I am delighted to be here at this Inaugural Meeting of the Parliamentary Forum on Global Warming and Climate Change. 

The issue of global warming and climate change is one of the most serious environmental challenges facing humanity today.  Scientific studies have shown that the Earth’s climate is warming rapidly due to increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere generated through intensive human economic activity.  The consequences of global warming and climate change are already starkly visible in many regions of the world.   Rising sea levels, increasing incidents of hurricanes and tsunami, growing  frequency, intensity and duration of floods, droughts and heat waves are some such adverse effects of climate change.  Climatic changes greatly affect bio diversity and ecosystems which, in turn, affect the quality of human development. 

The international community has time and again expressed its concern over this global problem.  The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 was the first important initiative in this direction.  The Convention sought to stabilize the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at a level that prevents dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.  In 1997, Parties to the UNFCC adopted the Kyoto Protocol which provided for quantified emission limitation and reduction commitments for the developed countries.  The Copenhagen Accord 2009 recognizes the need to limit global temperature increases to two degree Celsius and calls for an assessment of the implementation by the year 2015.  The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental  Panel on Climate Change submitted in 2007 has warned that the global warming may have a devastating impact on the climate. 

India is not immune from the impact of global warming and climate change and it has been identified among the 27 countries that are most vulnerable to global warming related accelerated sea level rise.  Several constructive policy measures and initiatives that have a direct bearing on mitigating climate change have been taken. An elaborate institutional mechanism to consider and address issues relating to climate change has been set up.  A Council on Climate Change under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister of India was constituted in June 2007 to coordinate national action for assessment, adaptation, and mitigation of climate change.  An  Expert Committee on Impact of Climate Change has been constituted to study the impact of anthropogenic climate change and to identify the measures that we may have to take in future to address this problem.  Further, in June 2008, the National Action Plan on Climate Change was adopted which has a mix of both mitigation and adaptation measures.  The Eight National Missions which form the core of the National Action Plan represent multi-pronged, long term and integrated strategies for achieving key goals in the context of climate change.  Indian Network for Comprehensive Climate Change Assessment has been established which will bring out regular reports on the impact of Climate Change. 

India is also in the process of launching its own satellites to monitor greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which will put us in an exclusive club of countries to do so.  As India endeavours to increase energy consumption to improve the lives of its people, our national policies are designed to ensure that the means are sustainable.  The Eleventh Five Year Plan aims to reduce energy intensity per unit of GHG by 20 per cent from the period 2007-08 to 2016-17.  It also seeks to boost access to cleaner and renewable energy by exploiting existing resources and developing nuclear power. Low carbon sustainable growth will be a central element of our 12^th Five Year Plan.  The recently approved National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency has announced the roadmap for fuel economy norms for all vehicles that will be fully operational within the next two years.  At the international level, India has been playing a constructive and proactive role in facilitating global dialogue and discussion on climate change.  As you are aware, India is a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.  It is also a participant in the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate. 

As India is at an early stage of development, we have the opportunity to invest in energy efficient technologies and make a transition from carbon-intensive phase of development to an advanced low carbon economy.  We must make sustainability the ongoing principle of our economic development.  We need to reframe the challenge of climate change into an agenda of growth, innovation and opportunity.

I sincerely hope that the meetings of this very important parliamentary forum, which reflects our Parliament’s concern over climate change and global warming, would enable our Parliamentarians to have an in-depth understanding of this complex issue and adopt a result oriented approach.  I am sure your deliberations will come up with valuable suggestions and recommendations to help us adopt an integrated and sustained approach to limit the adverse impacts of climate change.

I wish you all success in your endeavours.

Thank you.