New Delhi (NVI): The Central government has constituted a high-level ministerial committee for the implementation of goals under the Paris Agreement on climate change.
“In another move that re-affirms India’s seriousness to ‘walk the talk’ on climate change, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has constituted a high-level inter-ministerial Apex Committee for Implementation of Paris Agreement (AIPA) under the chairmanship of Secretary, MoEFCC,” the ministry said in a statement.
The purpose of AIPA is to generate a coordinated response on climate change matters that ensures India is on track towards meeting its obligations under the Paris Agreement, the statement added.
The high-level committee of senior officials from 14 ministries will serve as members to AIPA who will oversee the progress in implementation of India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and receive periodic information updates to monitor, review and revisit climate goals to fulfil the requirements of the Paris Agreement.
Notably, the another key function of AIPA would be to operate as a National Authority to regulate carbon markets under the agreement.
It will also formulate guidelines for the consideration of projects or activities, issue guidelines on carbon pricing, market mechanism, and other similar instruments that have a bearing on climate change and NDCs.
The committee will further take note of the contributions of the private sector as well as multi-/bi-lateral agencies in the field of climate change and provide guidance for aligning their climate actions with national priorities, the ministry said.
Moreover, the next year would mark the beginning of implementation of the Paris Agreement and constitution of AIPA is central to strengthening the national systems and institutional arrangements for implementation and monitoring of climate actions.
It will also ensure that India maintains its climate leadership as one the few countries in the world whose climate actions are consistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement, it noted.
-RJV
