Centre notifies two green initiatives ahead of COP28
Ahead of the UN Climate Summit, or COP 28, set to held in Dubai in November-December this year, the Union government has notified two initiatives—a green credit programme focusing on afforestation and water conservation and an ecomark scheme to promote “eco-friendly” products.
These initiatives will take ahead Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lifestyle for Environment, or LiFE, movement announced in 2021, the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) said in a statement on Friday.
The two initiatives “indicate the country’s pro-active approach to climate change, sustainability and promotion eco-conscious practices,” the ministry said. “These initiatives, the Green Credit Program (GCP) and the Ecomark Scheme, seek to encourage environmentally friendly practices rooted in tradition and conservation; reflecting the ideas of LiFE concept.”
The GCP is a market-based mechanism designed to incentivise voluntary environmental actions across diverse sectors, by individuals, communities, private sector industries, and companies. Its governance framework is supported by an inter-ministerial steering committee and the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) will monitor the overall implementation, the ministry said.
“In its initial phase, GCP will focus on water conservation and afforestation,” it said, adding the Green Credit Registry and trading platform is being developed by ICFRE to facilitate the registration and the buying and selling of green credits.
The ministry has also recast its ecomark notification so that consumers are able to make choices among products and thereby opt for those products that are eco-friendly in their design and process, the statement said.
“The Ecomark Scheme, notified on October 13, 2023, replaces the previous notification (issued on February 21, 1991). It provides accreditation and labelling for household and consumer products that meet specific environmental criteria while maintaining quality standards as per Indian norms,” the statement said. “Products accredited under the Ecomark Scheme will adhere to specific environmental criteria, ensuring minimal environmental impact.”
The GCP notification comes months after the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Act came into effect after it received the President’s assent on August 4, days after parliament passed the corresponding amendment bill. The amendment removes “deemed forests” from the purview of the law.