जल संवर्धन क्षमता कम हो रही है तथा बारिश के पानी से प्राप्त होने वाली शीतलता में भी कमी हो रही है । इससे वहां के पर्यावरण तथा जलवायु पर निरंतर प्रभाव पड़ रहा है ।
सभापति महोदया, हम औद्योगिकीकरण की बात करें, तो जलवायु परिवर्तन में औद्योगिकीकरण की बड़ी भूमिका है । विभिन्न प्रकार की मिलें वातावरण में सल्फर डाइऑक्साइड, नाइट्रोजन डाइऑक्साइड, कार्बन डाइऑक्साइड तथा अनेक प्रकार की अन्य जहरीली गैसें और धूल कण हवा में छोड़ती हैं, जो एट्मॉसफेयर में काफी वर्षों तक रहती हैं । यह ग्रीन हाउस प्रभाव, ओजोन परत का क्षरण तथा भूमंडलीय तापमान में वृद्धि जैसी समस्याओं का कारण बनते हैं । वायु, जल एवं भूमि प्रदूषण भी औद्योगिकीकरण की ही देन है । मुझे लगता है कि इस पर भी सरकार को विचार कर इस समस्या का हल निकालने का काम करना चाहिए ।
सभापति महोदया, मैं मंत्री जी का ध्यान डीफॉरेस्टेशन की तरफ आकर्षित करना चाहूंगा । निरंतर बढ़ती हुई आबादी की जरूरतों को पूरा करने के लिए वृक्ष काटे जा रहे हैं । आवास, खेती, लकड़ी और अन्य वन संसाधनों की चाह में वनों की अंधाधुंधकटाई हो रही है, जिससे पृथ्वी का हरित क्षेत्र तेजी से घट रहा है और साथ ही जलवायु के परिवर्तन में तेजी आ रही है । इस पर भी सरकार को ध्यान देना चाहिए ।
सभापति महोदया, मैं आपके माध्यम से सरकार का ध्यान जलवायु परिवर्तन से उत्पन्न होने वाले प्रभाव की ओर आकर्षित करना चाहूंगा । इसका पहला कारण हमारे महाराष्ट्र सहित अन्य राज्यों में जो बैमौसम भारी बारिश होती है, उससे जलवायु परिवर्तन के परिणामस्वरूप दुनिया के मानसूनी क्षेत्रों में वर्षा में वृद्धि होगी जिससे बाढ़, भूस्खलन जैसी समस्याएँ पैदा होंगी । जल की गुणवत्ता में गिरावट आएगी तथा पीने योग्य जल की आपूर्ति पर गंभीर प्रभाव पड़ेंगे । जहां तक भारत का प्रश्न है, मध्य तथा उत्तरी भारत में कम वर्षा होगी, जबकि इसके विपरीत देश के पूर्वोत्तर तथा दक्षिण-पश्चिमी राज्यों में अधिक वर्षा होगी । परिणामस्वरूप वर्षा जल की कमी से मध्य तथा उत्तरी भारत में सूखे जैसी स्थिति होगी, जबकि पूर्वोत्तर तथा दक्षिण पश्चिमी राज्यों में अधिक वर्षा के कारण बाढ़ जैसी समस्या उत्पन्न होगी । सरकार को इस समस्या की तरफ ध्यान देने की आवश्यकता है ।
वैसे ही समुद्री जल स्तर पर जलवायु परिवर्तन के फलस्वरूप ग्लेशियरों के पिघलने के कारण विश्व का औसत समुद्री जल स्तर इक्कीसवीं शताब्दी के अंत तक 9 से 88 सेंटीमीर तक बढ़ने की संभावना है, जिससे दुनिया की आधी से अधिक आबादी, जो समुद्र से 60 कि.मी. की दूरी पर रहती है, पर विपरीत प्रभाव पड़ेगा, ऐसा अनुमान लगाया गया है ।
सभापति महोदया, इस पर भी सरकार को ध्यान देना चाहिए । जलवायु परिवर्तन के परिणामस्वरूप महाराष्ट्र राज्य सहित अन्य राज्य जैसे ओडिशा, आंध्र प्रदेश, तमिल नाडु, केरल कर्नाटक, गोवा, गुजरात और पश्चिम बंगाल राज्यों के तटीय क्षेत्र फ्लडिंग के शिकार होंगे । परिणामस्वरूप आस पास के गांवों व शहरों में 10 करोड़ से भी अधिक लोग विस्थापित होंगे जबकि समद्र में जल स्तर की वृद्धि के परिणामस्वरूप भारत के लक्षद्वीप तथा अंडमान निकोबार द्वीपों का अस्तित्व समाप्त हो जाएगा । समुद्र का जल स्तर बढ़ने से मीठे जल के स्रोत दूषित होंगे जिससे परिणामस्वरूप पीने के पानी की समस्या उत्पन्न होगी और बीमारियों का प्रतिशत बढ़ेगा ।
महोदया, हमारा देश कृषि प्रधान देश है । यह हम सभी जानते हैं और मैं आपके माध्यम से संबंधित मंत्री जी को बताना चाहूंगा कि हमारे खेतों में रासायनिक कीटनाशकों एवं उर्वरकों का प्रयोग पिछले कुछ दशकों में रासायनिक उर्वरकों की मांग इतनी तेजी से बढ़ी है कि आज विश्व भर में 1000 से भी अधिक प्रकार के कीटनाशक उपलब्ध हैं । जैसे-जैसे इनका उपयोग बढ़ता जा रहा है वैसे-वैसे वायु, जल तथा भूमि में इनकी मात्रा भी बढ़ती जा रही है जो कि पर्यावरण को निरंतर प्रदूषित कर घातक स्थिति में पहुंचा रहे हैं ।
महोदया, मैं मंत्री जी को बताना चाहूंगा कि कृषि जलवायु परिवर्तन का प्रभाव कृषि पैदावार पर भी पड़ेगा । भारत में गर्मी तथा नमी के कारण फसलों की उत्पादकता में बढ़ोतरी होगी । वर्षा, जल की उपलब्धता के आधार पर धान के क्षेत्रफल में वृद्धि होगी । भारत में जलवायु परिवर्तन के परिणामस्वरूप गन्ना, मक्का, ज्वार, बाजरा तथा रागी जैसी फसलों की उत्पादकता दर में वृद्धि होगी जबकि इसके विपरीत मुख्य फसलों जैसे गेहूं, धान तथा जौ की उपज में गिरावट दर्ज होगी । आलू के उत्पादन में भी अभूतपूर्व गिरावट दर्ज होगी । मुझे लगता है कि सरकार को इस समस्या पर भी ध्यान देना आवश्यक है ।
महोदया, जलवायु परिवर्तन का प्रभाव मानव स्वास्थ्य पर भी पड़ेगा । विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार जलवायु में ऊष्णता के कारण श्वास तथा हृदय संबंधी बीमारियों में वृद्धि होगी । जलवायु परिवर्तन के फलस्वरूप न सिर्फ रोगाणुओं में बढ़ोतरी होगी अपितु इनकी नई प्रजातियों की भी उत्पत्ति होगी जिसके परिणामस्वरूप फसलों की उत्पादकता पर विपरीत प्रभाव पड़ेगा । मानव स्वास्थ्य पर जलवायु परिवर्तन के प्रभाव के चलते एक बड़ी आबादी विस्थापित होगी जो पर्यावरणीय शरणार्थी कहलाएगी । इससे स्वास्थ्य संबंधी और भी समस्याएं पैदा होंगी ।
महोदया, जलवायु परिवर्तन से निपटने हेतु वैश्विक प्रयास किए जा रहे हैं जिसमें कई देशों से हम समझौता कर चुके हैं । विश्व स्तर पर कई बड़े सम्मेलन हो चुके हैं जिनका मैं यहां उल्लेख करना चाहूंगा । जलवायु परिवर्तन पर अंतर सरकारी पैनल का उद्देश्य जलवायु परिवर्तन इसके प्रभाव और भविष्य के संभावित जोखिमों के साथ-साथ अनुकूलन तथा जलवायु परिवर्तन को कम करने हेतु नीति निर्माताओं को रणनीति बनाने के लिए नियमित वैज्ञानिक आकलन प्रदान करना है । वैसे ही संयुक्त राष्ट्र जलवायु परिवर्तन फ्रेमवर्क सम्मेलन एक अंतर्राष्ट्रीय समझौता है । जिसका उद्देश्य वायुमंडल में ग्रीनहाउस गैसों के उत्सर्जन को नियंत्रित करना है । वर्ष 1995 से लगातार UNFCCC की वार्षिक बैठकों का आयोजन किया जाता है । कॉप-25 सम्मेलन में लगभग 200 देशों के प्रतिनिधियों ने उन गरीब देशों की मदद करने के लिए एक घोषणा का समर्थन किया जो जलवायु परिवर्तन के प्रभावों से जूझ रहे हैं । इसमें पेरिस जलवायु समझौते के लक्ष्यों के अनुरूप पृथ्वी वैश्विक तापन के लिए उत्तरदायी ग्रीन हाउस गैसों में कटौती के लिए तत्काल आवश्यकता का आह्वान किया गया ।
महोदया, मैं आपके माध्यम से जानना चाहूंगा कि वैश्विक स्तर पर हुए सम्मेलनों-समझौतों पर भारत में जलवायु परिवर्तन की समस्याओं को निपटने हेतु केन्द्र सरकार क्या प्रयास तथा उपाय योजना कर रही है और अभी तक सरकार ने इस संबंध में कौन-कौन से उपाय किए है । मैं आपके माध्यम से सरकार से अनुरोध करता हूं कि इन सभी समस्याओं के निराकरण हेतु सरकार एक ठोक नीति बनाकर इस समस्या को हल करने का काम करे । मैं मानता हूं कि सरकार इस संबंध में कार्य कर रही होगी, लेकिन मेरा निवेदन है कि इस पर प्राथमिकता से कोई ठोस उपाय योजना बनाकर इस समस्या को हल करे ।
श्री दिलेश्वर कामैत (सुपौल): महोदया, आपने मुझे नियम193 के तहत जलवायु परिवर्तन पर बोलने का समय दिया, इसके लिए धन्यवाद । जलवायु परिवर्तन के कारण गर्म दिनों की संख्या में इजाफा हो रहा है । ग्लेशियर हर साल 4 प्रतिशत की रफ्तार से पिघल रहे हैं । समुद्र का जलस्तर भी प्रतिवर्ष4 मिली मीटर तक बढ़ रहा है ।इससे मुम्बई सहित समुद्र के किनारे बसे शहरों के डूबने का खतरा बना हुआ है, जबकि सुंदरवन का 9 हजार हेक्टेयर से अधिक भूखंड समुद्र में समा चुका है । वहीं सुंदरवर का निर्जन टापू, घोड़ामारा द्वीप और न्यूमूर द्वीप भी पानी में समा चुके हैं और यहां के लोग पलायन कर रहे हैं । ग्लेशियर और समुद्र के अलावा जमीन पर भी जलवायु परिवर्तन का प्रभाव पड़ रहा है । अनियमित विकास के कारण जन्मी जलवायु परिवर्तन की विभीषिका और मानवीय गतिविधियों के चलते भारत की छोटी बड़ी करीब4500 नदियां सूख गई हैं । 22 लाख तालाब विलुप्त हो चुके हैं । अति दोहन के कारण दिल्ली, कोलकाता, चैन्नई, हैदराबाद, कानपुर जैसे शहरों में भेजल समाप्त होने की कगार पर पहुंच चुका है जबकि देश के अधिकांश राज्य यहां तक कि हिमालयी राज्य भी जल संकट से जूझ रहे हैं । एक अनुमान के मुताबिक हम भारतीय जाने अनजाने में हर दिन 49 करोड़ लीटर पानी बर्बाद कर देते हैं ।
वहीं बढ़ती गर्मी या गर्म दिनों की संख्या ने इस समस्या को और बढ़ा दिया है, जिस कारण भारत की 30 प्रतिशत भूमि मरुस्थल की चपेट में आ चुकी है । भारत में जिस तरह से मौसमी बदलाव के कारण आपदाएं आ रही हैं, उसके कारण बड़े पैमाने पर विस्थापन बढ़ने का अनुमान है । इंटरनेशनल इंस्टीट्यूट फॉर एन्वायरमेंट एवं डेवलपमेंट के शोधकर्ताओं ने पाया कि लोग इस कारण अपने घर-द्वार को छोड़कर दूसरी जगहों पर जाने के लिए मजबूर हो रहे हैं । जल और वायु शब्द से मिलकर ‘जलवायु’ शब्द बना है । जल और वायु को पृथ्वी पर जीवन का आधार अथवा प्राण कहा जाता है । इन दोनों शब्दों के योग से मौसम बनता है और मौसमी घटनाओं में बदलाव को ही जलवायु परिवर्तन कहा जाता है । इस मौसम को बनाने में ऋतुओं का अहम योगदान है और भारत में शीत, ग्रीष्म, वर्षा और शरद चारों प्रकार की ऋतुएं हैं, जो देश को प्राकृतिक संपदा से सम्पन्न बनाती हैं । हर-एक ऋतु की अपनी एक विशिष्ट विशेषता एवं पहचान है, लेकिन विकसित होने के लिए जैसे-जैसे भारत अनियमित विकास की गाड़ी पर बैठकर आगे बढ़ रहा है, वैसे-वैसे ही देश में खुशनुमा आसमान पर जलवायु परिवर्तन के बादल और घने होते जा रहे हैं ।
महोदया, ऋतुओं के चक्र और समय-काल में बदलाव हो रहा है । हालांकि जलवायु परिवर्तन का असर पूरे विश्व पर पड़ रहा है, लेकिन भारत पर इसका प्रभाव अधिक दिख रहा है, जिसके लिए अनियमित औद्योगीकरण मुख्य रूप से जिम्मेदार है, लेकिन केवल उद्योगों को ही जिम्मेदार नहीं ठहराया जा सकता है, बल्कि देश का हर नागरिक, या यूं कहें कि बढ़ती आबादी भी इसके लिए जिम्मेदार है । दरअसल बढ़ती हुई आबादी की आवश्यकताओं को पूरा करने तथा रोजगार उपलब्ध कराने के लिए पूरे विश्व में औद्योगीकरण पर जोर दिया गया है । लोगों के रहने, उद्योग लगाने, ढांचागत निर्यात जैसे रेलवे लाइन, मेट्रो, एयरपोर्ट, हाईवे, पुल आदि बनाने हेतु बड़े पैमाने पर जंगलों को काटा गया है । पेड़ों के काटने की संख्या का अंदाजा इसी बात से लगाया जा सकता है कि बीते तीन वर्षों में देश के विभिन्न स्थानों पर 69 लाख 44 हजार 608 पेड़ों को काटा गया है । सरल शब्दों में कहें तो विकास की गाड़ी को चलाने के लिए जीवन देने वाले पर्यावरण की बलि चढ़ा दी गई है । यही हाल विश्व के अन्य देशों का भी है और पेड़ों का कटना थमने का नाम नहीं ले रहा है । इस कारण दिल्ली, भोपाल, इंदौर और बुंदेलखंड जैसे देश के अनेक स्थान, जो कभी हरियाली से लहराते थे, आज सूने पड़े हुए हैं ।
महोदया, यह विदित होना चाहिए कि वृक्षों का काम केवल हरियाली को बनाए रखना ही नहीं है, बल्कि वातावरण से कार्बन डाई ऑक्साइड को लेकर ऑक्सीजन प्रदान करने सहित मृदा अपरदन को रोकना तथा भूमिगत जल-स्तर बनाए रखना भी होता है । वृक्ष मौसम चक्र को बनाए रखने में भी सहायता करते हैं, किन्तु वैश्विक स्तर सहित भारत में हो रहे वनों के कटाव ने जलवायु को काफी प्रभावित कर दिया है । उद्योग जगत भी जलवायु परिवर्तन में अपना पूरा योगदान दे रहा है । देश में नियमों का सख्ती से पालन न होने के कारण उद्योगों के जहरीले कचरे को नदियों, तालाबों आदि में बहा दिया जाता है । विशाल आबादी का सीवरेज भी सीधे नदियों आदि में बहाया जाता है । एनजीटी द्वारा प्रतिबंध लगाए जाने के बावजूद भी खुले में प्लास्टिक युक्त कूड़े को धड़ल्ले से जलाया जा रहा है । कुछ नगर निकाय तो खुद ही कचरे में आग लगा देते हैं, जिस कारण जहरीली गैसों का उत्सर्जन होता है । वहीं देश के अधिकांश उद्योग न तो पर्यावरणीय मानकों को पूरा करते हैं और न ही नियमों का पालन करते हैं । इसके बावजूद भी बेधड़क होकर हवा में जहर घोला जा रहा है ।
महोदया, जंगलों में लगने वाली आग की घटनाएं भी बीते कुछ वर्षों में बढ़ी हैं । गर्म और शुष्क मौसम के कारण आग तेजी से फैलती है और बार-बार आग लगने की आशंका भी बढ़ जाती है । तापमान वृद्धि का एक बुरा असर यह भी होगा कि साइबेरियन क्षेत्रों में जमी हुई बर्फ भी पिघलेगी, जिससे सदियों से अवशोषित ग्रीन हाउस गैसें भी मुक्त हो जाएंगी । इसका बुरा असर पड़ेगा । तापमान बढ़ने के कारण जीवों के लिए भोजन और पानी का संकट बढ़ जाएगा । वैज्ञानिकों का कहना है कि अगर हम जलवायु परिवर्तन के बुरे परिणामों से बचना चाहते हैं तो हमें अपने क्रिया-कलापों पर ध्यान देते हुए तापमान वृद्धि के कारणों को नियंत्रित करने के बारे में ठोस कदम उठाने चाहिए । हमें ऐसे उपाय अपनाने चाहिए, जिससे ताप वृद्धि धीमी हो । वैज्ञानिकों का यह कहना है कि ग्लोबल वार्मिंग को वर्ष-2001 तक डेढ़ डिग्री सेल्सियस बनाए रखने की जरूरत है । लेकिन अगर इस संबंध में दुनिया के तमाम देशों ने कोई ठोस कदम नहीं उठाए तो इस सदी के अंत तक धरती का तामपान 2 डिग्री सेल्सियस से अधिक बढ़ सकता है ।
प्राकृतिक आपदाओं में जिस तरह से एकाएक बदलाव आए हैं, वह जलवायु परिवर्तन का ही परिणाम है । तूफानों की संख्या बढी है, भूकंपों की आवृत्ति बढ़ गई है, नदियों में बाढ़ का विकराल स्वरूप आदि घटनाएं पहले से कहीं अधिक बढ़ गई हैं, जिसका सीधा असर जीवन और जीवित रहने के माध्यमों पर पड़ता है ।
अगर तापमान यूँ ही बढ़ता रहा तो कुछ क्षेत्र निर्जन हो जाएंगे और खेत रेगिस्तान में तब्दील हो सकते हैं । तापमान बढ़ने के कारण कुछ इलाकों में इसके उल्टे परिणाम भी हो सकते हैं । भारी बारिश के कारण बाढ़ आ सकती है । हाल ही में चीन, जर्मनी, बेल्जियम और नीदरलैंड में आई बाढ़ इसी का नतीजा है ।
महोदय, जितनी तेजी से जलवायु परिवर्तन हो रहा है, उसके लिए मानव-क्रियाएं सर्वोपरि दोषी हैं । घरेलू कामों, कारखानों और परिचालन के लिए मानव तेल, गैस और कोयले का इस्तेमाल करते हैं, जिसकी वजह से जलवायु पर प्रतिकूल प्रभाव पड़ा है ।
जलवायु परिवर्तन के कारण जल पर बहुत बुरा प्रभाव पड़ रहा है । वर्षा की स्थिति में भी बहुत बुरा प्रभाव पड़ रहा है, जिससे पृथ्वी पर बहुत जगहों पर सूखा और बाढ़ जैसे हालात उत्पन्न हो गए हैं । बहुत से लोगों को एक गंभीर समस्या का सामना करना पड़ रहा है । कहीं पर बहुत से लोगों के घर डूब रहे हैं तो कहीं पर पीने के पानी के लाले पड़े हैं । तापमान में हो रही लगातार वृद्धि के कारण ग्लेशियर के पिघलने से होने वाली आपदा का संकट बना हुआ है, जो कि एक विकट समस्या के रूप में उत्पन्न हो रही है । धन्यवाद ।
PROF. ACHYUTANANDA SAMANTA (KANDHAMAL): Hon. Chairperson Madam, on behalf of Biju Janata Dal, I would like to place my views on climate change. Through you, Madam, I would like to flag the following issues on climate change.
Climate change is real. It is happening now, as I speak. It is no more a talk of the past that climate change will occur if actions are not mindful. In fact, the pandemic has shown it. The spread of the virus has triggered an unprecedented worldwide response composed of rigorous social distancing, bans, ambitious economic packages, and programmes for vaccination and for a while, it has eclipsed all other crises including climate change. But climate change cannot be put in the back burner.
Now, it is a moment for mobilisation against the climate crisis. We saw examples of healing of nature during lockdowns, which though very short lived, saw a rebound. We all know Delhi’s AQI improved during lockdown. Even the health of River Ganga has seen significant improvement during lockdown. I do not say that we have to go back to lockdown but we have to be mindful.
If the world waits for climate change to trigger an impact similar to COVID-19, it will be too late. Given the threat of climate change on human society and economy, action against climate change should have been already underway. Climate change will increasingly have dramatic effects on poverty, inequality as well as human and ecosystem well-being. The impacts will furthermore affect the disadvantaged and vulnerable population through food insecurity, higher food prices, income losses, losing livelihood opportunities, adverse health impacts, and population displacements.
So, fighting climate change requires a collaborative approach in all spheres of society. It has to be top down at macro level and awareness at micro level. In our villages, among the tribals and women, we see a lot of sustainable practices. So, our micro level handling will not be a problem. If it is to redress the inequalities linked to climate change, its response must also see significant support from high-income countries towards the rest of the world because they have the resources. It must also heavily redirect resources towards local sustainable activities, including education, health, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and circular management of resources.
A just transition to a sustainable model of development would be beneficial from a socio-economic perspective. It would create a large amount of local employment, reduce exposure to volatile, expensive and largely imported fossil fuels, bring innovation and generate vast savings from improvements in human and ecosystem health. In addition, the solutions to decarbonise are largely available and, in most cases, cost-effective also.
We should also learn from the indigenous people, constituting about five per cent of the world population. Indigenous people are vital stewards of the environment. Traditional indigenous territories encompass 22 per cent of the world’s land surface, but 80 per cent of the planet’s biodiversity.
A third of global forests, crucial for curbing gas emissions, are primarily managed by indigenous people, families, stakeholders, local communities. Indigenous foods are also particularly nutritious, climate-resilient and well adapted to their environment, making them a good source of nutrients in climate changed areas.
Their ways of life and their livelihoods can teach us a lot about preserving natural resources, growing food in sustainable ways and living in harmony with nature. Mobilising the expertise that originates from this heritage and these historic legacies is important for addressing the challenges facing climate change today and also in the future. Here are six of the many ways in which indigenous people are helping the world to combat the climate change.
Their traditional agricultural practices are resilient to climate change. They conserve and restore forests and natural resources. Indigenous foods expand and diversify diets. Indigenous foods are resilient to climate change. Indigenous territories hold 80 per cent of the world’s biodiversity. Indigenous people’s lifestyles are locally adapted and respectful of natural resources.
India is much ahead of these things. The pressure to speed up mitigation and adaptation is at an all-time high. India is doing well under the leadership of hon. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji in achieving its mitigation commitments of reducing emission intensity and enhancing renewable capacity. India is targeting 450 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030 and it has launched mega solar and green hydrogen missions.
To strengthen adaptation and resilience, India can do the following. First, it can be well prepared for climate change with high quality meteorological data. With improved early warning systems and forecasting, we can tackle the crisis better.
Second, for sustainable production system, it is necessary to develop well-functioning markets for environmental-friendly products and disseminate them for the desired behavioural change.
Third, it is important to encourage private sector participation for investment in adaptation technology and for designing and implementing innovative climate service and solution in areas such as agriculture, health, infrastructure, insurance and risk management.
Fourth, we need to protect mangroves and forests to address climate-related risks by blending traditional knowledge with scientific evidence and encourage local and state actors to actively participate.
Fifth, major social protection schemes must be climate-proofed. We have an opportunity to create resilient infrastructural assets, diversify the economy and enhance the adaptive capacity of rural households.
Lastly, for continuous monitoring and evaluation, effective feedback mechanisms must be developed for mid-course correction, periodic fine tuning of State Action Plan on climate change is crucial to systematically understand micro level sensitivity, plan resource allocation and design response to serve different levels of intensity of climate hazards.
The time for tackling billions is over. The 1.5 Degree Report tells us that we have time till 2028 to turn things around. We have to do better than what we are doing now. But that is not impossible. The solutions are, in fact, there. We need to focus on adaption and innovations. The finance is available. It is not difficult to find finance. It is about creating a narrative of hope and positivity and working in partnership with others who really want to do something meaningful and are not just in it for a fast buck. Otherwise, in some years the planet, as we know, will not exist. Some people have woken up to this reality; some people are waking up, and the sooner they do it, the better it is for the world. It will be difficult, but there is hope. The COVID-19 crisis is proof that a global response is possible. But in the case of climate, a global coordinated response larger than the sum of its parts is required.
SHRI RITESH PANDEY (AMBEDKAR NAGAR): Madam Chairperson, I would like to thank you for allowing me to present the views of the Bahujan Samaj Party and Behan Kumari Mayawatiji.
I am a Member of Parliament from one of India’s most densely populated States, and my constituency Ambedkar Nagar is primarily rural, agrarian, and poor, and I am standing here today to say that we, as a nation, are simply not prepared for the climate crisis. I will talk about three issues namely, the economy’s dependence on coal, lack of spending on climate change mitigation, and biodiversity loss.
India has made impressive progress in the generation of renewable energy and the adoption of Electric Vehicles for which it has rightly achieved international acclaim and I would like to congratulate the Minister for this. India consumes less than a third of the global average of per capita energy consumption. So, India needs to consume more energy, not less, to lift its bottom millions out of poverty and to give better standards of living. But 70 per cent of our energy demand is fulfilled by coal, and we are facing a pandemic, and policy-led shortages of this fuel. Additionally, our dependence on petroleum keeps our economy totally dependent on oil producing States.
So, if we are serious about climate and economic development, we must reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. But, while gaining international acclaim for its renewable energy efforts on the one hand, the Government has made effort to increase the auction of coal mines on the other. Most of the 33 gigawatts of coal power generation capacity under construction and the 29 GW in pre-construction stage will end up as stranded assets. We are already witnessing this shift. According to a report authored by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, there have been no new coal plants announced and no movement on the 29 GW pre-construction capacity in the last 12 months. This is because the economics of new coal plants does not make sense. According to the same report, coal-fired power plants simply cannot compete with the ongoing cost reductions of renewables. Solar tariffs in India are now below even the fuel costs of running the existing coal-fired power plants.
So, the question is this. Why is new coal capacity being prioritised over efforts to update and reform the distribution infrastructure of renewable power plants? Additionally, increasing efficiency of existing coal plants is one of the most sustainable sources of untapped energy available to us. If the Government is serious about tackling carbon emissions, then what is the Government’s progress on increasing energy efficiency in the existing power generation infrastructure?
My second point is that we are simply not investing enough funds in our Climate Change Mitigation Initiatives.
Let us look at the Government’s numbers of the expenditure profile of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, which is, and I quote:
“The nodal agency in the administrative structure of the Central Government for planning, promotion, coordination and overseeing the implementation of India’s environmental and forestry policies and programmes.” In the last five years, Madam, the Ministry is unable to fully spend even the funds it has been allocated by this august House The amount of its actual expenditure has been decreasing.
In 2019-20, the Ministry under-spent by Rs. 417 crore, and the amount of under-spending for 2020-21, was a staggering Rs. 1,085 crore. In a country of 1.3 billion people whose vulnerable population will be devastated by climate change, is this how the nodal agency, which has to fight climate change, should operate, by not being able to utilise the funds it has been allocated by this House?
This under-utilisation becomes even more dire when you look at the spending numbers of the Climate Change Action Plan, which is a Government programme to mitigate and adapt to the adverse impact of climate change. The budgeted amount for 2019-20 was a measly Rs. 40 crore and the actual expenditure was Rs. 23 crore. Then again, the budgeted amount for 2020-21 was Rs. 40 crore, but the revised estimates for last year was just Rs. 15 crore.
Even the Climate Resilient Agriculture Initiative, which aims to enhance resilience of Indian agriculture to climate change, is allocated a meagre budget of around Rs. 50 crore, and even this, Madam, is not fully spent.
What do I say to the farmers of Ambedkar Nagar about their future, who have already experienced excessive monsoon rains that are destroying their kharif crops, and droughts that are destroying their rabi crops?
In a population of more than 130 crore people where heat waves, droughts, floods, unpredictable rains and snow will destroy livelihoods of millions of poor people, the Government is spending only 11 paisa per person on the mitigation of these disasters.
In contrast, Madam, this is … * that the Government is spending 81 times more than this amount on advertising.
Another aspect of Climate Change Mitigation is that it is does not adequately address the loss of biodiversity and the Government’s role in exacerbating this loss.
Climate change and biodiversity are two sides of the same coin, Madam. Climate change is one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss, and the biodiversity loss reduces nature’ ability to absorb greenhouse gases, thus accelerating climate change.
The Government’s Environmental Impact Assessment Rules of 2020, makes it easier than ever before for corporations to ravage – unchecked and unhindered – India’s public environmental resources.
Last year, Madam, a gas leak at a chemical plant in Visakhapatnam that killed 12 people and hospitalised about 585 people, was traced to the negligence of LG Polymers, a company that admitted that it did not have the environmental clearance.
Last year again, an oil well owned by Oil India Limited in Upper Assam caught fire after leakages for about two weeks in an area with multiple species of mammals, 300 bird species and various species of fish and flora.
The Himalayas are experiencing more landslides, more floods, and at the same time, the construction of roads, mines, buildings and dams are going on. These are affecting the Himalayas because they are not taking into account while constructing these things, the delicacy of the mountain ecosystem.
According to a Report by Climate Central published in 2019, a large region of Mumbai will be completely wiped out by 2050.
But during the lockdown, the Government cleared about 182 projects that will destroy forests and all the people and animal species dependent on it.
Madam, the bottom line is that although we need progress and upliftment, all progress and all upliftment will only be temporary without the protection of our environment and the mitigation of the impacts of climate change.
The demand for change must come from the people. But there is simply not enough awareness in India on an issue that is electing and removing Governments in other countries. We, the elected representatives of the House, must do more to tackle this knowledge gap through community outreach programmes in our constituencies that raise awareness of this crisis.
Something I hear often in conversations around India and climate change is that we have bigger issues like poverty, inequality, lack of education access, lack of infrastructure and healthcare. But every one of these issues will only be worsened by climate change because climate change like the COVID-19 will disproportionately affect those who have less means of dealing with its impacts. This means that Dalits, women, children, poor farmers, daily wage labourers and small fishermen are especially vulnerable. If you care about social justice, you must care about climate justice because there is no social justice without climate justice.
Madam, at the end, I would also like, through you, to request that with the Pandemic, there has been a lot of medical waste which has been burnt. It is also harming our efforts to save our environment. There should be a special effort towards this issue so that the disposal of medical biowaste can also be done. Thank you very much.
श्री श्रीनिवास दादासाहेब पाटील (सतारा): महोदया, आपने मुझे बोलने का मौका दिया, इसके लिए मैं आभारी हूं ।मैं अपनी बात मातृभाषा मराठी में बोलना चाहता हूं और मैंने इसकी परमिशन मांगी है ।
Today, I am 80 plus and I recall my childhood days. We used to float paper boats in the rainwater while going to school. We all enjoyed those days of our childhood. But, today we are unable to enjoy it because we have heavy rains these days and the paper boat cannot float. We should learn to conserve this rain water through rain water harvesting. In my constituency Satara, there are hill stations like Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani and we used to enjoy the cool weather there. Patan, Koyna Project is also there and we have a beautiful nature around us. But, today people are chopping off the trees and using it as a cheap fuel source causing imbalance in natural environment.
Today, human beings are behaving selfishly and they are not concerned about Mother Nature. Earlier, Mother Nature used to maintain the balance but now it is not possible. We were fully dependent on nature but after scientific and technological advancement, we are now destroying the jungles. We have polluted the atmosphere in the name of Industrial Revolution. Growing population paved the way for urbanization and we completely lost the very basis of our human life. That is why, we have been witnessing this global warming, climate change and all the natural calamities. Thermal power stations, Cement factories, Paper Industry, Metal industries and other chemical industries are responsible for it and hence, we have been facing these problems, like depletion of ozone layer, iceberg melting, increase in seawater level and temperature levels and drastic climate change.
Due to advancement in the field of science and technology, we have better medical facilities and hence life expectancy has also got improved. To cater the needs of evergrowing population, we started exploiting natural resources and forests. These natural resources are also depleting day by day.
Tomorrow, we will have to suffer a lot and it will become very hard to survive on this earth.
17.50 hrs (Hon. Speaker in the Chair) In this backdrop, we should take the warning issued by IPCC and Government of India very seriously. Living and non-livings both are important and our forests are the very basis of our life. Forests used to feed us and now it’s our turn to feed them. Carbon emission should be minimized and thermal power stations, polluting industries should be shut down. We should now focus on non-conventional energy sources and solar, wind and hydropower generation should be multiplied. We should encourage jungle based economy rather than industry based economy. It is high time when we should follow a simple lifestyle in place of luxurious lifestyle. Nature helps us to survive but it can kill us also.
I have served as a Governor in the state of Sikkim. On 25 June, every year we used to observe a Nature’s Day and devote 10 minutes for tree plantation. If every one of us could devote 10 minutes and plant at least one sapling, it would be a great work of afforestation. We are 130 crores, it means, we would have 130 crore trees.
These trees could be used as your pyre wood. We all should encourage our children to plant trees and Nature conservation should also be included in school syllabus. Sant Tukaram and other great Saints of Maharashtra have always emphasized on water, soil and forest conservation. We should also follow them Thank you.
SHRI PRADYUT BORDOLOI (NOWGONG): Thank you, Sir for giving me this opportunity.
In fact, as I stand here to speak on the issue of climate change, I would like to appreciate and endorse your opening remarks that this discussion on climate change should not be partisan. Let it be human oriented because having clean air, water, and a liveable climate, in fact, are the inalienable human rights. But of course, one is perturbed to know that at times, the Government is behaving in a very indifferent manner. It seems, when it comes to the urgency of the ill-effects of climate change, the Government is going thick-skinned.
Sir, today, the climate change is real and very tangible in India. I would just like to quote from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report which records:
“There has been a very progressive increase in the extreme weather conditions in India in the last decade.” Everybody knows that the North-Eastern Region of the country has the highest forest cover. But unfortunately, according to the Report, the NER is also witnessing alterations in the rainfall pattern. In fact, in the last 15 years, the erratic and untimely rainfall has caused havoc in the North-Eastern Region. The North-Eastern Region is the storehouse of biodiversity. It is known as the mega hotspot of forestry, rainforests, and biodiversity. Unfortunately, the climate change has taken its toll. There is a new description of climate refugees. In Assam, we have been seeing the plight of the climate refugees because the people who live in the riverine areas, the people who take shelter in the riverine islands, are routinely getting homeless because of the fluctuations of the river waterflow and the erratic floods pattern. As a result, these climate refugees get homeless. They try to find new space for them and at times, they surreptitiously go and take shelter in the reserve forests and grazing lands where the Government again targets them ruthlessly.
Sir, the climate change has also given various other dimensions that the Government should take care of. At a time when the North-Eastern Region is the storehouse of biodiversity, for unexplainable reason, the Government is trying to implement the Oil Palm Mission, especially in the North-East and in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This is something which cannot be acceptable because we all know that what difficulties the palm oil cultivation have caused in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia. There are case studies. There have been case studies which have shown that palm oil cultivation has really created a very difficult climatic condition in Indonesia and Malaysia, so much so that Sri Lanka has decided to uproot the existing palm oil cultivation. At a time like that, we do not understand why the Government of India is trying to target the North-Eastern Region and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands where we have the highest forest cover and where the biodiversity is also well known. But at a time like this, the Government of India is trying to target the North-Eastern Region. That should be avoided.
Sir, the University of Maryland’s Global Forest Watch Report has revealed that the North-Eastern Region saw the highest loss of forest cover in India, accounting for 76 per cent of India’s forest cover in the last 20 years. This is an alarming figure. But unfortunately, my home State accounts for 14.1 per cent of India’s total tree cover loss alone in the last seven years. So, I think we have to be careful.
We have the last remnants of rainforests in a particular district of upper Assam, namely, Tinsukia district. We have the last remnants of rainforests in those areas bordering up to Hukawng Valley of Myanmar. The earlier Government was trying to protect them but it is very unfortunate now a new coal mafia has emerged. They have started the rat-hole mining. They are doing the degradation. They are uprooting the reserve forests. They are uprooting the wildlife sanctuaries, and, obviously, they do all this in collaboration and in connivance with the police and the district officials. Therefore, the Government should take very stern measures to arrest this kind of degradation of rainforests.
At a time when we are talking about forest cover, at a time when we are talking about climate change, it is very unfortunate that the Government is also trying to talk about the new amendments to the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. If the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 is slackened and further liberalisation is done, then, probably, the reserve forest that we have will further get degraded. So, the Government should be very careful.
At a time when the world community is getting together at Glasgow Convention, the role of the Government is very necessary. At a time when the entire world community is uniting to arrest the further growth of coal-fired power plants and further use of fossil fires, the Government of India has not given its final commitment because it has abstained from signing the COP-26 and the Global Methane Pledge towards reducing methane emissions has been very carefully avoided by the Government of India.
18.00 hrs That should not be there. The Government of India should rise above all kinds of sectarian interests and should unite with the world community to fight the climate change.
Sir, India has taken a very self-defeating posture in Glasgow Declaration on Forests and Land Use. I want to say that the clear and present danger of climate change is this. We cannot burn our future for the present day’s prosperity. This should be very important for all of us. I want to tell you that there should not be any kind of sectarian attitude, and remember, ours is the first generation to feel the sting of climate change and probably ours is the last generation that can arrest the further deterioration of climate change. We must arrest the further deterioration of climate change. Let us do it. Thank you, Sir.
माननीय अध्यक्ष: माननीय सदस्यगण, जलवायु परिवर्तन जैसे गंभीर विषय पर सदन में सभी पक्षों के सभी माननीय सदस्यों की सक्रिय भागीदारी से यह चर्चा अत्यन्त सार्थक सिद्ध हो रही है । विषय की व्यापकता तथा माननीय सदस्यों की सहभागिता को देखते हुए, इस महत्वपूर्ण विषय पर चर्चा आगे भी जारी रहेगी ।
सभा की कार्यवाही गुरुवार दिनांक9 दिसंबर,2021 को प्रात:11 बजे तक के लिए स्थगित की जाती है ।
18.02 hrs The Lok Sabha then adjourned till Eleven of the Clock on Thursday, December 9, 2021/Agrahayana 18, 1943(Saka) INTERNET The Original Version of Lok Sabha proceedings is available on Parliament of India Website and Lok Sabha Website at the following addresses:
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________________________________________________________________________________ Published under Rules 379 and 382 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha (Sixteenth Edition) _____________________________________________________ * The sign + marked above the name of a Member indicates that the Question was actually asked on the floor of the House by that Member.
* Available in Master copy of Debate, placed in Library.
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* Available in Master copy of the Debate, placed in Library.
* 39th and 40th Reports have already been laid on the Table of the Rajya Sabha on 11.08.2021 and presented to Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha on 06.10.2021.
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*English translation of the speech originally delivered in Marathi.
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* ….*English translation of this part of the Speech originally delivered in Tamil.
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*English translation of the speech originally delivered in Marathi.