2022 Year End Timeliner | From Cheetah Introduction in India to INDIA @ CoP27

New Delhi: The year 2022 saw the launch of Mission LiFE by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a flagship programme to promote sustainable lifestyles across the globe.

The central elements of Mission LiFE i.e., sustainable lifestyle and sustainable patterns of consumption to address climate change were mentioned in the cover decision of the Sharm El Sheikh Implementation Plan of COP 27.

Cheetah reintroduction in India by the Prime Minister was another important milestone in the global conservation efforts of the species.

The major achievements during the year 2022 are as follows: –

Lifestyle for Environment – LiFE

India participated in COP 27, with focus on mainstreaming the theme of LiFE – Lifestyle for Environment. The Indian Pavilion at COP 27 highlighted the theme of LiFE in various ways – models, audio visual displays, activities and 49 side events with participation of various central government ministries, state governments, UN and multilateral organizations, public sector undertakings, think tanks, private sector, international organizations and civil society organizations.

India invited all countries to join the LiFE movement which is a pro-people and pro-planet effort, seeking to shift the world from mindless and wasteful consumption to mindful and deliberate utilization of natural resources.

At COP 27, India set up a Pavilion on the theme of LiFE – Lifestyle for Environment.  A number of events, based on LiFE, were organised with the objective of spreading the message of LiFE.

Promoting Circular Economy – Waste-to-Wealth

Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation on the occasion of 75th Independence Day on 15.08.2021, highlighted India’s action on ‘Mission Circular Economy’. NITI Aayog constituted 11 Committees for the development of circular economy (CE) action plans for different categories of wastes.

Circular Economy Action Plans for 10 waste categories (Lithium-ion batteries; E-waste; Toxic and hazardous industrial waste; Scrap metal (ferrous and non-ferrous); Tyre and Rubber; End of Life Vehicles; Gypsum, Used Oil, Solar Panels and Municipal Solid Waste have been finalized, and are under implementation. Respective Nodal Ministries are coordinating on progress of the implementation of these action plans. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is the Nodal Ministry for Circular Economy Action Plan for Tyre and Rubber and stakeholder ministry in other CE Action Plans.

Regulations on market-based Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principle have been notified for four categories of wastes i.e. plastic packaging waste, battery waste, e-waste and waste tyre.

National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has been implementing since 10th January, 2019, a National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as a national-level strategy outlining the actions for reducing the levels of air pollution at city and regional scales in India.

Rs 7100 crore have been released to 131 cities till date under NCAP & XVFC for implementing actions stipulated under city action plan. Fixed city wise year wise targets for improvement in air quality for FY 2021-22 to 2025-26 for this MoUs have been signed with NCAP cities between CPCB, SPCB and ULB and 42 MPCs between the MoEF&CC, State government and Urban local bodies under XVFC.

The national level plan: a comprehensive action plan has been prepared from 7 line ministries under NCAP which includes the action plans of different Ministries/ Departments of Government of India. This includes convergence of schemes/ programmes of different Ministries/ Departments.

The Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

The Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Article 4, paragraph 19, states, “All Parties should strive to formulate and communicate long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies, mindful of Article 2 taking into account their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances.”

In light of above, India launched its long-term low carbon development strategy at the 27th session of Conference of Parties (COP-27) to the UNFCCC. The strategy was launched by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, who led the Indian delegation to the COP 27 from 6-18 November, 2022.With this release, India joins the select list of less than 60 parties that have submitted their LT LEDS to UNFCCC.

Cheetah Introduction in India

The last cheetahs in the Indian wilderness were recorded in 1947 where three cheetahs were shot in the Sal (Shorea robusta) forests of Koriya District, Chhattisgarh State. The main reasons for the extinction of cheetah in India were large scale capture of animals from the wild for coursing, bounty and sport hunting, extensive habitat conversion along with consequent decline in prey base and in 1952 Cheetahs were declared as extinct by the Government.

The Government of India initiated G2G consultative meetings with Republic of Namibia which culminated in the signing of MoU between the two countries on 20th July 2022 for cheetah conservation. Following the signing of MoU, in a historic first wild to wild intercontinental translocation, eight cheetahs were translocated from Namibia to India on 17th September, 2022 and were released into the quarantine bomas by the Prime Minister of India. Post the mandatory quarantine period, the cheetahs have been released into the larger enclosure in phased manner. All the eight individual cheetahs are doing very well in terms of taking of feed, body condition, behaviour, activity and overall fitness.

Ban on identified Single Use Plastics from 1 July 2022 and Plastic Waste Management

India has taken resolute steps to reflect its commitment to eliminate single use plastics that are not biodegradable and have an adverse impact on environment. The strategy adopted by the Government to tackle unmanaged and littered plastic waste has two pillars – ban on single use plastic items which have high littering potential and low utility, and implementation of extended producer responsibility on plastic packaging.

The country has taken a defining step to eliminate single use plastics. A ban has been imposed on identified single use plastic items from 1st July 2022. The ban was notified on 12th August 2021.

Ear buds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene (Thermocol) for decoration; Plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than 100 microns, stirrers.

TX2 International Award to Tiger Reserves of India

The TX2 a Tiger Conservation Excellence award is organized by a consortium of international organisations namely the Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards (CA|TS), Fauna & Flora International, Global Tiger Forum, IUCN Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme, Panthera, UNDP Lion’s Share, Wildlife Conservation Society and WWF’s Tigers Alive Initiative. The award is given to tiger reserves that have made significant progress towards doubling the tiger number since 2010 or displayed conservation excellence.

In 2010, the ambitious goal of doubling wild tiger number by 2022 was set by the 13 tiger range countries. The tiger reserves/ tiger conservation sites of range countries can submit the applications for TX2 awards. From India, in 2020, the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, Uttar Pradesh won the TX2 award and the Manas Tiger Reserve, Assam was selected for Conservation Excellence award for the transboundary conservation partnership.