climate change community

1

INDIA

United Nations Development Programme New Delhi

2013

Selected Discussions

ADAPTATION

Climate Change Community

2

SPECIAL THANKS

The Resource Teams of Climate Change Community is grateful to the following members of

Solution Exchange for their responses to the discussion on Adaptation

Krishnan Srinivasaraghavan

Satya Prakash Mehra

Anshuman Das

Francis Xavier

Subrata Bose

Shailesh Nagar

George Pulikuthiyil

Ravi Nitesh

Shubhangi Kitchloo

Tanushree Bhowmik

Sejuti Sarkar De

Maroti A. Upare

Apoorv Vishnoi

Zeenat Niazi

Sara Ahmed

Gangi Reddy

Bhavna Mathur

Suman K Apparusu

Mohinder Slariya

Sameer S.Kanabargi

Mathews Mullackal

Chitra Shrivastava

Shireen Samarasuriya

G V P Rajan

Simanta Kalita

Y K Saxena

Deepak Kumar Hota

Rajan R Gandhi

Vijay G. Pande

Ashish Gupta

Jai Pawar

Piyush Ranjan Rout

Dinesh Agrawal

Pramod Sharma

Rabi Mukhopadhyay

N. S. Raman

Devendra Sahai

Gautam Choudhury

Muhammad Mukhtar

Vijai Pratap Singh

Viswanath

Svati Bhogle

Daman Dev Sood

Jency Samuel

Mustafa Ali Khan

Nimi Hoffmann

Jyotsna Bapat

Gyana Ranjan Panda

B. K. Sinha

K. N. Vajpai

Muhammad Mukhtar Alam

Irene Stephen

Bibhu Prasad Mohanty

Ramit Basu

Kalika Mohapatra

B N Biswal

Sandeep Srivastava

Rudra Prasad Nandi

Arvind Sinha

Shalini Misra

Himadri Maitra

Swayamprabha Das

Ramesh Jalan

Archana Chatterjee

P. C. Joshi

N K Agarwal

Rudra Prasanna Rath

Sunder Subramanian

Sejuti Basu

Kriti Nagrath

Manu Gupta

Selection and Compilation of Consolidated Replies

Ramesh Kumar Jalan, Ph.D.

Resource Person & Moderator Climate Change Community, Solution Exchange, United Nations Development Programme 55, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi -110003, India

Tel: +91-11-46532383 Fax: +91-11-24627612

www.solutionexchange-un.net.in

Cover Photo © VIA Interactive/UNDP India

3

Content

SI.No Particulars Page Numbers

1 Query: Mainstreaming Gender Issue in Climate Change Adaptation Experiences; Referrals

5

2 Query: Encouraging low carbon lifestyles - Experience, Advice

25

3 Query: Financing Adaptation to Climate Change - Experiences; Advice

44

4 Query: Inputs for Developing the Indian Himalayas Climate Adaptation Programme (IHCAP) -Experiences; Examples

62

5

Solution Exchange for the Climate Change Community Consolidated Reply


Query: Mainstreaming Gender Issue in Climate Change Adaptation Experiences; Referrals

Compiled by Ramesh Jalan, Resource Person and Jai Kumar Gaurav, Research Associate Issue Date: 22 June 2011

From Subhash Channa, Delhi University, New DelhiPosted 12 May 2011

I teach anthropology at Delhi University and also teach at the Centre for Environmental Studies at the Department of Environmental Biology.

The question of gender has entered into almost all discourses since the end of the last century, yet in most cases it has remained a lip service to introducing a kind of ‘essential’ parameter in otherwise largely andocentric thinking and planning.

However, when it comes to issues of climate change and environment, the gender question cannot be ignored as division of labor, unequal access to resources, different forms of entitlements, differential responsibilities in providing subsistence and differently situated roles in reproduction has fore-grounded gender differentiation. Women have traditionally been entrusted with subsistence activities and shoulder responsibilities under most adverse circumstances.

We at Delhi University would like to include an unbiased and realistic analysis of gender issues in climate change in the research project we are currently developing in which the impact on climate change on the communities, especially in the vulnerable regions such as the Himalayas is to be investigated. The research is aimed at the economic, cultural and social impacts mainly affected through changes in resource availability, transformation of landscape and livelihood patterns. The focus would be not only on the changes but on the coping mechanisms both at the individual and the community level. A key area of investigation would then be the differential responses intersected by variables such as gender and other social parameters that significantly affect the human environment relationships.

We are therefore seeking the following inputs from members:

• Please share any data regarding the differential impact of climate change on men and women, in any specific field situation.

• Along with data, we are looking for cases studies or field analysis on women’s response to climate change or environmentally adverse situations.

• Can members also enlighten us from their own experiences with environment/climate change planning conducted in a gender sensitive manner.

In addition, please share information about institutions, NGOs or individuals who are working within a gender sensitive framework while dealing with planning or mitigation to climate change related issues.

Your inputs will help us develop a suitable research proposal to mainstream gender issues in projects and programmes related to climate change. Contribution of members would be suitably acknowledged. We look forward to your cooperation and support.

Responses were received, with thanks, from

1. Krishnan Srinivasaraghavan, APCTT, UNESCAP, New Delhi

2. Satya Prakash Mehra, Rajputana Society of Natural History, Rajasthan

3. Anshuman Das, DRCSC, Kolkata

4. Francis Xavier, Kerala Veterinary & Animal Sciences University, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala

5. Subrata Bose, Climate Change Division, Ministry of Environment and Forests, New Delhi

6. Shailesh Nagar, NR Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd., Delhi

INDIA

6

7. George Pulikuthiyil, Jananeethi, Kerala

8. Ravi Nitesh, Mission Bhartiyam, Lucknow

9. Shubhangi Kitchloo, Delhi

10. Tanushree Bhowmik, UNDP, Delhi

11. Sejuti Sarkar De, Society for Natural Resource Management & Community Development (SNRMCD), Ghaziabad

12. Maroti A. Upare, Independent Consultant, Mumbai

13. Apoorv Vishnoi, Keystone Environmental Solutions, Delhi

14. Zeenat Niazi, Development Alternative, Delhi

15. Sara Ahmed, IDRC Regional Office for South Asia and China, New Delhi

16. Gangi Reddy, Rural Reconstruction and Development Society, Gudur, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh

17. Bhavna Mathur, Bangalore

*Offline Contribution

Further contributions are welcome!

Summary of Responses 6 Comparative Experiences 8Related Resources 10Responses in Full 13

Summary of Responses

Women face prevailing socio-economic inequalities including lack of property rights, lack of access to information, employment, unequal access to resources etc. The persistent gender inequality experienced by women is making them more vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change and also limits their capacity to cope with them.

As women have traditionally been entrusted with subsistence activities, climate change is impacting ecological resources resulting in increased hardship for women. For example severe drought necessitates that women travel longer distances and spend more time fetching water and collecting fire wood. Further, food scarcity has reduced the nutrition available to women while their workload has increased leading to increased health problems.

A study conducted by FAO in Andhra Pradesh (Lambrou and Nelson, 2010) highlights that traditional coping strategies have a strong gender component and that the availability of institutional support is greater for men than women. Support such as government employment, food distribution schemes, loans and migration in order to earn additional income is not equitably available to women. Another study (Kelkar, 2009) highlights the deplorable condition and extreme vulnerability of women particularly from indigenous communities to climate change impacts.

Similarly, studies from Africa highlight that women headed households depend more on food crops whereas men headed households take the riskier option of cultivating cash crops and migrating during adverse conditions resulting in reduced adaptive capacity for women.

In the paper on ‘Pinning Down Vulnerability: From Narratives to Numbers’, Daanish Mustafa, Sara Ahmed and Eva Saroch (2008) highlight the greater vulnerability of women to climate change impacts in absence of support mechanisms.

For example, in different areas of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, particularly the Bundelkhand region there is lack of adequate representation by women in local and state level formal decision making structures. Therefore, the interests of women are not being adequately addressed. . Consequently, gender sensitive climate change mitigation, disaster risk management and adaptation policies and programs are imperative to tackle the challenge of climate change particularly for women.

Despite greater vulnerability and poor adaptive capacity, many women are clear about their needs and priorities. They are taking measures on their own to adapt and cope with the challenges of climate change.

A participatory research project by Action Aid and Institute of Development Studies, United Kingdom (IDS) found that women use various adaptation strategies such as changing cultivation to flood and drought resistant crops, or to crops that can be harvested before the flood season, or varieties of rice that will grow high enough to remain above the water when the floods come.

7

The women were also acquiring skills and undergoing trainings on proper use of manure, pesticides and irrigation (Brody, et. al., 2008). Another example is from Andhra Pradesh where 5,000 women spread across 75 villages are practicing chemical-free, non-irrigated, organic agriculture for combating global warming. Through the Maya Nut Program supported by The Equilibrium Fund, women in Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras have planted 400,000 Maya Nut trees and the project is likely to receive carbon credits for carbon sequestration. Further, the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) is providing services like savings, credit, health care, child care, insurance, legal aid, capacity building and communication services to poor women increasing their adaptive capacity.

NGO Pradan, is promoting ‘tasar’ silk, through establishment of women Self Help Groups (SHG) to provide alternative livelihood opportunities. Replicating the same approach, the Gorakhpur Environmental Action Group (GEAG), has been working on sustainable agriculture, livelihood diversification and access to micro-credit, primarily for women.

Utilizing a different model The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) through its Lighting a Billion Lives (LaBL) project selects local community women and trains them to take the responsibility for day-to-day operations of the solar charging stations thereby providing alternative sources of income and also mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change.

Educational institutes like the Kerala Veterinary & Animal Sciences University implemented a water conservation and rain water harvesting project employing over 200 women. The university also developed the vegetable Seed production programme that involved training of selected rural women to utilize the land and infrastructure of CBF Thumburmuzhy Farm to produce vegetable seeds.

In addition to efforts by NGOs and educational institutions government programs like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is providing livelihoods to women, increasing resilience and allowing them to cope with climate-induced adverse affects on agriculture and extreme events.

Through the project ‘Aquaculture Development in North Hilly Region of Vietnam’ funded by UNDP, training regarding livelihood options including securing credit and involvement in policy formulation has helped women overcome the myriad challenges of climate change.

UNDP in Bangladesh funded a project to ‘Enhance food security of coastal Cox Bazar district’ where women played an important role in reducing pressure for catching young fishes, reduced catching of shrimp seed (young shrimp) for allowing them to breed and enhance natural fisheries.

While several projects at different levels are addressing gender issues, often policies developed to deal with the impacts of climate change neglect its impact on women. For example the substitution of fossil fuels with bio- fuels to mitigate climate change has created large tracts of farms devoted to such plantations. This has affected women in communities that depend on subsistence farming due to use of toxic agro chemicals, scarcity of land etc. Therefore, gender sensitive climate change related polices are essential.

A unique example of climate change mitigation planning conducted in a gender sensitive manner was in Nepal. To ensure women participate in planning processes separate male and female committees have been established and they work together on specific projects like for example the installation of micro-hydro power station in their area.

Phot

o ©

VIA

Inte

ract

ive/

UN

DP

Indi

a

8

Similar example from Costa Rica where to resolve the problem of lack of ownership of land with women, FONAFIFO (Fondo Nacional de Financiamiento Forestal), the national institution in charge of implementing the Program to Pay for Environmental Services (Programa de Pago por Servicios Ambientales) as well as promotion of gender equity, imposed a fee and ensured that a certain amount of the gains are earmarked for supporting women to become landowners.

In the present circumstances according to the paper by Sara Ahmed and Elizabeth Fajbe (2009) making adaptation policies and programmes gender sensitive requires a nuanced understanding of gendered forms of vulnerability, and a stronger commitment of resources/financial, technical, and human to address specific priorities.

Therefore, to enhance the understanding of gender issues and vulnerability more research and analysis is required. Measures like establishing a system of climate, crop and rainfall information dissemination; increasing women’s participation in farmer’s organizations and commercial networks allowing access to markets and resources such as credit; greater participation of women in decision-making for management of common natural resources is crucial.

Building a database of best practices and innovative models and policies for gender sensitive adaptation is important for capacity building and knowledge sharing. Focusing on use of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) could be beneficial for capacity building and knowledge sharing at the community level.

Consequently providing ownership and control rights to land, housing and livestock, crop diversification, capacity building and knowledge dissemination for adapting to climate change, equal participation of women in community affairs, management of community resources will ensure a sustainable future for women and equitable sustainable development.

Comparative Experiences

Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras

Maya Nut Program (from Sejuti Sarkar De, Society for Natural Resource Management & Community Development (SNRMCD), Ghaziabad) Through the Maya Nut Program supported by The Equilibrium Fund, women in several countries have planted 400,000 Maya Nut trees (Brosimum aliscastrum). The fund is trying to participate in carbon trading with USA and Europe to demonstrate that specific projects are helping in improving women’s lives, adapting to climate change and reducing greenhouse gases emissions.

From Krishnan Srinivasaraghavan, Asian and Pacific Center for Transfer of Technology (APCTT), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), New Delhi Nepal Gender Sensitive Climate Change Mitigation Separate male and female committees have been established under the Rural Energy Development Programme in Nepal to increase women participation in decision making. Committees work together on implementation of small hydro power projects. The project’s emphasis on including women in decision making and implementation has made it a model for gender sensitive energy planning.

Costa Rica Increasing Land Ownership of Women to Ensure Gender Equity In Costa Rica women generally do not own land therefore the Program to Pay for Environmental Services (Programa de Pago por Servicios Ambientales) for encouraging conservation, reforestation, carbon emission mitigation also involves providing support to women to become landowners.

From Maroti A. Upare, Independent Consultant, Mumbai

Vietnam Aquaculture Development in North Hilly Region of Vietnam The project funded by UNDP involved providing appropriate training regarding livelihood generation based on aquaculture, meeting required credit demand and involving them in policy formulation to help women overcome the adverse impacts of climate change and adapt to new situations.

Phot

o ©

VIA

Inte

ract

ive/

UN

DP

Indi

a

9

Bangladesh

Enhance Food Security of Coastal Cox Bazar`s District In Bangladesh, the project funded by UNDP helped women played important role in reducing pressure for catching young fishes, reduced catching of shrimp seed (young shrimp) for allowing them to breed and enhance natural fisheries.

From Subrata Bose, Climate Change Division, Ministry of Environment and Forests, New Delhi

India

Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) Providing Services to Women SEWA is providing savings, credit, health care, child care, insurance, legal aid, capacity building and communication services to women so that they can achieve their goals of full employment and self-reliance. SEWA is also developing a efficient cookstove based CDM project with focus on women.

Lighting a Billion Lives (LaBL) project by TERI Benefiting Women TERI’s ‘Lighting a Billion Lives’ (LaBL) along with Uninor’s ‘Aditi Urja Vikas’ campaign will help extend solar charging facilities in rural India and will also encourage a sustainable model of economic growth among rural women. Local community women will be selected and trained to take the responsibility for day-to-day operations of the charging station and solar lanterns will be rented out against payment of a nominal amount.

From Shailesh Nagar, NR Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd., Delhi

Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) to Provide Alternative Livelihood Opportunities, Andhra Pradesh NGO Pradan is promoting women SHGs and home-based enterprises like livestock farming, mushroom farming etc. among its members. Tasar, a variety of wild silk (Vanya silk) produced by the tasar silkworm, Antheraea Mylitta is reared in forest areas and Pradan is supporting tribal communities to explore alternate livelihood through Tasar production.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) Benefiting Women MGNREGA provides guaranteed 100 days of manual employment in a year and women are benefiting from the program. Mandatory 50 per cent woman representation in local governments and their nodal roles in the MGNREGA programme’s implementation including preparation of the village development plan have led to gender mainstreaming in finance, natural resource management, water and infrastructure sector.

Kerala Involving Women in Water Conservation, Rain Water Harvesting and Vegetable Seed Production (from Francis Xavier, Kerala Veterinary & Animal Sciences University, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala) The university initiated two projects and over 200 rural women were involved in its implementation. The first project involved construction of water conservation and rain water harvesting structures with use of geo-membrane lining and second project involved training of women to utilize land and infrastructure for vegetable Seed production.

From Sara Ahmed, IDRC Regional Office for South Asia and China, New Delhi

Andhra Pradesh Organic Farming Contributing to Climate Change Mitigation Agriculture sector accounts for 28 percent of India’s greenhouse gas emissions and include mainly methane emission from paddy fields, cattle and nitrous oxides from fertilizers. Around 5,000 women in 75 villages of South India are practicing organic agriculture with no use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides etc. contributing to mitigation efforts. The women also grow upto 19 types of indigenous crops on an acre, of arid and degraded lands.

Uttar Pradesh Involving Women in Sustainable Agriculture, Livelihood Diversification and Access to Micro-credit, Gorakhpur Gorakhpur Environmental Action Group (GEAG) is involved in advocacy for women’s right to property, recognizing them as cultivators and empowering them through building institutions such as self help groups. GEAG is also involved in capacity building on sustainable agriculture practices and alternative livelihood generation.

10

Related Resources Recommended Documentation

Engendering The Energy And Climate Change Agenda (from Krishnan Srinivasaraghavan, Asian and Pacific Center for Transfer of Technology (APCTT), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), New Delhi) Discussion Paper; by UNESCAP; UNESCAP; New York, USA; May 2006; Available at http://www.unescap.org/esd/rim/documents/WMG%20discussion%20paper.pdf (PDF; 246 KB)

The paper highlights the inter-linkages between climate change impacts, lack of access to modern energy and gender inequalities

From Shailesh Nagar, NR Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd.,Delhi

Gender and Climate Change: Mapping the Linkages Paper; by A. Brody, J. Demetriades and E. Esplen. Name; BRIDGE, Institute of Development Studies (IDS), UK; UK Department for International Development; UK; 2008. Available at http://www.bridge.ids.ac.uk/reports/Climate_Change_DFID_draft.pdf (PDF; 156.38 KB)

The paper focuses on gender inequality in existing adaptation and mitigation, policy and practice and recommends priority areas for future research.

Adivasi Women Engaging with Climate Change Report; by G. Kelkar; UNIFEM South Asia Office, IFAD and The Christensen Fund; Global Gender and Climate Alliance; New Delhi; June 2009 Available at http://www.gender-climate.org/pdfs/adivasi_women_engaging_with_climate_change_1.pdf (PDF; File size)

The study deciphers the gendered impact of climate change on adivasi women and suggests recommendations for enhancing resilience and adaptation.

Farmers in a Changing Climate Does Gender Matter? Report; by Y. Lambrou and S. Nelson; Food and Agriculture Organization; Food and Agriculture Organization; Rome; 2010. Available at http://www.fao.org/docrep/013/i1721e/i1721e01.pdf (PDF; 670 KB)

The report elaborates on the strong gender dimension to the way in which climate variability is experienced and expressed by farmers in their coping strategies.

Reforestation, Afforestation, Deforestation, Climate Change and Gender (from Sejuti Sarkar De, Society for Natural Resource Management & Community Development (SNRMCD), Ghaziabad) Factsheet; by IUCN; Gender and Environment; Costa Rica; 2009 Available at http://www.gender-climate.org/pdfs/FactsheetForestry.pdf (PDF; 1.19 MB)

Factsheet highlights different afforestation, reforestation and conservation projects supported by IUCN and other organizations.


Pinning Down Vulnerability : From Narratives to Numbers Working Paper; by D. Mustafa, S. Ahmed and E. Saroch. Name; KCL and ISET India; ProVention Consortium, Institute for Social and Environmental Transition and Institute for Social and Environmental Transition; Nepal; November 2008; Available at http://www.onlinewomeninpolitics.org/sourcebook_files/Resources/Tools-%20From%20Risk%20to%20Resilience%20-%20Pinninmg%20Down%20Vulnerability%20from%20Narratives%20to%20Numbers.pdf (PDF; 1.5 MB)

This paper presents an empirically tested quantifiable vulnerability and capacities index (VCI) tool for development practitioners and policymakers.

Phot

o ©

VIA

Inte

ract

ive/

UN

DP

Indi

a

11

Engendering adaptation to climate variability in Gujarat, India Article; by S. Ahmed and E. Fajbe. Name; OXFAM; OXFAM; India; 2009 Available at http://www.genderandwater.org/page/9843 (PDF; 140.54 KB)

The article illustrates vulnerability assessment methodology and provides guidance on gender sensitive adaptation to climate variability.

Women Farmers Ready to Beat Climate Change Newsarticle; by K. Acharya; IPS News; May 2009. Available at http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=46131 (HTML)

The article elaborates on the organic farming initiative taken by women farmers that is contributing to Climate Change mitigation.

Recommended Organizations and Programmes

From Anshuman Das, DRCSC, Kolkata

Alternative Futures, New Delhi B-177, East of Kailash, New Delhi 110065; Tel: 91-11-26847668; [email protected]; http://www.alternativefutures.org.in/index.php?categoryID=104

Organization working in the field of ecological sustainability, social justice and cultural pluralism.

Development Research Communication and Services Centre (DRCSC), Kolkata 18B, Gariahat Road (South), Dhakuria, Kolkata 700031, West Bengal, India; Tel: 033 2473 4364; [email protected]; http://www.drcsc.org/

DRCSC is a NGO working on food and livelihood security of the rural poor through sustainable management of natural resources.

From Shailesh Nagar, NR Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd., Delhi

Natural Resources Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd., Delhi S-6, 2nd Floor, Green Park Extension, New Delhi; Tel: 91-11-41881234; Fax: 91-11-41881235 Email; http://www.nrmcindia.co.in/index.php

A development consultancy firm providing support in social and environmental development and management to stakeholders in South Asian region.

Pradan, New Delhi E-1/A, Kailash Colony, Ground Floor and Basement, Kailash Colony, New Delhi; Tel: 4040 7700, 2924 8826 to 2924 8832; [email protected]; http://www.pradan.net/

Organization nurturing SHGs of poor women, introducing locally suitable economic activities and mobilizing finances for livelihood assets and infrastructure.

Action Aid India, Delhi R 7, Hauz Khas Enclave,New Delhi 110016; Tel: 91-11-40640500; Fax: 91-11-41641891; http://www.actionaid.org/india

Organization addressing issues of poverty, inequality and injustice in 40 countries.

The Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Sussex, United Kingdom Library Road, Brighton, BN1 9RE, UK; Tel: 44-(0)1273-606261; Fax: 44-(0)1273-621202 [email protected]; http://www.ids.ac.uk/

IDS is a leading global charity for international development research, teaching and communications.

12

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act http://nrega.nic.in/netnrega/home.aspx; Contact Ms. Amita Sharma; Joint Secretary; Tel: 23385027,23384703; [email protected]

The Act aims at enhancing the livelihood security of people in rural areas by guaranteeing hundred days of wage-employment in a financial year.

From Subrata Bose, Climate Change Division, Ministry of Environment and Forests, New Delhi

The Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi Darbari Seth Block, IHC Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi - 110 003, India; Tel: 91-11-24682100; Fax: 91-11-24682144; [email protected]; http://www.teriin.org/index.php

NGO involved in tackling the acute problems arising due to the gradual depletion of the earth’s finite energy resources and existing polluting methods of their use.

Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), Ahmedabad, Gujarat SEWA Reception Centre, Opp. Victoria Garden, Bhadra, Ahmedabad - 380 001. India; Tel: 91-79-25506444 / 25506477 / 25506441; Fax: 91 -79 -25506446 [email protected]; http://www.sewa.org/

SEWA helps poor women access services like savings and credit, health care, child care, insurance, legal aid, capacity building and communication.

Winrock International India (WII), Gurgaon 788, Udyog Vihar, Phase V, Gurgaon - 122 001, India; Tel: 91-124-4303868; Fax: 91-124-4303862 Email; http://www.winrockindia.org/

WII is a non-profit organization working in the areas of natural resources management, energy and environment, and climate change.

Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi 41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area New Delhi-110062; Tel: 91-11-29951110, 29951124; Fax: 91-11-29955879 [email protected]; http://www.cseindia.org/

CSE researches into, lobbies for and communicates the urgency of development that is both sustainable and equitable.

Jananeethi, Thrissur, Kerala (from George Pulikuthiyil, Jananeethi, Kerala) P.B.No.8, Mannuthy P.O. Thottappady, Thrissur-680651 Kerala State, South India.; Tel: 91-487-2373479; Fax: 91-487-2373281 [email protected]; http://www.jananeethi.org/; Contact Title. George Pulikuthiyil; Executive Director; Tel: 91-9447027338; [email protected]

Organization involved in advocacy for equity and justice for the deprived section of society and working on gender issues.


Gorakhpur Environmental Action Group (GEAG), Gorakhpur Gorakhpur Environmental Action Group, Post Box No. 60, 224, Purdilpur, M G College Road, Gorakhpur -273001 (U.P.) India; Tel: 91-0551-2230004; Fax: 91-551-2230005. [email protected]; http://www.geagindia.org/index.html

GEAG is a voluntary organisation undertaking development initiatives which impact the lives of the poor, deprived and marginalized through a people-centric approach.

The South Asia Consortium for Interdisciplinary Water Resources Studies (SaciWATERs), Secunderabad Plot No 125 & 126, S.P.Colony, Trimulgherry, Secunderabad - 15, Andhra Pradesh, India; Tel: 91-40 42005174; [email protected]; www.saciwaters.org/periurban

The consortium aims at understanding the implications of urbanization processes for water access and use in peri-urban locations in four select research sites in South Asia.

13

Recommended Portals and Information Bases

GenderCC - Women for Climate Justice, UNFCCC, Bonn, Germany (from Sara Ahmed, IDRC Regional Office for South Asia and China, New Delhi) http://www.gendercc.net/; Contact Marion Rolle; Coordinator; Tel: +49.30.21980088

Women for Climate Justice is integrating gender justice in climate change policy at local, national and international levels.

Related Consolidated Replies

Enhancing Adaptive Capacity of Urban Poor Women, from From Sakshi Saini, Department of Development Communication and Extension, University of Delhi, New Delhi (Advice, Examples). Climate Change Community, New Delhi, Issued 08/Februrary/2011. Available at ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/clmt/cr/cr-se-clmt-ictd-14011101.pdf (PDF,160 KB)

Campaign strategies for urban poor women on adaptation in Delhi were discussed.

Responses in Full

Krishnan Srinivasaraghavan, Asian and Pacific Center for Transfer of Technology (APCTT), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), New Delhi

Here’s my response to the query:

Our headquarters, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) has published a Discussion Paper entitled “Engendering the Energy and Climate Change Agenda” for the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-14) held in New York in 2006. This publication lists several key issues related to gender dimension in energy and environment planning and also provides few interesting case studies, which I thought could be relevant for this discussion on main streaming gender issues. (Source:http://www.unescap.org/esd/rim/documents/WMG%20discussion%20paper.pdf).

Case Study - I: Gender Sensitive Energy Planning in Nepal The Rural Energy Development Programme in Nepal has used the installation of micro-hydro power systems as an entry point for community economic development, and ensured that both men and women participate in planning processes by establishing separate male and female committees that then work together on specific projects chosen by the community as a whole. The project’s emphasis on including women and on gender and power relations has made it a model for gender sensitive energy planning. (Source: “Nepal Rural Micro Hydro Development Programme”, Rana-Dueba, in Generating Opportunities: Case Studies on Energy and Women, UNDP, 2001, http://www.unescap.org/esd/rim/documents/WMG%20discussion%20paper.pdf )

Case Study-II: Gender Sensitive Environmental Planning in Costa Rica Since 1996, Costa Rica has been implementing the Program to Pay for Environmental Services (Programa de Pago por Servicios Ambientales) to promote and encourage conservation, reforestation, carbon emission mitigation and its greenhouse effect and the sustainable management of Costa Rica’s natural resources. The programme is a mechanism that offers economic rewards to landowners who don’t cutback the forests on their land. The problem also encompasses ownership issues since most landowners are men and women have little access. To help resolve this problem, FONAFIFO (Fondo Nacional de Financiamiento Forestal), the national institution in charge of implementing the program as well as promotion ofgender equity, imposes a fee to ensure that a certain amount of the gains goes to supporting women to become landowners. (Source:: http://www.unescap.org/esd/rim/documents/WMG%20discussion%20paper.pdf)

These two case studies serve as interesting examples for gender sensitive planning.

14

Satya Prakash Mehra, Rajputana Society of Natural History, Rajasthan

Gender issue is an essential part of every step of the policy and development work irrespective of the subject field.

I would like to put my inputs on the points raised here in the group. Well, stating that the impact of Climate Change (CC) on only one gender will be wrong. Our NGO - Rajputana Society of Natural History (RSNH) is working on improving water and sanitation conditions in the rural areas of Bharatpur (Rajasthan). Going back to the past almost till the last decade of 1900s, we could see that Bharatpur (north-eastern parts of Rajasthan) was facing problems of flooding. Erratic rainfall is normal in this region but now the picture is completely changed. The drought is a common feature. Rains have decreased and the ground water is getting highly saline. Though the main reason could be attributed to the anthropogenic activities especially checking of the water flows from all directions but we can’t over rule the impact of CC in the area and the after effects on the local people.

The change in climatic conditions has changed the lifestyle of the locals. For example in Chak Ramnagar and some of the nearby villages adjoining the Keoladeo National Park, the community is mainly dependent on agriculture. With the scarcity of water, the villagers left their agricultural land fallow. The families who were financially sound harnessed water from deep bore wells. The poor families either borrowed water for irrigation from the rich ones or left their fields barren. Due to this, few of the members start migrating and the women started searching for daily wage work for sustaining their family. Leaving behind the children and adolescent girls had the responsibility to fetch water from the nearby areas through out the day.

From this one could come out with certain points for the change due to variations in the climatic conditions:

• The poor became more poor

• Forced youngsters particularly males to migrate

• Forced women to work on daily wages along with males (earlier they use to look after agricultural activities & its earnings)

• Forced young girls to look after family rather then their own development

• Lack of interest towards education

• Lack of interest towards development activities

This was the conditions which I defined before the execution of the work for improving water conditions which is more or less attributed to the change in the water regime of the area and to some extent on CC. After execution of the work resolving water problems of the village, we observed following changes:

• People got interested to think towards resolving environmental problems on their own

• Formation of SHGs by women on their own contributed a part of their earning for the sake of community development

• Young girls are now involved in the education system. Not only getting the education but the elderly girls who left their education restarted their studies and the girls of higher standards (11 & 12) are now giving education to the primary classes along with raising literacy among the women

• Many of the members who migrated and left their field are now again ready to alter the crop pattern according to the conditions

• Community revived the ecosystem as they realized that greening of the area is essential for checking adverse micro-climatic conditions

• Conservation practices are now used for the livelihood of the locals.

Thus, I would like to point out that CC has major impacts on the BEHAVIOR & PSYCHOLOGICAL aspects of both gender. The negative approach always makes the conditions worse whereas positive approach always encourages both gender to move ahead and resolve the problems.

RSNH has done a survey in the rural areas of Rajasthan on the issue of CC and their impacts on both genders. In the preliminary results it was found that women are more affected then the men. Females have shown more changes towards the negative side then the males at every level.

RSNH has taken gender issues to the forefront in all its work and is presently focusing on conservation, climate change, livelihood etc.

15

Anshuman Das, DRCSC, Kolkata

Alternative Futures, Development Research and Communication group, www.alternativefutures.org.in is involved in a study currently on gender specific climate change impact and coping practices by women in four states of India. It is also involved in the following activities:

• Work, livelihoods and development: focusing particularly on the unorganized sector and woman workers in the changing global economy, technological skills and the challenge of social equity. (For example: how globalisation is affecting women workers; the livelihoods potential of crafts.)

• Energy, natural resources and development: policies and practices for the conservation, equitable and sustainable use of energy, land water and all natural resources. (For example: various ways to enhance use of renewable energy sources: ways and policies for optimum use of water.)

• Social and policy innovations and human development: building a database of best practices and innovative models and policies in governance and in all areas of human development. (For example: gender-sensitive policies and programmes; innovative educational projects; tools to prevent and counter corruption.)

• Science, technology and society: focusing on technology choices, especially new information and communication technologies (ICTs) for the benefit of wider society and on ways in which traditional knowledge and modern science can be synthesized (For example: use of ICTs for the poor; use of appropriate technologies.)

• Culture, indigenous knowledge and development: looking at cultural values, indigenous knowledge systems and the ways in which these are changing in a globalised world. (For example: Continuing relevance of indigenous health systems; use of traditional and religious philanthropy in social development.)

My organization, Development Research Communication and Services Centre (DRCSC), is also involved in the study. Besides, we are also involved in the following related activities: Community based common property resources: We expect people would be able to produce fodders, firewood, small timbers and food and generate some off-season income through community based natural resource management in degraded/fallow land and the improved habitat would be beneficial for small wildlife.

Education for Sustainable Development: We try inculcating basic scientific skill, making conscious & taking action about local socio-ecological problems and encouraging to take up natural resource based enterprises through life and livelihood oriented group activity based, experiential and learner centric environment education for the children.

Capacity building: We try to capacitate & aware grass-root organizations, social workers, educators, teachers and consumers about recent issues of development, techniques of sustainable agriculture, alternative education, mutual cooperation group building and micro-enterprise development through training, support services and networking.

Disaster Preparation and Climate Change Adaptation: We expect in every disaster prone region proper strategic crop, grain bank and seed bank created to fight with the post disaster situation. Details are available at: http://www.drcsc.org/

The report on gender specific climate change impact and coping practices by women in four states of India will be published soon.

Francis Xavier, Kerala Veterinary & Animal Sciences University, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala

Regarding Rural Women Empowerment related to Farm related works at CBF Thumburmuzhy Kerala, I would like to point out the following:

I work with the Kerala Veterinary & Animal Sciences University. I initiated two women related projects and succeeded in its implementation. Over 200 Rural women were involved with the projects which demonstrated successful empowerment. The projects were initiated in the Research Farm of Kerala Agricultural University.

The Mixed farm: “CBF Thumburmuzhy” for the first time was designed for water conservation and rain water harvesting .The MGNREGA work force, mainly women of the rural locality were employed. The work was successfully completed .The rural women who never dared to work in public places got trained in climate change related work of the farm.

The Geo-membrane lined Pond with 17 lakhs litres of water and rain water harvesting pits and bunds of stone are all standing monuments of the work of the rural women. The model was later emulated in other research stations of the University. So this is a very effective model for blending a national Rural uplift project, University project and Climate change.

16

The second project was a vegetable Seed production Programme that involved training of selected rural women to utilize the land and infrastructure of CBF Thumburmuzhy Farm to produce vegetable seeds. The vegetable production in the state of Kerala which showed a decline needs addressing. The climate change has influenced production.

The dress code, comfort, excellent training and group social activities have empowered the women. The participants are now bold enough to handle issues related to agricultural production and they are socially and culturally elevated. These are small but successful women interventions.

Subrata Bose, Climate Change Division, Ministry of Environment and Forests, New Delhi

I am giving below a brief note on Climate Change & Gender Issues: Women are particularly vulnerable to climate change because of their limited adaptive capacities arising from prevailing social inequalities and ascribed social and economic roles that manifest itself in differences in:

• Property rights

• Access to information,

• Lack of employment and

• Unequal access to resources.

Further, changes in the climate usually impact on sectors that are traditionally associated with women, such as paddy cultivation, cotton and tea plantations, and fishing. This means increased hardship for women.

In India, about hundred and sixty million people, especially women and children gather bio-fuels spending long hours and suffer health consequences of carrying heavy loads and pollution from bio-fuels, industrial wastes etc. If they did not have to gather fuel, these hours could be used towards their self-development or for economically productive activities and hence poverty alleviation.

Further, women of all age group using bio-fuels are found to be more susceptible to respiratory illnesses especially women in the age group of 30-60 years as compared to females using clean fuels in India. Health effects due to fuel-wood were mainly physical strains such as backache, neck ache etc. Another concern was encounter with wild animals. Benefits of Clean fuels and Gender involvement can be seen in terms of:

• Productivity gains

• Education of children

• Leisure & Socialization and

• Economic Empowerment

The intersection of energy, poverty alleviation and gender is a key issue that needs to be identified while designing a project with the inclusion of Women’s groups at project level. Some of the Organizations’ working in these areas are:

• Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA)

• Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)

• The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)

• Winrock International

Shailesh Nagar, NR Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd., Delhi

My colleague Mr. Rajesh R and myself prepared a working paper through secondary literature review and interviews for Oxfam, India recently on Women in Agriculture. One of the chapters in that working paper dealt with Women in Agriculture and Climate Change. We realized that there is very limited research looking at gender aspect in climate change. I am giving below excerpts from the chapter for your reference.

WOMEN FARMERS AND CLIMATE CHANGE Disadvantages due to persisting gender inequality experienced by women are exacerbated by impacts of climate change including change-induced disasters. There are many other challenges faced by women that are not directly related to climate change but altogether hinder their capacity to be resilient.

17

Some of the challenges specific to women in agriculture include:

• With lesser resources available such as water, firewood, etc, women tend to allocate more time for their farm-based and home-based activities.

• Droughts have adversely affected household food provisioning – it is now becoming more difficult for women to look for food, fuel and water. Women who tend to livestock or are involved in horticulture have to spend more time in arranging these resources. Walking larger distances in remote areas also make women prone to violence.

• Climate-induced disasters such as floods and landslides exacerbate women’s lack of access to food and control over the quality of food and conditions of its production.

• Few rural women have access to mechanisms, such as training and calamity insurance, which could help them become more resilient and responsive to the impact of disasters.

Various studies point to the strong gender dimension to the way in which climate variability is experienced and expressed by farmers in their coping strategies to ensure their livelihoods and food security. Post-disaster recovery efforts and economic development programmes have proven that women and men are affected differently by natural hazards and environmental stress because of differences in traditions, resource use patterns, and gender specific roles and responsibilities (Kelkar, 2009).

Furthermore, gender inequality exacerbates women’s vulnerability to adverse changes in climate as it limits women’s political voice, economic opportunity, health, education, and access to information in particular. Statutory and/or customary laws often restrict women’s property and land rights and make it difficult for them to access credit and agricultural extension services, while also reducing their incentive to engage in environmentally sustainable farming practices and make long-term investments in land rehabilitation and soil quality (Brody et. al., 2008). This has affected even matrilineal communities, like the Khasi and Jaintia in Northeast India where women have decreased access to productive resources, yet they continue to bear the principal responsibility for household food security (Kelkar, 2009). This gender-based household responsibility burdens women to look for other and additional means of livelihood, including those that increase the risk of violence against them.

This risk is further heightened by widespread illiteracy, familial and social violence, and restricted livelihood options.

A study by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Andhra Pradesh explores climate change impacts on farming women and suggests that women’s and men’s perceptions of and responses to impacts of dry conditions, as well as their access to resources and support, differ in important ways (Lambrou and Nelson, 2010). The study found that men and women farmers have similar or identical perceptions of temperature and rainfall trends on a decadal basis and over time; these perceptions match well with the climate records which show an increase in drought conditions over the past three decades. When the farm production and income are low due to low rainfall, men and women share the burden of obtaining additional income, with men tending to feel the burden of loans.

The study highlights that traditional coping strategies for coping with food scarcity have a strong gender component in terms of distribution of food in the household and become exacerbated during dry years. Men and women demonstrate different preferences for longer-term coping strategies. In response to persistently unpredictable weather, more male respondents preferred migration in search of wage labour as a coping strategy, whereas more women preferred local wage labour to migration as a coping strategy.

The FAO study also points that the availability of institutional support for coping with climate variability is greater for men than women. Such support largely consists of government employment, food distribution schemes as well as loans and migration in order to earn additional income. The study suggests several measures to facilitate better adaptation by women farmers. These include establishing a system of climate, crop and rainfall information dissemination which should be accessible to a wider spectrum of the community. In such a system, the information should be received by women as well as men through advice on radio and television in a form and content that is appropriate, and through legitimate community information sources as well as through women’s organisations.

ADAPTATION MEASURES FOR WOMEN FARMERS At the household level, the ability to adapt to changes in climate depends on control over land, money, credit and tools; low dependency ratios; good health and personal mobility; household entitlements and food security; secure housing in safe locations; and freedom from violence (cited in Brody, et. al., 2008). As such, women are often less able to adapt to climate change than men since they represent the majority of low-income earners, they generally have less education than men and are thus less likely to be reached by extension agents, and they are often denied rights to property and land which makes it difficult for them to access credit and agricultural extension services. Moreover, gender biases in institutions often reproduce assumptions that it is men who are the farmers. As a result, new agricultural technologies – including the replacement of plant types and animal breeds with new varieties intended for higher drought or heat tolerance – are rarely available to women farmers (cited in Brody, et. al., 2008).

18

Despite this context of vulnerability, many women are already adapting to the changing climate and are clear about their needs and priorities. A participatory research project by Action Aid and Institute of Development Studies, United Kingdom (IDS) clearly shows that women in rural communities in the Ganga river basin in Bangladesh, India and Nepal are adapting their practices in the face of changes in the frequency, intensity and duration of floods. Women described various adaptation strategies such as changing cultivation to flood and drought resistant crops, or to crops that can be harvested before the flood season, or varieties of rice that will grow high enough to remain above the water when the floods come. The women were also clear about what they need in order to adapt better to the floods: crop diversification and agricultural practices, but also skills and knowledge training to learn about flood and drought-resistant crops and the proper use of manure, pesticides and irrigation (cited in Brody, et. al., 2008).

Similarly, Kelkar (2009) highlights the empowerment priorities outlined by adivasi and indigenous women for their economic resiliency to climate change. These priorities are also generally applicable and are given below:

• Ownership and control rights to land, credit, housing and livestock (such as cattle, poultry, fisheries);

• Crop diversification , including flood and drought resistant varieties;

• Extension knowledge in sustainable use of manure, pesticides and irrigation;

• Information on how women and men in other areas are managing their livelihoods and adapting to environmental stressors;

• Capacity-building and training in alternative livelihoods;

• Flood protection shelters to store their assets, seeds, folders and food for livestock and poultry;

• Easier access to health care services, doctors, pharmacists and veterinarians;

• Access to affordable and collateral-free credit for production, consumption and health care needs;

• Access to markets and marketing knowledge to enhance trade of their agricultural produce and NTFPs with confidence, and not feel cheated and exploited by outside traders;

• Equal participation of women in community affairs, management of community resources and ‘the commons’, and decision-making related to negotiating and developing livelihoods and financing of adaptation strategies.

Clearly, solutions to enhance women’s adaptive capacities and livelihoods including alternative agricultural practices, access to credit, inputs such as improved seed varieties, as well as labour-saving technologies, need to be promoted.

Various measures can be taken up for facilitating women farmers to become more resilient to the adverse impacts of climate change. Kelkar (2009) provides examples of successful livelihood interventions by NGOs like PRADAN and the enabling effect of social security scheme like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) on the livelihoods of women farmers. She observes that such interventions increase the resilience of women farmers and allow them to cope better with climate-induced adverse affects on agriculture and extreme events.

Hope this is useful.

George Pulikuthiyil, Jananeethi, Kerala

I work for Jananeethi which aims at radical changes in society, enabling the individuals and societies become aware of their inherent human rights and civil liberties, so that people may live in dignity and freedom, in consonance with the true dictates of humanity in its widest scope and dimension. It is a voluntary, non-sectarian, non-political, non-profit making and secular organization adhering to the ideals and the democratic values enshrined in the Constitution of India, is intended and designed for the defense of life, dignity, liberty and other fundamental rights of the defenseless. It’s a creative collective of human rights defenders, eminent jurists, retired judges, lawyers, academics, writers, thinkers, artists, social workers, and activists in the spheres of culture, environment, community health and education. Further details are available at: http://www.jananeethi.org/ Regarding, the impact of Climate Change on health of women, they include the following:

• Due to heavy pollution of air, soil and water including excessive radiation, women are suffering from thyroid, uterus/breast cancer and other ailments. Any change in the climate/temperature will have adverse biological impact on women.

• When public water supply system is restricted due to drought/floods and water supply is limited to night hours, women do not get time to sleep as they are pre-occupied with collection of drinking water. This affects their general health and behavior patterns.

• Sudden changes in working environments adversely affect women’s health. For example – huge number of women used to work in fishing, coir making and cashew industries but now majority of them have become jobless for obvious reasons. Almost all of them were forced to shift to other highly hazardous work like removing garbage from flats/buildings, municipal wastes from markets to dumping grounds etc.

19

Social equilibrium is also disturbed in the following ways:

• As mentioned above (3) the shift that has taken place in the social capital of women has actually done lot of harm and damage to the social status of women. They are often employed in menial jobs. Therefore the vulnerability of women has increased enormously.

• Women are victims of social inequality and intra-house inequality. When employment opportunities are cut to small counts, women are ousted first. When debt becomes stumbling block and land properties, house, or other assets are lost due to debt, women are most affected as compared to men.

• When electricity fails, it upset the entire work in the kitchen. Cooking, washing, cleaning, pumping water and such other house cores are at risk. When house becomes disorganized, family atmosphere gets disturbed leading to disputes, personal accusations and disharmony at home.

• There is a high degree of uncertainty at home and in society due to the adverse impacts of Climate Change. Often the coping systems are gender in-sensitive. For example – when relief / rehabilitation provisions are made in times of natural calamities like floods, earth quakes etc. women’s needs are not cared for.

Suppose drinking water system fails and women need to walk a long distance to fetch water (and it happens in villages very often), the hardships and sufferings of women are too much.

Ravi Nitesh, Mission Bhartiyam, Lucknow

Gender issues and climate change are two different fields but at some points these two overlap with each other.

The query will certainly be helpful for research work as well as to develop new methods according to results of these outputs. Though studies have been done on this issue and with the received responses, one can go through it but what I suggest is to elaborate the topic more and divide it in gender concern in rural and urban areas. This is because the conditions at both places (in context of activities, which affect environment) are entirely different.

In rural areas women work as home makers or as laborers in the fields. They mostly use wood and coal for cooking fuels. They use kerosene oil for lightning purpose, due to absence of electricity.

We at Mission Bhartiyam are presently doing a survey over average consumption of different type of fuels used in villages as per the duration of electricity availability. Now apart from that, in urban areas, women with lower earning communities, lives in temporary camps, mostly use wood and heaters. Their livelihood depends on physical labor at construction sites and selling of fruits, vegetables and other commodities. Men in both areas generally work outside the home, however in rural areas physical labor matters more. Hence, women are more vulnerable to climate change than men.

They are also more prone to health problems and also due to exposure to smoke while cooking.

It should be noted that while developing strategies for climate change mitigation, there should be special attention on women to make them aware of these issues.

Shubhangi Kitchloo, Delhi

Women face a very different experience of climate change as they constitute a higher percentage of the world’s poor and have a lower literacy rates making them more vulnerable to climate change. It is important to develop gender neutral policies that take women’s concerns and experiences as a part of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

Women are responsible for feeding and caring for their families and especially more so in rural areas as men often migrate to urban areas in search of work. However the effects of climate change on giving women access to the basic necessities makes them more vulnerable to rising food prices, water availability etc.

The adverse affect of climate change on agriculture leading to severe drought necessitates that women travel much longer distances and spend more time fetching water for drinking irrigation and livestock. The effects of this is especially relevant to hilly areas where the loss of glacial melt and resulting water flow requires that women will have to spend more time trying to fetch water.

20

Even policies developed to deal with the impacts of climate change often miss out on the impacts on women. For example the substitution of fossil fuels with bio fuels produced from soya bean, oil palm etc. has created large tracts of farms devoted to these crops. This has also affected women in communities that depend on subsistence farming, who are affected by toxic agro chemicals, the scarcity of land for farming, lack of employment opportunities etc.

Local and Community activities could also be used to incorporate gender issues into climate change adaptation through the following:

• Use of participatory approaches to involve all members of the community in planning

• Understanding local gender roles including different vulnerabilities. Failure to consider these differences between men and women often leads to unsuccessful projects.

• Drawing on local knowledge, which is linked to men’s and women’s gender-differentiated roles and “is based on experiences and adapted to the local culture and environment, it is continuously developing and is an important asset for resource-poor people.”

• Enhance local capacity to adapt: “FAO has developed and tested a livelihood based approach to promote climate change adaptation processes building on the assumption that most rural communities in LDCs (as well as in other developing countries) work on the basis of day to day priorities rather than for the longer term.”

• Introduce tools in a locally sensitive way: FAO cautions “the availability of useable science based climate prediction information needs to be tailored to farmers needs by matching it with traditional practices and incorporating existing local knowledge.”

Lessons Learned: Experience in development intervention shows that households do not act as one when making decisions, women tend to control fewer resources, and women are more vulnerable to external shocks due to already present vulnerability from unequal access to resources, lower levels of education, increased burden and poorer health. Increasing women’s resources tends to benefit the whole family. In general acknowledgement and monitoring gender differences have had improved impact on development.

A study on livelihood adaptation to climate variability and change in drought prone areas of Bangladesh recommended that “priority should be given to plans for rural development that incorporate climate change adaptation.” The study further recommended that because “women and children are most vulnerable groups within communities”, a special contingency plan should be in place to mitigate their suffering and ensure gender issues are mainstreamed in any development process. Another section of the study recommended that ensuring the sustainability of household level income generation activities is one way to integrate women into the implementation of adaptation practices.

Another example is that of a catastrophe in the year 2000 which had a devastating effect on the farmer seed system in the Valley of Limpopo River, in the province of Gaza, Mozambique, “due to the abruptness and timing of the unprecedented flood induced disaster occurring just before the harvesting season and lasting for about three months. All the lowland resources like livestock seeds and shelters were destroyed.

In one region of the above valley, multiple varieties of crops became extinct and farmers used external resources and informal networks to rehabilitate their seed stocks. In another region farmers were able to recover their seeds after the floods in the lowland area because they had a practice of transferring seeds from the lowlands to the highlands in times of flooding. In these communities men are responsible for the cultivation of cash crops like maize, sugarcane, rice and banana, while women have the responsibility and knowledge about food crops like cassava, sweet potatoes, groundnuts and cowpeas. The study found that the reconstruction of the agricultural system, which also affects the conservation of genetic resources, may be affected by the differentiation of agricultural practices and responsibilities along gender lines.

Tanushree Bhowmik, UNDP, Delhi Rural livelihoods of women and men differ widely between regions. Furthermore, other group identities such as ethnicity, economic status, caste, and age, are interlinked with gender. However, certain issues are relevant to understand gender-related patterns of vulnerability and these include the following:

• The majority of women farmers do not have secure land rights. This has negative implications on their capability to adapt agriculture to changing ecological conditions, since land can’t be used as collateral for accessing credit. Furthermore, security of land tenure is a basic incentive for undertaking sustainable agriculture investments, in terms of infrastructure and know-how.

21

• Women’s productive assets are generally of lesser value than those of men. This can be due to inheritance patterns, or related to the agricultural activities of women and men, as women often undertake activities which need less capital. As both a cause and effect, women’s economic activities are often less economically profitable than those of men. This limits their potential for expansion and increases their vulnerability in the face of adversities and stress such as sudden shortages in food supplies, income, crop failure, natural disasters, climate change etc.

• Women, especially in rural areas worldwide have lower educational levels than rural men. This hampers their access to information and know-how which could complement and optimize their own knowledge. Illiteracy, which is generally higher among women than among men, reduces their chances for gaining wage employment, which could be an important source of alternative livelihood.

• Women farmers’ participation in farmer’s organizations and commercial networks, which would allow access to markets and resources such as credit, tend to be mediated through male relations. This can lead to their specific needs being neglected. Furthermore, agricultural extension services and technology development tend to target men, assuming that knowledge will be conveyed to women. In regions where a distinction exists between male agricultural activities, focusing on market-oriented production, and female agricultural activities which are focused on subsistence agriculture, means that extension services would benefit mainly male farmers.

• The reasons given above contribute towards making access to financial services difficult for poor rural women. These services go beyond credit, which has not proven, in many cases, sufficient to pull them out of poverty, especially if loans are small, as in the case of collateral-free micro credit products. Credit, coupled with savings services and micro-insurance, allows spreading risk and thus reducing vulnerability.

• Women and men do not participate usually on an equal basis in community organizations. The absence of gender balance in decision-making instances for management of common natural resources, such as water, forests, fallow areas, can lead to women farmers’ specific rights and needs to be overseen. These Common property resources are important for groups, of which women form a large proportion, who do not own land under their name.

• Food security and agricultural policies are at risk of overlooking gender issues, since women’s subsistence-oriented work, often classified as “housework”, tends not to be captured as “productive” in traditional measurements of labour and output of the agriculture sector.

The above suggests that deterioration of rural livelihoods, resulting from the interlinked effects of climate change, loss of biodiversity, and desertification, entails different consequences for women and men in the performance of their productive, reproductive and community roles.

Sejuti Sarkar De, Society for Natural Resource Management & Community Development (SNRMCD), Ghaziabad

Broad assessment reveals, women to be more exposed to the effects of climate changes as they are more dependent on natural resources, have less access to information and capacity building exercises, less access to credit facilities for adopting new climate resilient technologies and have weaker economic conditions.

Rural women, in particular, face the threats of increased agricultural work, increased time spent to get water and fuel wood for household and fodder for livestock, decreasing irrigation water, and repeated migration to cities for work.

For women living in forest adjacent villages, lower accessibility to Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) would decrease their economic opportunities. These would lead to lower availability of nutrition, education and health facilities and increased violence for women members of the household.

Studies to determine the quantitative impact of climate change on Indian women are very few. Some interesting case-studies can be found in ‘Reforestation, Afforestation, Deforestation, Climate Change and Gender’ (http://www.gender-climate.org/pdfs/FactsheetForestry.pdf) and UNIFEM study on climate change challenges for indigenous women (http://www.unifem.org/materials/item_detail.php?ProductID=149).

22

Apoorv Vishnoi, Keystone Environmental Solutions, Delhi

Gender issues need special attention for biological diversity conservation as local level biodiversity is maintained through knowledge and know-how of both women and men.

Depending on the roles in rural livelihoods, women and men acquire and transmit different and complementary knowledge. The knowledge with men and women is about different things and different knowledge about the same things that they organize and transmit by different means.

The knowledge pertains to domestic plant and animal genetic resources, which are the basis of both the productivity and adaptability of agricultural systems, and also to wild and semi-domesticated sources, which offer safety nets in case of food scarcity. Both sources also provide important goods for traditional medicine, as well as material for the pharmaceutical industry.

Specifically, Plant genetic resources (PGR) are of significant importance and economic value as they represent an irreplaceable, locally adapted source such as resistance to pests and disease and suitability to specific micro-climatic and environmental conditions. However, PGR are being lost at a rapid rate, in part due to the replacement of farmers heterogeneous traditional varieties with a relatively small number of homogenous, modern commercial varieties. This loss of crop genetic diversity poses a grave threat to long-term food security. Further, biodiversity is important in rural livelihood for spreading risks, as the reliance on a variety of genetic sources allows their agricultural systems to adapt to varying conditions, and generation of income from a range of natural resources.

It has been observed that men concentrate on cash crop cultivation, women concentrate on subsistence agriculture as well as household-related tasks such as care for the family and food preparation. Thus, failure to integrate women’s biodiversity knowledge in each of these functions has impact on household-level food security and nutrition.

Failure to target both sexes in biodiversity conservation results inevitably in a loss of knowledge of local and international relevance, as well as producing a gender bias in policies and programmes which could be detrimental to the functions that women perform.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) aims at conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and advocates the fair and equitable sharing of genetic resource benefits. It is essential to include gender dimension in biological diversity conservation projects to achieve the objectives of the CBD.

Zeenat Niazi, Development Alternatives, Delhi

The increasing unpredictability of the climatic events presents difficulties for poor households. Compounding this scenario is the increasing social inequality growing hand in hand with the economic prosperity of the country. Some key trends may be identified from the vulnerability perspective in India that will influence the manner in which climate change affects women and men.

Vulnerability to climate change is assessed not only by exposure but also by sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Women headed households generally rely more on natural resources keeping in view their traditional roles in securing the subsistence. Studies carried out in Africa have shown that women headed households depend more on food crops whereas men headed households take the riskier option of cultivating cash crops. In general, men have greater adaptive capacity due to higher mobility then women, particularly in rural areas; greater off-farm employment opportunities; possibility of seeking seasonal out migration to cities for employment. Further, men in India even today have greater access and control over livelihood resources keeping in view the gender inequalities so rampant in the country.

Disasters present the most visible impacts of climate change such as recurrent droughts in different areas of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, particularly the Bundelkhand region. Lack of representation by women in local and state level formal decision making structures means that the interest of women are not being adequately addressed in Disaster Risk Management. The impact of droughts may also be differentiated on men and women. Whereas, a lot of men migrate to urban centers, women are left behind in their homes to somehow fulfill their reproductive and maternal roles with meager and insufficient resources. This makes the women even more vulnerable to climate change.

23

Gendered climate change impacts on human capital assets include disproportionate impacts on women’s physical and mental health during and after disasters; increasing violence against women; inequalities in household food allocation; increased drudgery for women. Gendered impacts on natural capital assets due to climate change include a loss of belongings, animals and crops during floods for example. The timing of climate related disasters in relation to the seasonal agricultural calendar also plays a vital role in determining how quickly agricultural recovery is possible. Further, women are traditionally responsible for household water, fuel wood and fodder collection which is an arduous task. This kind of drudgery is expected to increase unless adaptation measures are put in place to improve the situation. The situation becomes especially serious in semi arid and mountainous regions.

In conclusion, it is important to highlight that the knowledge of climate change and its possible impacts on women is extremely limited in India. The lack of awareness among women and non availability of adequate resources limits adaptation activities. Further, post disaster recovery focuses on renewal of existing systems rather than more transformative changes (including higher involvement of women in management roles) to increase resilience to future disasters.

Sara Ahmed, IDRC Regional Office for South Asia and China, New Delhi

Just wanted to share a couple of case studies which I think may be helpful when trying to understand the gender impacts of climate change as well as the challenges of addressing gender equity in adaptation initiatives. For more resources on gender, please look at the website of the Gender and Climate Change Network: www.gendercc.net.

The Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is also supporting research on understanding the relationship between climate change and/or variability and water security, particularly in urban and peri-urban areas, where gender is a critical cross-cutting issue. Please look at: www.saciwaters.org/periurban.

Methodological challenges persist, particularly when you are trying to quantify some of the more qualitative aspects of gendered vulnerability. We are working further with our research partners on this vulnerability index. Our paper on vulnerability from narratives to numbers is available at: http://www.onlinewomeninpolitics.org/sourcebook_files/Resources/Tools-%20From%20Risk%20to%20Resilience%20-%20Pinninmg%20Down%20Vulnerability%20from%20Narratives%20to%20Numbers.pdf

Another paper on “Engendering adaptation to climate variability in Gujarat, India” by Sara Ahmed and Elizabeth Fajbe is available at: http://www.genderandwater.org/page/9843

Gangi Reddy, Rural Reconstruction and Development Society, Gudur, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh

Climate change gender issues need to be addressed at the national level. Everywhere experienced women are now a days managing communities.

Research studies, Sample database studies and awareness programs have been taken up by a few NGOs including some international NGOs for rural communities facing the adverse impacts of climate change.

The NGOs who are working at the community level have experience and capacity to address climate change issues but do not have resources, technical guidance to move ahead.

The International NGOs and consultants have developed a network with rural based NGOs and sharing experiences and working out a plan of action is essential to commence an awareness campaign on this issue.

We are a rural based NGO working in Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh and experiencing climate change. We are member of the Climate Change Community and getting the mails regularly.

I am interested in addressing climate change and soliciting support and partnerships from international NGOs.

Kindly communicate the names of agencies interested in supporting adaptation issues associated with climate change. We are presently addressing gender, land, water and forest related issues linked to climate variability.

24

Bhavna Mathur, Bangalore

The objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are to stabilize the concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, as they are believed to exacerbate climate change and alter agricultural/eco zones. The challenge of climate change affects not only the environment but also economic and social development.

Women, especially in developing economies are particularly vulnerable to climate change. This is for two reasons:

The first is because women in developing countries assume a more domestic role in the family which in turn increases their dependence on natural resources. Degradation of water sources is a usual consequence of drought and natural disasters. Children and pregnant women are particularly susceptible to diseases which thrive in such conditions such as diarrhea and cholera. Furthermore, because of their roles in relation with household water supply and domestic chores, women are particularly at risk from such diseases.

Moreover, an increase in temperature-related illnesses and deaths can be expected; changes in the geographic range of vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever because of changes in temperature and rainfall patterns are also likely. Anemia – resulting among other factors from malaria – is responsible for a quarter of maternal mortality.

The second reason is due to their low adaptive/coping capacity that is a result of a mix of social, cultural and economic factors. Extreme weather events such as flooding, landslides, and storms, cause death and injury, and may affect women and men differently, depending on the means at the disposal of each to ensure their own safety. It has been noted that in Bangladesh, cultural constraints on women’s mobility hinder access to shelter and health care in the context of cyclones and floods. Moreover, women have limited access to decision making or even ownership of economic assets which further limits their coping/adaptation strategy.

Adaptation to climate change challenges traditional coping mechanisms. Traditional risk-sharing mechanisms, based on kin and social groups, may not be adequate, since whole regions are affected. If the natural resource base is degraded to the point of being insufficient to support the livelihoods of the current population, drastic measures are implemented, such as selling of assets and migration.

However, even in the case of migration, female-headed households have been identified as particularly vulnerable, since women must assume traditionally male responsibilities, without having equal or direct access to all resources, financial, technological, and social.

A direct correlation has been observed between women’s status in society and the likelihood of their receiving health care. If climate change has been observed to “exacerbate current gender inequalities” due to the increase of pressure on societies, negative consequences on women’s health can be expected.

25


Query: Encouraging low carbon lifestyles - Experience, Advice

Compiled by Ramesh Jalan, Resource Person and Jai Kumar Gaurav, Research Associate Issue Date: 18 January 2011

From P. S. Sodhi and Hem Pande, GEF UNDP, SGP, CEE and Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India, New Delhi Posted 29 November 2010

Dear Members,

As many of you are aware, UNDP-GEF Small Grants Program (SGP), India along with Ministry of Environment & Forest (MOEF) and Centre for Environment Education (CEE) developed and published the Low Carbon Lifestyles, A Trainer’s Toolkit. The importance and significance of actions at all levels to tackle this problem cannot be overemphasized but requires a dedicated approach for future generations.

The toolkit is a set of materials, presented in an easy to understand language based on up-to-date science and policy inputs from experts in this field. It aims to arm the trainer, community at large and youth & students above all with facts and figures on how ‘small changes’ in our actions on a sustained basis can have a profound impact on the environment by reducing green house gas emissions. The objective of this toolkit is primarily to create an impact on all stakeholders, more prominently the youth, who could inculcate these habits in their daily lives. The need for the public at large to imbibe these practices would help preserve and conserve natural resources as low carbon lifestyles not only save money but also encourage savings of precious natural resources and money.

We must add that the first step to achievement is to work together, learn and exchange information, knowledge and practices. We will welcome more ideas and suggestions to be incorporated in the second edition of the toolkit. We need to understand that we are all contributing towards climate change and therefore we all need to be responsible in mitigating it, lest WE ALL WILL BE victims of climate change!!! Time has now come to create Awareness, Analyze and Act (the AAA approach)!!

We urge members to go through the 30 simple to do messages mentioned in the toolkit, which is available at ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/clmt/resource/res02111001.pdf [PDF; Size: 1.85 MB] and give us views and suggestions on the following:

• What is the best possible strategy to maximize the use and outreach to stakeholders of the tool kit?

• How an ‘individual stakeholder’ can contribute to maximizing the outreach and benefits from the toolkit?

Kindly also share the manner in which you are using the publication, sharing the knowledge so that we could influence and benefit a larger audience.

We strongly believe that by adopting Low Carbon Lifestyles, we would have done our bit to save Mother Earth. Your response will provide inputs for the next phase of our project on Low Carbon Lifestyles. The contribution of members would be suitably acknowledged.

Looking forward to your comments and guidance!


1. Suman K Apparusu, Independent Consultant, Hyderabad

2. Mohinder Slariya, Environmental Sociologist, Chamba, Himachal Pradesh

3. Sameer S.Kanabargi, Phoenix Products, Belgaum, Karanataka

4. Mathews Mullackal, Green Harmony, Kerala

INDIA


26

5. Chitra Shrivastava, Samvedna – A Society for Global Concerns, Jabalpur

6. Shireen Samarasuriya, UNDP, Srilanka

7. G V P Rajan, Think to Sustain, Noida, Uttar Pradesh

8. Simanta Kalita, CEE North East, Guwahati

9. Y K Saxena, Jubilant Life Science Limited, Noida

10. Deepak Kumar Hota, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd., Mumbai

11. Rajan R Gandhi, SAG, New Delhi

12. Vijay G. Pande, Vijyoti Pvt. Ltd., Noida, Uttar Pradesh

13. Ashish Gupta, Organic Farming Association of India, Delhi

14. Ravi Nitesh, Mission Bhartiyam, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

15. Jai Pawar, Deepak Foundation, Vadodara

16. Piyush Ranjan Rout, Local Governance Network, Bhubaneshwar, Orissa

17. Dinesh Agrawal, NTPC, Noida

18. Pramod Sharma, Indore, Madhya Pradesh

19. Rabi Mukhopadhyay, Forum of Scientists, Engineers and Technologists, Kolkata

20. N. S. Raman, Environmental Impact and Risk Assessment Division, National Environmental Engineering Research

Institute (NEERI), Nagpur

21. Devendra Sahai, Global Warming Reduction Center (GWRC), New Delhi

22. Gautam Choudhury, National Informatics Center, Department of IT, Ministry of Communications & IT, Govt. of India,

Guwahati

23. Muhammad Mukhtar Alam, Center for Ecological Audit, Social Inclusion and Governance, Delhi

24. Vijai Pratap Singh, Lead India, New Delhi

25. Viswanath, Vivekananda Trust, Mysore

26. Svati Bhogle, TIDE, Banglore

27. Daman Dev Sood, Business Continuity Management Institute - India, New Delhi

28. Jency Samuel, Independent Consultant, Chennai*



Summary of Responses 26 Comparative Experiences 28 Related Resources 29Responses in Full 31


Low carbon lifestyles can contribute significantly to the mitigation goals of a country while also saving energy, natural resources and money. However, awareness of low carbon lifestyles is lacking amongst the public and therefore a comprehensive toolkit, awareness generating material etc. can contribute significantly to promoting low carbon lifestyles.

The Low Carbon Lifestyles toolkit developed by UNDP-GEF Small Grants Program (SGP), India along with Ministry of Environment & Forest (MOEF) and Centre for Environment Education (CEE) with 30 simple to do messages could be updated with more suggestions such as encouraging use of public transport, switching off ignition at traffic lights, going on vacation via a train, staying in green-rated hotels, buying local and seasonal food, carrying a cloth bag for shopping , using compost/vermi-compost as fertilizer, using less timber for home consumption(furniture etc), using telephone, internet more for communicating with relatives and friends as it avoids emissions due to travelling; growing vegetative hedges instead of boundary walls in urban areas, turning on water tap at half flow for conserving water etc.. The existing suggestion of switching to CFLs could be modified to include TL 8 type tube-light as well which is equally energy efficient and is less polluting due to a lack of mercury in its manufacture. Suggestions that introduce new methodologies such as the use of bamboo as a material for disaster resistant housing that is greener could also be included as FOSET (Forum of Scientists, Engineers and Technologists) in West Bengal has developed this technology.

27

Technical aspects such as fixing a minimum cut-off in terms of quantity of emissions reduced due to a measure for calculating emission reductions, illustrating the carbon sequestration potential of bamboo in place of teak in paper making could also be included in the toolkit. Similarly, toolkits can be prepared separately for offices (or office complexes), homes (or housing societies), schools etc. as there can be differences in steps that need to be taken by different categories of people.

Once a comprehensive toolkit is ready maximizing the use and outreach to stakeholders is a major challenge so suggestions like launching an interactive website with competitions, computer games and applications for school and college children to popularize the messages in the toolkit are important.

Further, in order to popularize the messages in the toolkit participation that includes involving stakeholders in the planning process, cognitive participation that includes involving people in campaigns, interactive participation that involves involving the people in awareness creation through workshops, sensitization meetings, etc. and material participation has been suggested.

Information regarding the toolkit could also be disseminated to stakeholders through letters along with New Year Greetings; organizing talks or seminars at Institutes, schools and colleges; advertising the toolkit on TV channels, magazines, through popular Cinema stars etc.; advertising on websites of MoEF (Ministry of Environment and Forest), Research Institutes and through AIR (All India Radio) in local languages.

Consequently, individuals and organizations can take several steps to maximize the outreach and benefits of the toolkit. For example Green Harmony, an NGO, recently used the toolkit to train more than 700 Green Champions who were student volunteers selected from 16 schools and colleges in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Similarly CEE (Centre for Environment Education) North East has organized trainings for Master Trainers of the Eco-club programme of the MoEF (Ministry of Environment and Forests) in Assam. This group of Master Trainers in turn will train teachers in their respective districts through the low carbon lifestyles toolkit. CEE also organized programs for Tinsukia College students in Assam where important points from the booklet were presented. Mission Bhartiyam a youth organisation based in Uttar Pradesh has started project Haritima in Basti district in collaboration with two other NGOs. The project involves organizing seminars on environment issues, distributing pamphlets among general public and giving one plant to each household of the area. Mission Bhartiyam could also use the toolkit for spreading awareness about climate change.

An individual can also spread awareness regarding the messages in the toolkit to his family, relatives, friends, colleagues etc. A member educated over 800 students of classes 6th-12th on ‘e-waste challenge and solution’ in Indirapuram, Uttar Pradesh leading to e-waste collection and handing over the e-waste to a recycler for suitable disposal. The message from this ‘e-waste amnesty program’ is reduce our needs, reduce our e-waste and reduce our carbon footprint. Such voluntary initiatives can contribute substantially to spreading awareness regarding low carbon lifestyles.

Some steps toward low carbon lifestyle can be at organizational level like all corporate groups could initiate a staff bus for their regular employees reducing private vehicles on the road and the load on public transportation system. Schools and offices in a locality can stagger their timings so as to avoid traffic jams and consequently save fuel. Similarly organizations can be involved in initiatives like the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) leading to effective steps for reducing emissions at the organizational level. As a part of Carbon Disclosure Project private organizations like Jubilant Organosys are using several methods to reduce their carbon footprint. Some of the measures utilized include use of natural light in their offices, using both sides of paper, avoiding printing of documents etc. Further, involving other responsible corporate houses can be useful as messages can be delivered to a large number of people and HR departments of companies could also be contacted for this initiative.

Government policies could also have major impact on decisions related to low carbon lifestyles as people are keen to have CNG kits in their vehicles in metro cities like Delhi because it is cheaper in comparison to diesel and petrol. If government increases gas prices, then people may get diverted towards diesel and it will again increase the pollutants in the air.

Similarly government could introduce a system of auditing carbon footprints and filing returns just as we do for financial returns. Measures like strong national and mandatory ‘personal carbon trading’ mechanism can also be initiated. For example, United Kingdom, is debating a carbon card swipe plan, personal carbon allowances, and personal carbon trading scheme proposals in its Climate Change Bill.

Japanese approach for reducing carbon footprints, by simple action of the government of starting all government office’s one or two hours early, so that the working activities starts early and people can make the best use of sunlight in Japan could be an effective mitigation strategy.

With government policies encouraging low carbon lifestyle and organization /individual level efforts maximizing the use and outreach on low carbon lifestyles, the goal of climate change mitigation could be achieved with substantial other benefits, like conservation of natural resources, savings of energy and above all, money, clearly demonstrating what is good for ecology is also good for economics.

28


United Kingdom Climate Change Bill, (from Suman K Apparusu, Independent Consultant, Hyderabad) UK is debating a carbon card swipe plan, personal carbon allowances, and personal carbon trading scheme proposed in the Climate Change Bill to include individual efforts in climate change mitigation and low carbon lifestyles.

Japan Starting Government Offices Early, (from Sameer S.Kanabargi, Phoenix Products, Belgaum, Karnataka) The Japanese government has changed office hours in all the government offices one or two hours early, so that the whole working activities starts early and the whole country can wake up early and go to sleep early and make the best use of daylight.

Uttar Pradesh Haritima Project, Basti (from Ravi Nitesh, Mission Bhartiyam, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh) Mission Bhartiyam a local NGO along with other NGOs is organizing seminars in Basti, Uttar Pradesh on environmental issues, distributing pamphlets among general public and is delivering one plant to each household . Project is self funded by the NGO and youth as volunteers in this noble initiative.

E-Waste Amnesty Program, Indirapuram (from Daman Dev Sood, Business Continuity Management Institute- India, New Delhi) In Cambridge School Indirapuram on 8th December over 800 students of classes 6th-12th were educated on the topic ‘e-waste challenge and solution’ and on 11th December the students were requested to bring in their e-waste for collection. E-waste was handed over to an e-waste recycler for appropriate disposal. The overall message from this ‘e-waste amnesty program’ was ‘REDUCE’ – reduce our needs, reduce our e-waste and reduce our carbon footprint. West Bengal Bamboo Houses, Kolkata (from Rabi Mukhopadhyay, Forum of Scientists, Engineers and Technologists, Kolkata) A method has been developed by which two- storied disaster resistant bamboo houses can be constructed. A treatment plant has been installed to treat bamboo as per IS 9092 - 2006 & better methods so that bamboo can last around 30 years or more. Cost will be around 50% of ‘Pucca’ houses.

Delhi Adoption of CNG Vehicles, (from Ravi Nitesh, Mission Bhartiyam, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh) People in metros are adopting CNG vehicles, which was initiated by a Supreme Court order. However, people adopt gas based appliances and vehicles not because it is eco friendly but because it reduces the vehicle running cost in comparison to Diesel and Petrol. Government is increasing gas prices, and if the running cost for both diesel and gas is the same, then people could commence using diesel again leading to significant increase in pollutants in the air.

Assam Training of Trainers & College Students on Low Carbon Lifestyles, (from Simanta Kalita, CEE North East, Guwahati) CEE Northeast organized training for Master Trainers under the Eco-club programme of MoEF in Assam and the Low Carbon Lifestyles Toolkit was used as the training material. The group of Master Trainers in turn will train teachers in their respective districts. Students of Tinsukia College were trained using the toolkit on issues related to low carbon lifestyles.

Rajasthan Training of Green Champions, (from Mathews Mullackal, Green-Harmony, Kerala) Green Harmony, NGO used the tool kit for training more than 700 Green Champions who are student volunteers selected from 16 schools and colleges in Jodhpur city.


Working 9 to 5 on Climate Change: An Office Guide (from Jai Kumar Gaurav, Solution Exchange, New Delhi) Guide; by Author’s title. S. P. del Pino and P. Bhatia; World Resources Institute; World Resources Institute; Washington, DC 20002 United States of America; December 2002; Available at http://pdf.wri.org/wri_co2guide.pdf (PDF 1.81 MB)

Guide provides seven simple steps to measure office’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and suggestions for reducing office’s CO2 emissions.

29


Carbon Disclosure Project, (from Y K Saxena, Jubilant Life Science Ltd., Noida) 40 Bowling Green Lane London, EC1R 0NE United Kingdom;44-0-20 7970 5660; https://www.cdproject.net/en-US/Pages/HomePage.aspx; Contact Damandeep Singh; Senior Advisor India; 91 98100 45950; [email protected]

The Carbon Disclosure Project is an independent not-for-profit organization holding the largest database of primary corporate climate change information in the world.

Green Harmony, Jodhpur, Rajasthan (from Mathews Mullackal, Green-Harmony, Kerala) A-61, Raj Bagh Sukhram Nagar, Soor Sagar, Jodhpur 342024 ,Rajasthan, India; http://www.green-harmony.org/index.htm; [email protected]

Green-Harmony is an India based organization striving to realise environmentally harmonious living with equal opportunities to all.

Centre for Environment Education, Location (from Simanta Kalita, CEE North East, Guwahati) Centre for Environment Education, Nehru Foundation for Development, Thaltej Tekra, Ahmedabad -380 054, Gujarat;79-26858002; 79-26858010. [email protected]; http://www.ceeindia.org/cee/index.htm;

CEE is an NGO involved in environmental education in India. .

Technology Informatics Design Endeavour (TIDE), Banglore (from Svati Bhogle, TIDE, Bangalore) No : 19, 9th cross, 6th main Malleswaram Bangalore - 560 003, India; 91-80-23315656; 91-80-23344555 [email protected]; http://www.tide-india.org/06index-2.html;

TIDE is an organization devoted to promoting sustainable development through technological interventions.

Forum of Scientists, Engineers and Technologists (FOSET), Kolkata (from Rabi Mukhopadhyay, Forum of Scientists, Engineers and Technologists, Kolkata) 15N, Nelli Sengupta Sarani, 5th Floor, New CMC Building, Kolkata-700087; http://fosetonline.org/;

FOSET takes active interest in rejuvenating the industrial and economic scenario of India with over 4000 conscious and socially committed scientists, engineers and professionals.

Vijyoti Pvt. Ltd, Noida (from Vijay G. Pande, Vijyoti Pvt. Ltd., Noida, Uttar Pradesh) B-8, Sector 27, Noida, Uttar Pradesh;120-434-9412;120-427-5869 [email protected]; http://www.vijyoti.com/index.html;

Vijyoti is a education and corporate training organization specializing in employability and life skills.

Mission Bhartiyam, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (from Ravi Nitesh, Mission Bhartiyam, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh) SEC-J,E III,733,Aliganj,Lucknow,(U.P.); [email protected]; http://www.missionbhartiyam.in/;

It is an initiative by youth, working in areas of social welfare with its commitment towards growth and happiness for all with a sustainable development approach.

30


Think to Sustain, Noida (from G V P Rajan, Think to Sustain, Noida, Uttar Pradesh) http://www.thinktosustain.com/Default.aspx; [email protected]

Thinktosustain.com is a knowledge portal for sustainable development initiatives taken by Industry, Institutions and Individuals worldwide.


Few Easy (not so easy) Steps to Address Climate Change, from Prabhjot Sodhi, Centre for Environment Education (CEE), New Delhi (Experiences; Examples). Climate Change Community, New Delhi, Issued 15/January/2010. Available at http://www.solutionexchange-un.net.in/climatechange/cr/cr-se-clmt-05110901.pdf (PDF,195 KB)

Highlights “Steps” that we all can take to reduce our carbon foot print.

Business Models for Upscaling Climate Responsive Technologies, from Gauri Singh, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, New Delhi (Experiences; Examples). Climate Change Community, New Delhi, Issued 10/November/2009. Available at http://www.solutionexchange-un.net.in/climatechange/cr/cr-se-clmt-01100901.pdf (PDF,257 KB)

Experiences of successful implementation of technically feasible and economically viable technologies leading to the development of concrete business models.

Responses in Full

Suman K Apparusu, Independent Consultant, Hyderabad

This is a timely and engaging post. While the toolkit presents some interesting ideas on how individuals can make an impact through simple lifestyle changes, the costs associated and the strong incentives for individuals (monetary or otherwise) to ‘take action’ may also need to he highlighted.

I am of the view that a strong national and mandatory ‘personal carbon trading’ mechanism needs to take shape and be brought into practical enforcement to be able to see visible results.

Say even a 1% of the 1 billion population can be reached and each individual is able to save a ton of carbon emissions/annum, we are talking about 10 million modest emission savings for a nation that seems to be taking the high carbon path with its energy intensive development paradigm...

While the concept is yet to see practical applications elsewhere in the world, UK among other countries, is debating a carbon card swipe plan, personal carbon allowances, and personal carbon trading scheme proposals in their Climate Change Bill...

Are we willing to take the lead and take charge?

31

Mohinder Slariya, Environmental Sociologist, Chamba, Himachal Pradesh

Whatever you are (along with your team) doing is great and well said it is AAA (Awareness, Analyse and Act) mechanism which must be adopted to cope the problem of the day i.e. climate change. I think this issue of climate change is a mixture of many things including policy making, planning for implementation, political considerations and more over it is politics of development.

The developed nations are saying that developing countries are emitting GHG and responsible for the situation which we are facing. Now question arises, should we stop all sort of developmental initiatives just for the sake of climate change? Or should we tackle the problem of climate change after gaining a mark which is known as developed? Particularly, in the Indian context we have to maintain 10% growth in the next decade (as anticipated by the policy makers as well as by the leadership); we have to burn more fuel and pollute environment more. It can not be stopped.

We have to think/work practically, today we are advocating adopting CFLs or less energy consuming mechanism. I think today we have to go back to our Vedas and all sort of solution lies there to combat this problem, we must look back and see what our ancestors had given us.

More over we have to work to change the psyche of the people for that we need a psychological revolution. What we are doing in our homes, what should be adopted in our offices/place of work or anywhere we are? We are very particular about our drawing room, bed room, and surroundings. However, when we are out we forget everything.

I am thinking to develop/advocate a sensor based technology to make appropriate use of modern technologies with a thought that it gets switched on automatically when any body wants to make use of it and gets switched off when not in use.

Sameer S.Kanabargi, Phoenix Products, Belgaum, Karnataka

I am fully “IN” for the input given by the query poser. I have been also thinking if we could advocate the Japanese way for reducing the carbon footprints, just by simple action of the government of Starting all the government office’s one or two hours early, so that the whole working activities starts early & the whole country can wake up early & go to sleep early and make the best use of sunlight.

Also another thought of Car/ Taxi Pooling when we are out of the airport or the Railway station. I had a learning experience during my Delhi - Pune Flight, as one of my co-passengers & I took two different Taxis (because of no communication or system in place). We hired two taxis & travelled from Pune - Belgaum (approx 350 kms) to reach Belgaum. We both met near Belgaum in a Dhaba & felt uncomfortable for not pooling the taxi. This holds good for all places.

If there is a public coordination system in the flight or some system where a paper is circulated in the flight for people who are ready for such arrangements & the place where they are heading after the flight/ Train (people who don’t want can say so.)

Mathews Mullackal, Green-Harmony, Kerala

Undoubtedly the tool kit is a commendable initiative. It is increasingly realised that our actions, whether individual or collective, can considerably influence global climate. This tool kit will indeed help all of us to take informed choices and decisions, concerned to a range of daily life situations. It could also help practitioners and organisations to innovate new ideas and programs to mitigate climate change, as it has wealth information in one place. However, the key to success is using this tool kit to influence maximum number a people so that low carbon lifestyles are actually practiced by many.

We (team of Green Harmony) have recently used this tool kit for training more than 700 Green Champions- student volunteers selected from 16 schools and colleges in Jodhpur city. The first reaction to the tool kit was a surprise. It was incredible for many that such small actions can make considerable changes not only to reduce carbon emission but also to save family budget. Also many of them are found excited and willing to adopt a low carbon life style and also to influence people around them. However, would this surprise and excitement translate into real actions? If yes, whether such actions continue for a longer period? And, can we measure and monitor them? Yes. I think we can achieve all of these and we should. But it would require innovative approaches to motivate people to use the tool kit and to update and improve the tool kit itself, regularly. I am sure this forum can generate a number of such innovations.I was thinking about a few ideas that can be considered to maximise the impact of the tool kit:

1. An interactive website: It would be much more effective if this tool kit can be uploaded as an interactive website so that one person can calculate his/her contribution to carbon emission and how much he/she can reduce it by adopting small and simple changes or by making choices differently.

32

2. School/College Competitions: Open competitions may be organised to award outstanding use of the toolkit. Such competitions can demand participants monitoring their own progress in reducing carbon emission over a period of one year. It can also be monitored through interactive web pages.

3. Computer Games/Applications: I have seen interesting games and applications on facebook and orkut. Just wonder, whether the power of such social networking sites can be used to promote the tool kit and low carbon lifestyle.

4. Filing Carbon Returns: The tool kit makes it possible to keep an account of the carbon emission of individuals and organisations. And let us have a system of auditing them and filing returns, just as we do for financial transactions. I foresee a future where carbon auditing firms are commonly found in the country and environment ministry make submitting carbon returns mandatory for all those who submit a tax return or providing some incentives for those submitting such returns. Feasibility and effectiveness of this can be experimented with a short term project.

Chitra Shrivastava, Samvedna – A Society for Global Concerns, Jabalpur

I feel if we adopt certain preexisting methods of house keeping we can reduce our carbon foot print. It is well known fact that houses made by mud do not get heated and cooled quickly, if these types of houses can be modified according to the modern needs they can help in power saving and reducing carbon foot prints. Putting additional curtain from outside the window can check hot air from entering room and can reduce power consumption.

Low cost rural technology involving manpower can solve the problem of unemployment in rural area check migration and reduce carbon foot print. These small adaptations could reduce carbon emission to a large extent. Rural and far flung areas could be the best places to start this project.

Shireen Samarasuriya, UNDP, Sri Lanka

This is an excellent initiative and very useful for us urban dwellers and for offices which is where the wastage occurs.

Some additional points - on sustainable transport – cycles are very important for travel to work or school but of course the city’s roads have to be made safer. In the rural sector the cycle is an important mode of transport and there are so many ways the cycle is used for transport of goods by attaching a trailer, some even tie carts to the bicycle instead of the bullock. These are being replaced very fast by three wheel vehicles; in fact the whole country is inundated by three wheel vehicles here in Sri Lanka.

Water sector – roof water harvesting is very important for the urban sector and for the rural areas too. There are other traditional water saving methods such as garden ponds to harvest rain water which is used for home gardens and for ground water recharge.

All in all a little more emphasis on the rural sector would give us a well rounded toolkit.

GVP Rajan, Think to Sustain, Noida, Uttar Pradesh

The 30-simple-to-do messages is a good compilation and are a starting step in addressing practical aspects to a low carbon lifestyle.

What can be done? - My suggestions:

• The tool-kit can be introduced in schools to bring awareness among children. Children are a powerful medium as they have immense potential to influence family members/friends to adopt low-carbon lifestyles. This can be done through interactive sessions or through science quizzes or other contests. There might be more ‘low-carbon’ ideas that may come up and act as inputs for next edition of the toolkit.

• Further, this toolkit can be prepared separately for office (or office complexes), homes (or housing societies), schools etc. In offices - transportation of employees, usage of photocopier, vehicles, official flights etc would require ‘low-carbon’ practices. In schools, children may be asked to prepare their own tool-kit and develop a system of implementation/monitoring and calculate emissions reduced etc. While most ideas would generally be applicable to all but would help to target relevant audiences.

• As a further addition, I would suggest that disposal issues (for CFL etc) can also be incorporated.

In order to propagate such ideas, we would be interested in publishing this tool-kit on our website, to make it available to a larger audience.

33

Simanta Kalita, CEE North East, Guwahati

Thank you very much for compiling such a wonderful piece of booklet. I’ve used the booklet for two different target groups: 1. Teachers - for train Master Trainers of the Eco-club programme of the MoEF in Assam. This group of Master Trainers in

turn will train teachers in their respective districts. I used the book directly while interacting with them. 2. College Students - Tinsukia College invited me to address the students on climate change and carbon footprint issues.

I converted the important points from the booklet into power point and used to explain the handprint activities.

All the points are wonderful. If the next edition can give more examples from the rural background, it will be even better.

Y K Saxena, Jubilant Life Science Ltd., Noida

Some of the steps which I am doing as individual (at home) are:

• 100% change of CFL

• Garbage composting

• No photocopying

• Receiving bills in soft form

• Conserving water

• Taking food together and watching TV together

• No polythene bags etc.

In office, we use natural light and this is verified by Ernst & Young and reported in its Sustainability Report. Our efforts are visible from CDP Report 2010. The details are given below:

CDP Report 2010: The report focuses on the level of companies’ understanding of risks and opportunities, carbon footprint, actions taken to reduce carbon footprint, policy engagement and finding strategic advantages. Jubilant is amongst the 51 Indian companies from diverse sectors that responded to the information request of CDP, representing 25.5% of the top 200 Indian companies, by market capitalization. The carbon disclosure scores assess companies on the quality and completeness of the disclosure. This includes:

• Clear consideration of business-specific risks and potential opportunities related to climate change

• Good internal data management practices for understanding GHG emissions, including energy use

Based on this, CDP established an index to score companies on the above criteria, known as Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI). We are pleased to inform you that Jubilant has been ranked 2nd in the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index with a score of 77, proving to be a true leader in considering the risks and opportunities associated with climate change and better management practices for understanding mitigating actions on climate change.

My answers to your query are: What is the best possible strategy to maximize the use and outreach to stakeholders of the tool kit? Send to all Schools and arrange training through Eco-Clubs.

How an ‘individual stakeholder’ can contribute to maximizing the outreach and benefits from the toolkit? Please forward to as many as we can, with a request to adopt the changes in lifestyle and reduce the carbon footprint. I am also requesting everyone at Jubilant to do the needful.

34

Deepak Kumar Hota, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. Mumbai

I have gone through the Carbon Toolkit with great interest and would like to compliment you for an excellent initiative.

Working in an oil company I feel that we could scale up this idea and distribute the same to our employees and customers. You will kindly appreciate that we have over ten thousand retail outlets and around eleven thousand employees with almost 150 locations from where we conduct our business. I was toying with the idea that HPCL could print the same with its logo and distribute it to its employees and other stakeholders given the backdrop of the Cancun meet. This could also be accompanied by a blitzkrieg of posters and coverage by the media.

I would also request for your advice on how to train our employees and sensitize them to the climate change imperative. In the meanwhile I would request your kind permission to get the same printed with the HPCL logo for distribution as above. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Rajan R Gandhi, SAG, New Delhi

I think this is a sterling effort - congrats! I have some suggestions on the 30 messages and these are given below:

Switch to CFLs I think you should mention here that the TL 8 type tube-light is probably as energy efficient as the CFL and possibly even less polluting. I recollect that this was distinctly mentioned by Dr Ramachandran of Philips India Ltd at the 2nd India Roundtable on SCP in Dc 2008. Philips may be contacted again for clarification.

Come out and play I think the comparison should be between playing and watching TV/being on the computer. A nice example would be playing a football match (zero carbon emission) versus watching it on TV !

Install a solar water heater Let’s be very careful here. First, solar water heaters are useless unless one has a terrace with plenty of sunlight. If you are surrounded by trees or buildings which cast a shadow, a solar heater won’t help. Secondly, the height gap between the solar water heater and the outlet (the tap or shower in the bathroom) has to be minimal, otherwise the amount of cold water you drain off before the water turns hot is literally HUGE. In a water-scarce cold area, this is a recipe for disaster.

Thirdly, what do you do when it is bitterly cold and there is no sun, as in January in Delhi? An electrical back-up is therefore essential.

Fourthly, you cannot have a hot bath at night using a solar heater if you or another family member wants a hot bath the next morning.

So instead of prescribing solar hot water systems, the booklet should suggest that they contact an expert and consider installing a solar geyser.

Reduce the temperature setting on the geyser The problem is that you might end up using more total water if you reduce the geyser temperature. I don’t know of any studies of comfort levels at different bathing temperatures.

Request for e-statements I feel Banks, telephones and other service providers must be persuaded to offer a rebate for e-bills and not just ask the consumer to take the responsibility. A paper bill or statement costs Rs.15-20 just for courier charges, plus paper and printing costs. Consumers would be happy to settle for e-bills/statements (some of which they may have to print out themselves) if they were offered a rebate. Again, an initiative targeting producers is necessary.

35

Take a bus to school A suggestion – why not mandate that city Schools provide a school bus system for which parents are charged irrespective of whether or not their children use the bus. That way, even rich parents will think twice about sending their kids to school in private cars.

Switch off ignition at traffic red lights According to PCRA who spoke at the 3rd India Roundtable on SCP, the optimum time for switching off ignition is 15 seconds. Less than that and you end up using more fuel in starting up again.

Use fuel efficient cooking methods Yes, but how to do so is not explained.

Some Other Suggestions:1. Go on vacation on a train if possible – a great way for the family to bond. 2. Look out for Green-rated hotels (coming soon) for your holidays 3. Buy local and seasonal food except on rare occasions 4. Carry a cloth shopping bag – refuse plastic bags 5. Target the conspicuous consumption habits of the super-rich (and wannabes !) such as SUVs, electrical clothes driers,

dish-washers 6. Use compost/vermi-compost as fertilizer for gardens rather than chemical fertilizers

Vijay G. Pande, Vijyoti Pvt. Ltd., Noida, Uttar Pradesh

Many thanks for sharing with me the Low Carbon Lifestyles, A Trainer’s Toolkit containing 30 simple messages. This is indeed well done and efforts should be made to maximize both the outreach and impact of the messages. For this, as a first step, identification of appropriate partners needs to be done followed by securing the complete buy-in of the partner(s) and their commitment to the Toolkit/messages.

Some suggestions are given below:

1. Partner with schools. Integrate the Toolkit/messages with the Life Skills programme of Schools, which is now mandatory for CBSE schools. We – Vijyoti – are engaged in developing and delivering Life Skills programme to schools – classes 3 to 12 – and can effectively integrate the Toolkit/messages with our Life Skills course content that we are delivering to schools in NCR. We are keen to take this forward. Is any permission required from UNDP-GEF and Ministry of Environment, Government of India to use the Toolkit/messages in our Life Skills programme for schools? If yes, then do let us know whom to write to.

2. Partner with electronic media. Partnership with electronic media should be developed to widely disseminate the toolkit messages to school children through radio and TV by imaginative use of mnemonics that have a proven high recall index. The mnemonic factors should be framed both in sound (radio) and vision (TV) using a rigorous, iterative, and research-based process.

3. Partner with Village Panchayats. Partnerships with Panchayats should be developed to launch Life Skills programmes

integrated with toolkit and messages.

4. Partner with Parent Teacher Associations. Organize half-day workshops focused on the toolkit messages.

I hope the above comments are helpful.

36

Ashish Gupta, Organic Farming Association of India, Delhi

The efforts taken to present such a toolkit are laudable. However, there are some reservations I have regarding certain descriptions made in the toolkit towards long terms sustainable methods in environmental conservation. The perfect way to conserve nature is to go back to it, a total abandonment of all Industrial creations by human. While for some people like me this utopian goal seems perfect however en-masse it is too unreasonable goal to perceive. Which is why one must go back to questioning science, pressurizing policy maker and sensitizing public at large to deeply think about what a sustainable life style really means?

A case in point is fuel efficiency - consider when new automobile engines were first created as a marvel of human creation the adoption of technology for the general public at large was given a massive push post World War II. Since scales were huge and natural resources were few, a huge technological push by large companies was to create more energy efficient cars. It is indeed strange that today - we have highly fuel efficient cars, but we are worse off than ever before on our natural resources. How is it that despite going on the path of fuel efficiency we ended up depleting natural resources even further? Some may say that not all people adopted the technology; however that claim is not true. The answer probably lies in how we perceive to use resources and reductionist thinking leads us to believe that since fuel efficient cars are created hence fuel will be saved, whereas we forget that the end to end structure required to create fuel efficient cars to begin with probably consumes more energy to create them and hence offset the savings altogether. A classic case of Jevons Paradox. We all suddenly start thinking of national economic growth rates if some one uses this logic to suggest that no more SUV’s should be manufactured!! What about the thousands of jobs etc etc. which are weak arguments created on weak premises.

Does this same logic not apply to the internet today - which we seem to think is a saving grace in terms of energy? Some simple points to ponder against this belief:

• Do you know how many internet routers this email typed goes through to reach each individual laptop? How much electricity does each such hardware device consume to transfer this email?

• Before no one had laptops now everyone has them, so did we actually save energy in having laptops as it is also important to know how much energy goes into creating laptops?

• Have you not noticed that since the advent of laptops we have all started using more electricity since we tend to be “always” online?

Funnily enough the last point seems to hint that people may actually save more energy in the environment procrastinating and day dreaming rather than using laptops, which make us do more work and hence use more energy!! It is pertinent to ponder and think:

• Why are there no studies to show the amount of energy used to create and dispose CFL’s as compared to a regular light bulb? Does anyone know what is the end - to - end carbon foot print of a CFL bulb as compared to a regular light bulb? What happens to all the mercury in a CFL at its end of life? We all focus on immediate savings and forget the dump created before and after the bulb!!

• Lights and fans based savings will truly come when only no more are manufactured

• Solar water heater seems to be a good idea though since it uses pure sun’s energy unlike Solar Panels which contrary to popular belief - for reasons listed above - do not form a useful replacement for long term electricity supply. Refer Energy: A Guide book for further reference on this logic.

• Sharing books is also a very good idea

• I do not necessarily believe that saving paper is ‘always’ as good idea an idea as it is made out to be. Consider, using natural resources to make paper from trees may be sustainable if we control its usage (you can always plant more trees!!) - However once we have created a laptop from plastic, metal, rare earths - there is no way to create these resources back into the planet!! Wise use of paper should be recommended.

• Using LPG??? - Well how much energy goes in maintaining the infrastructure required to manufacture and supply LPG to every household? Does that not offset using LPG? Whereas a simpleton villager goes to the nearby forest and fetches wood for his house. Yet we profess the villagers need to buy LPG and not burn his simple choolah! So who really saves energy - urban city dwellers or Common village folk?

• Lastly - Gandhi ji! Well what can I say - he has become a commodity based advertisement material nowadays. Sometimes I think and wonder!! In the days of Gandhi ji, there were no laptops, no CFL’s and no SUV’s - would he have recommended using these at all? Gandhi ji was skilled at seeing the BIG PICTURE where others saw small goals. His goals of sustainability are much more far reaching than all us put together reading this email! The shirt you are wearing - did you make it with your own hands – or was it from a manufacturing unit which consumes tremendous amount of energy?

37

Finally - again - this is not to state that the efforts floated in this forum are not commendable. However, what we need to also do is to take a deep hard look at what we all are trying to really do and what truly constitutes savings enough to sustain peaceful human co-existence in our world today.

My contradiction with this email is, sadly, that I must today use a laptop and probably most readers have spent a lot of “energy” if you have reached this line of the email. So I have been a precursor in wasting energy in trying to put a message across so that others conveniently use energy sitting at their desks. Would it not have been better to walk and meet in Central Delhi (do not use public/private transport) sit in the cool winter afternoon in central park and discuss these points?

Best Wishes to the authors of the toolkit

Ravi Nitesh, Mission Bhartiyam, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

I am sure that this exercise will certainly bring fruitful results for all those who need the awareness about low carbon lifestyles. There are very basic and easy to do points through which one can reduce its carbon footprint and can help to save the environment. Tool kit is very useful specially among school children because if they will adopt these things as a part of their daily life, it will bring a stable change in future which will help to develop a sustainable approach. I with my team have also initiated some other methods to spread awareness among general public on environment issues and would like to share those points but first I would like to give my comments on strategies and policies which needs some change to give a fruitful result. These are:

Government Policies: As we know that people in metros are adopting CNG vehicles, which was initiated by a Supreme Court order. People are keen to have CNG kits in their vehicles, adopted gas based power and generators (which is commonly used in shopping malls, restaurants, industries etc) and it brought significant change in air pollution but you will find here that people adopt the gas based appliances and vehicles not because it is eco friendly but just because it reduces their vehicle running cost in comparison to Diesel and Petrol. Now, Government is increasing gas prices, and if the running cost for both diesel and gas becomes same, then people may get diverted towards diesel and it will again increase the pollutants in the air.

Corporate Group’s Initiatives: All corporate groups should initiate a staff bus system for their regular employees as it will reduce the private vehicles on the road and also will reduce the load on public transportation system. All corporates should instruct their employees to save paper by adopting automation, habit of less print outs and re use of rough paper.

School initiatives: Schools can promote adoption of low carbon lifestyle by a series of workshops, seminars, competitions, etc on regular basis.

What is the best possible strategy to maximize the use and outreach to stake holders of the tool kit?To maximize the use and outreach, tool kit should be provided to all. You can make partnerships on a voluntary basis and send it to all households through schools (with their fee receipts), through corporate (with electricity, phone, gas bills) and through organizations (by NGO volunteers)

How an ‘individual stake holder’ can contribute to maximizing the outreach and benefits from the toolkit? An individual stakeholder can contribute a lot. A school or college student may initiate “tool kit chapter” in his/her school and locality with proper guidance. Corporate may start delivering the tool kit points to their vendors and sub contractors, and NGOs volunteers may deliver it with all their other programmes on social welfare.

I am associated with Mission Bharti yam which is a group of youths registered under SRA 1860 and working on various sectors of social welfare in Uttar Pradesh. Very recently we have initiated our Project Haritima in Basti district in collaboration with two other NGOs in which we organize seminars on environment issues, distribute pamphlets among general public and we deliver one plant to one house without any charge. Project is self funded and people (specially youth) work for us as volunteers in this noble initiative.

38

Jai Pawar, Deepak Foundation, Vadodara

The document shared is really a remarkable work done very prudently. My colleague Mr. Prasanna Mallick is suggesting following promotional plan in mind to ensure the execution of the novel ideas come out in the report; During a discussion with our colleagues, we came to know following common points:

5. A major chunk of population though are conscious about energy saving (though many of them consider it for their personal benefit), do not know how to go about it.

6. There is another set of people who are somewhat aware, but they frequently forget to stick to it. Considering this, we feel that a sticker distribution campaign for better adoption of the suggestions mentioned in the shared document. A very delightful little sticker can be placed on switch board, kitchen, study room, drawing room, etc. for repeated positive reinforcement of the environment protection concept. Now the question is ‘how to put these stickers on the right place and ensure its proper impact?’. For this we would prefer a four way approach as follows; a. Process participation: The idea is to involve people in planning process. It is a better idea to visit a corporate house

to get a large chunk of people at a place to inform them about energy efficiency measures, and collect their ideas. HR department in a company is probably the best point to be contacted for this.

b. Cognitive participation: The next task is to make people (from the approached organization) involved in campaigning process; particularly in design of communication material.

c. Interactive participation: It is about involving the people from the approached organization in awareness creation through workshops, sensitization meetings, etc.

d. Material participation: We feel it is the most important stage in determining the success of the campaign. No sticker will be freely distributed; these stickers would be for sale at a reasonable rate to interested staff members from the approached organization. We believe that if somebody is paying for a service/product, he/she is definitely a genuine person to use service/product fruitfully. At the end of this discussion, the point we want to bring forth is that one of the channels, for popularizing healthy practices, is approaching individual household through the place they spend significant part of their daily time (i.e. corporate hoses; even educational institutions); If possible, HR department of an active organization should be awarded for its contribution in spreading the environmental protection concept, through the campaign.

Piyush Ranjan Rout, Local Governance Network, Bhubaneshwar, Orissa

Low Carbon Lifestyles is the need of the hour not only for addressing Climate Change but also for poverty eradication and health issues. However, people still believes that Low Carbon Lifestyles may hamper their economy and growth prospects and may lead to social change. Perhaps addressing Low Carbon Lifestyles must address these issues in reaching the stakeholders.

Similarly it is difficult to assume a Low Carbon Lifestyles while many of the working class people spend their valuable times only with office or work space. Example I personally do not understand why our systems work begins at 9 OR 10 AM and ends around (Officially) 5 or Saturday open and unofficially can stretch to around 8 PM. In such situation dreaming of Low Carbon Lifestyles would be disastrous.

Imagine a society that wakes up early, moves to work space around 8 or so, ends work by 3,4 or 5 PM, dinner around 7 or 7.30, spends evening with sports and social gathering with sleeping around 10 PM. Similarly Markets / Shopping stores closing by 6 or 6.30 leaving Grocery, Medicine and Food joints for late hour and Weekend markets till mid night on Friday evening. That is the society that has a rich economy, good health and is leader in Olympic Sports.

However, specifically decision makers in this country believe spending more time in Office / Shops will increase productivity / economy. But reality is we are misusing use of Energy, Time and decreasing our efficiency, productivity & economic well being by damaging climate, adding more poor, spending on mobility, energy; and on medicine. Finally we score poor in sports i.e. Asian or Olympics etc.

Such change can only be possible if we can convince the stakeholders the importance of Time Management. In this regard I think the toolkit needs interaction and consultation amongst the serious think tanks regarding Low Carbon Life Styles or what we are promoting Low Carbon Future Climate Neutral City in India.

1.

2.

39

Dinesh Agrawal, NTPC, Noida

The questions are very relevant. The first step is already taken in terms of creating the tool kit. Next step is dissemination and creating awareness.

What is the best possible strategy to maximize the use and outreach to stakeholders of the tool kit? How an ‘individual stakeholder’ can contribute to maximizing the outreach and benefits from the toolkit?

The best possible strategy today is creating awareness through the net. The tools like the Facebook, Linkedin, Orkut, Slideshare, Youtube etc. are very powerful tools where millions of people see and read the document.

I have already posted it on my face book account and now propose to circulate to all NTPC stations/ projects.

Pramod Sharma, Indore, Madhya Pradesh

For low carbon life styles the important issues are:

• Population control

• Planning of Petrol Use and try to reduce its consumption.

• Food cooking at one place (if it is possible)

• Use less utensils for cooking food and eating food

• Immediate washing of utensils after cooking

• Use less timber for home consumption (furniture etc)

• Use less electricity (by using CFL and use of solar energy)

• Use Telephone, Internet more for communicating with relatives and Friends

• Play Out door games for not only fitness but also for resource conservation.

• Keep green 30 % of personal plots of house

• Grow vegetative hedges instead of Boundary walls in urban area (vegetative hedges are habitat of many birds etc)

• Reuse of plastic carry bags as much as possible.

• If not required please purchase used well maintained vehicles because manufacturing new Vehicles is also pressure on environment.

• Turn on water tap just half for conserving water.

• Don’t go out if not needed or one can do work on phone and Internet

• Be honest and trust others (because if some one is dealing on internet or telephone, one can take advantage of zero monitoring).

• Use less paper for work.

• Sensitize family members about environment because at home they are the important motivators and teachers of children.

• Bring one magazine (in a month) on environment and read it for 15 minutes every day like any religious book

• Create healthy social atmosphere around you so that competition for status will be less.

• Promotion of local breed of pets and plants in home (it is observed in urban area that people prefer to keep foreign breed of pets especially dogs and plants instead of local breeds.

In order to achieve these by a family, good governance is required, for example, as Government of India asks its citizens to do family planning as a small family consumes less natural resources. I followed it and I am a father of only one daughter.

However, I have so many questions for her future. How will she cope with so many middlemen in the government offices like RTO, Property, Electric connection, Municipal Corporations, traveling in train, Bus, and other public transport, Collector offices etc. So, I would like to ask if we can give some privilege like special identity card for the only kid in the family to get some priority in these offices.

40

Rabi Mukhopadhyay, Forum of Scientists, Engineers and Technologists, Kolkata

I shall attract your attention to the fact that the amount of CO2 generated while manufacturing bricks, steel and cement for Pucca houses that we build everyday around us totals out to a large volume. A fair estimate reveals that 100 sq. m. pucca house utilizes 3.5 tons CO2 to make the raw materials. One remedy is to use bamboo for house construction where land is not as costly and single/ two floors could be justified.

FOSET has developed a method by which two- storied disaster resistant bamboo houses can be constructed. A treatment plant has been installed to treat bamboo as per IS 9092 - 2006 & better methods so that bamboo can last around 30 years or more. Cost will be around 50% of Pucca houses.

I will request your opinion whether you find this method useful for constructing rural residences, school buildings, Government sponsored shelter programs for flood prone areas (where bamboo houses can be built on stilts to allow flood water flow without washing off the residences), etc.

N. S. Raman, Environmental Impact and Risk Assessment Division, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur

Best possible strategies to maximize and outreach to stakeholders of the toolkit are:

• To inform about this toolkit to stakeholders through letters along with New Year Wishes • To organize a talk /Seminar at prominent locations/Institutes like TERI, NEERI, IITs etc. • To have Advertisements in TV channels, Magazines about Toolkit • Advertisement through popular Cinema stars so that it will have good recall by viewers • To have a small programme on Earth-Saving in SCHOOLS and colleges and introduce the toolkit. • To have advertisement on websites of MoEF, Research Institutes and AIR in local languages also

• Through a small talk/Exhibition in CONFERENCES, SEMINARS (which are already planned by various organizers )

As an Individual Stakeholder I feel by organizing technical talks in Research organizations, by taking chance to exhibit on already Planned conferences/seminars, in school gatherings, college meets (As in IITs, ) , Speaking to Environmental NGOs, Environmental young Groups (like Newron of NEERI), by display about kit in all state-level and Central Environmental Pollution Control Institutes, Consultants, Organizing talks in Industries by taking permission from Departmental Heads of Environment, Visual displays etc.

I feel, at the outset, the above mentioned ideas/ways will certainly yield best results.

Devendra Sahai, GWRC, New Delhi

Very glad to see the note from Dr. Pramod Sharma.

I too am a father of only one child, my daughter. I have given her the best of education. She is a Senior Banker in Dubai. I have long held the firm belief that Population Overload is the single worst curse! The two most important actions that we can and must take for checking Global Warming and

Climate Change are:

1. Observe a single child norm, so that eventually we can stabilize population at a sustainable level. 2. Plant and raise millions of trees every year. 3. Let every student plant and care for at least one tree.

We in Global Warming Reduction Centre (GWRC) are dedicated to checking Global Warming and Climate Change. Like minded persons are most welcome to get in touch with us.

41

Gautam Choudhury, National Informatics Centre, Department of IT, Ministry of Communications & IT, Govt. of India, Guwahati

The idea from Rabi Mukhopadhyay is really an encouraging idea. In fact, this can be promoted in urban areas as well where single occupancy residential units can be easily built with this technology as most of us do not require more than 2 storied building for our own use.

Moreover 30 years life period is good enough because the design of a house itself gets almost obsolete within that period and destroying a costly pucca building for another new one is not a feasible idea. Let alone generation of another 3.5 tons CO2 in the process.

This idea can also be replicated in the hilly areas. Only problem seems to be the availability of treatment plant and expertise for building such houses. If it is available in Guwahati in near future, I myself want to go ahead in a hilly plot. I think there will be many more takers of this idea in Assam and northeast as this area is also earthquake prone.

Muhammad Mukhtar Alam, Center for Ecological Audit, Social Inclusion and Governance, Delhi

The toolkit with 30 messages for promotion of low carbon lifestyle is an interesting initiative for using energy efficiently and reducing the consumption of the energy through measures such as carpooling, use of public transport system etc.

However, there is a need to take a hardheaded look at this toolkit as it appears to have been inspired with a vision where some sort of replacement is envisaged for the end of petro-modern age when we would have exhausted all fossil fuel based energy supported systems. Such a scenario of full-scale replacement is not guaranteed for all the time to come. For example, if we were to imagine the energy basket that may be available for children of 40th century, we will find that all the mines based resources would assuredly been extracted by then and posterity will have some recyclable items using wood or coke for heating the production process for recyclable products. Some would say as this is often said that we can not think that far or who is interested in thinking about the scenarios 2000 years from now. Nonetheless, it is important to envisage post-carbon scenarios for humanity.

A hardheaded ecological audit of consumption, production, transport, habitats patterns assuming the absence of the fossil fuels is called for the necessary integration in the toolkit as mere managerial response will not help the cause of ecologically safe and socially inclusive future of the Children of India.

Some suggestions for the low carbon toolkit that could be considered are the following considering the fact that the cause of low-carbon lifestyle is being consistently compromised through continued marketing of fossil fuel intensive consumption patterns, urban habitats designs, and development paradigm and promotion of competitive growth across the states seeking the markers of fossil fuel intensive lifestyles, devaluation of the ecologically sustainable agriculture consumption patterns:

• Suggesting marketing of ecologically safe consumption, production, leisure use patterns and its appreciation needs to be integrated in the toolkit considering the need to reduce emissions generated through energy intensive leisure.

• Discouraging ecologically hostile consumption and production patterns.

• Promotion of neighbourhood shopping and markets in order to reduce the use of cars for buying provisions and other needs, there is no reference to this in the toolkit as of now.

• Promotion of carbon-neutral schools and education eliminating the use of buses for transporting children from one part of the city to another.

• Discouraging ecologically hostile trade and education as a matter of public policy.

• Ecologically sustainable agriculture through suggesting policies for reduced consumption of energy in the entire production systems for agriculture. Suggesting exploration of ways for agriculture in the post carbon age.

• Promotion of ecologically sustainable transport Systems envisioning the post carbon energy scenarios.

• Measures for transformation of leisure use patterns especially in the urban areas reducing the use of energy intensive travel, venues and engagements. Questioning as to whether the energy intensive leisure engagements are necessary.

• Ecologically safe interest free and debt free finance system: It is important to seek elimination of private bank generated money from thin air accelerating expansion of ecologically hostile habitats without realizing the limits to sustainability of the exhaustible and non-renewable fossil fuel based energy and transport system.

42

• Ecologically safe models of success: It is important to seek the ecologically safe models of success nationally and personally. If nations do not have an ecologically safe vision of success, this would not be inimical to the interest for future generations. www.sustainwellbeing.net has proposal for calculation of ecological costs and then understand the GDP growths rates are not that we are presented and all the visions in this regard, if they have not factored the exhaustion of non-renewable energy and the impact of iniquitous growth are essentially anti-future and anti-children.

I hope the above could be considered for needful integration in the toolkit with implications for personal, national, global level actions for policy advocacy.

Vijai Pratap Singh, Lead India, New Delhi

It is a very effective toolkit that can help in sensitizing the people to adapt low carbon life style in daily life.

Children/school students are the best stakeholder who will carry the message to home and will make positive change. The best strategy is to reach them through School particularly in rural areas.

Now environment education is compulsory part of school curriculum at all levels and using this as part of practical activities under environmental education may be the best way to maximize the outreach of this toolkit.These message/facts can be printed in the form of posters in regional language and paste in class rooms basically in schools of rural area where impact may be more. Also individually we can display on board in our offices.

I think this way it can reach to each family.

Viswanath, Vivekananda Trust, Mysore

It is to express our immense pleasure to bring to our notice the Trainer’s book/CD with beautiful pictures, tabulations of savings of precious natural resources and simple tips that helps reduce our consumption, is an excellent publication.

Being also associated with administration of educational institutions, I have no hesitation to admit that even a lay man with little understanding of the intricacies of Global warming and Climate changes can also take up the training activities with the help of these materials which have a telling impact on the audience.

I may also add that a small video film on global warming and climate change would have given a variety to the kit. We need to link this to the media and we shall do that...more figures on the rural needs to be done in terms of bio-gas units, cook stoves as the GOI has the mandate.

Svati Bhogle, TIDE, Banglore

According to me the tool kit is relevant in an urban environment.

My comments are:

• It appears that the basis or unit for the estimation is one household. Can it be converted to per person or some standard unit that is applicable for all sheets because it is a useful standardization

• Suggest that you drop the point come out to play and go out for a couple of hours. While it justifies a healthy life style that is not the object of the tool kit. Rather say exercise by going for a walk instead of a tread mill or something like that. Similarly suggest that if you prefer you drop the points on eating together and using a mosquito net as the impact is trivial.

• Suggest that you include a point on changing the temperature of the AC like you have mentioned the temperature setting for the geyser

• I think this is a good opportunity to also mention use of solar lights as back up instead of inverters. It is important to motivate use of solar lights in an urban environment in gardens etc.

• Reducing one ream per office / department per month is a very vague assumption. May be say each individual uses 10 or 20 sheets less per month or something like that.

• Again request for e-statements etc. while it can save paper, again there is need for a consistent basis for the estimations

• Also suggest that companies reduce sending printed annual reports

43

• Plant trees are a good point but why give the carbon sequestration potential for teak species. Teak wood is not going into paper making. Use examples of species like bamboos that are typically going into paper making.

• Missed suggestion about using a bicycle.

• Also suggest that you have a cut off for figure for calculating emissions and only report those interventions that are above a minimum cut off Recommending use of CNG auto is very Delhi specific and others cannot relate to this suggestion

• Have you considered switching to solar cooking say cook rice on a solar cooker every day?

• Also several people boil drinking water in the house. Estimate the saving by going in for aqua guard

• Add a point on not wasting food and estimate the methane gas production

• When you say conserve water, please give examples like switch off taps when brushing teeth etc. Also think of more points that can be included on water

• Presentation is generally good. But I think a foreword or something explaining the purpose of the took kit at whom it is aimed etc. would be very good

Daman Dev Sood, Business Continuity Management Institute- India, New Delhi

The toolkit is an excellent resource – need not say any more. Superb value for everyone – the trainer, the consultant, the practitioner, the student, the researcher, a public servant, a house wife – all!

One little input from my side is with respect to the use of CFLs.

These have been promoted, without thinking about the disposal. To my knowledge India does not have the capability of recycling CFLs. Learning from the Director General Bureau of Energy Efficiency recently, I believe that Himachal now has one unit – but what is the capacity is not known to me – can it take the load of all used CFLs of the country?

Here is a little bit that I did recently:

Went to Cambridge School Indirapuram, UP on 8th December and educated over 800 students of classes 6th-12th through an audio/ video. The topic was ‘e-waste challenge and solution’. The second phase was on 11th December during the school’s PTM, the students were requested to bring in their e-waste for collection – which was later on handed over to an e-waste recycler for appropriate disposal. In the process over 200 parents were also educated. The overall message from this ‘e-waste amnesty program’ was ‘REDUCE’ – reduce our needs, reduce our e-waste and reduce our carbon footprint. I plan to continue with such events at different schools in the National Capital Region.

I suggest that we look at our IT usage as well. The Embodied Energy i.e. energy consumed in production of an item from designing, extraction, transport and manufacture) for some materials (like Aluminium, Copper and Plastics) used in IT equipments is much higher than that of cement and bricks as per table given below:

Jency Samuel, Independent Consultant, Chennai

My response is as follows:

• Design houses that are naturally ventilated. This is especially possible in major and small towns which are becoming commercial / business centres. That way, we can save a lot by reducing air-conditioning and lights during day time.

• Avoid cutting existing old trees unless it is absolutely essential. Try to build around them.

• With increased buying power we are becoming more consumerist and therefore throwing away things which still have a lot of life left in them. We need to take a conscious effort to use them to the fullest.

• Carry water whenever and wherever possible. We don’t want to add to the plastic waste by buying water and throwing the bottles away.

• Install automatic motors to pump water to the overhead tanks. A lot of water is wasted when the tanks overflow, especially when they are not turned off immediately, as I have personally observed.

• Schools / offices in a locality can stagger their timings so as to avoid traffic jams and consequently save on fuel.

Material Energy Cost (MJ/kg)

Aluminum 227 – 342

Cement 5 – 9

Copper 60 – 125

Plastics 60 – 120

Glass 18 – 35

Iron 20 – 25

Bricks 2 – 5

Paper 20-25

44


Query: Financing Adaptation to Climate Change - Experiences; Advice

Compiled by Ramesh Jalan, Resource Person and Jai Kumar Gaurav, Research Associate Issue Date: 08 December 2010

From Shantanu Mitra, DFID, New Delhi Posted 18 October 2010

Department for International Development (DFID) is a part of the UK Government that manages Britain’s aid to developing countries and works to promote sustainable development and the reduction of poverty. Along with other donor agencies, it is interested in capturing, disseminating emerging evidence and learning about mainstreaming climate change adaptation into the development process. A key element of this is how adaptation is financed. While there is a dialogue taking place at the international level about adaptation financing mechanisms, questions of how adaptation can best be financed at national and local levels to deliver greatest impact on poverty and create the right incentives, have received less attention.

In this context, we would like Climate Change Community members to respond to:

• How can adaptation financing be integrated into government budgetary processes and maximize accountability, transparency, and real benefits for poor people?

• How can adaptation financing empower and enable decentralised decision making and action?

• What is your experience on innovative adaptation financing and how can these be scaled up?

• What policy changes are required to facilitate and incentivise private sector investment in adaptation?

Inputs to the above questions will help DFID to boost its understanding of how adaptation can best be financed, what practical advice may be given to policymakers, and where we need to focus our own efforts in terms of piloting and policy research. The contribution of members would be suitably acknowledged.


1. Mustafa Ali Khan, Development Alternatives, New Delhi

2. Nimi Hoffmann, The Sustainability Commons, Department of Environmental Education, Rhodes University, South Africa

3. Jyotsna Bapat, Independent Consultant, Mumbai

4. Gyana Ranjan Panda, Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability, New Delhi

5. B. K. Sinha, Ministry of Rural Development, New Delhi

6. K. N. Vajpai, Climate Himalayan Initiative, Uttarakhand

7. Muhammad Mukhtar Alam, Center for Ecological Audit, Social Inclusion and Governance, New Delhi

8. Irene Stephen, UNDP, New Delhi

9. Bibhu Prasad Mohanty, Hunger Solution, Koraput, Orissa

10. Ramit Basu, New Delhi

11. Kalika Mohapatra, Independent Consultant, Bhubaneshwar

12. B N Biswal, Lutheran World Service India Trust, Bhubaneshwar


Summary of Responses 45Comparative Experiences 46Related Resources 48Responses in Full 52

INDIA


45


Adaptation to climate change is as vital as mitigation given the increasing adverse impacts of climate change. Consequently, US $100 billion a year from 2020 onwards has been agreed in the Copenhagen Accord but the source, allocation and disbursal of this adaptation funds is not yet clear. Concerns are being raised around integration of adaptation financing into government budgetary process as funding is increasingly variable and purpose of funding is not clear.

For an enabling adaptation financing process, it is important to identify research gaps and promote knowledge sharing among institutions and agencies on global, regional and local level on adaptation processes and the factors enabling or constraining them. The issue of the manner in which money is spent for adaptation to climate change is as important as the allocation of money. An example is the “Bundelkhand Package” that was aimed at drought mitigation in Bundelkhand region but was used to build roads.

In order to ensure that money spent translates in to real benefits for the poor there is a need to pose the question of additionality. In the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), Government of India has claimed that spending on adaptation exceeds 2.6 percent of GDP as of 2006-07 and broadly identifies the focus areas as the following:

• Cropimprovement •CostalRegions

• Droughtproofing •Health

• Forestry •RiskFinancing

• Water •DisasterManagement

A study conducted by the Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA) and Oxfam India on public provisioning on adaptation concluded that increase in expenditure for adaptation finance has been largely due to enhanced expenditure on some other specific programmes relating primarily to poverty alleviation, such as, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) and watershed development, e.g. the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP). The study classifies Union Government’s expenditure on adaptation to climate change into two broad areas: the first is expenditure towards enhancing human capabilities which is about 85% of the total, while the second on conservation and management of natural resource utilizes the balance Government allocation for adaptation. The allocation for improvement in ecosystem services is almost negligible.

Decentralization of decision-making in natural resource management has been encouraged for long. Community level ownership over adaptation planning, implementation process and adaptation finance would encourage participatory planning and implementation. In Assam community build, owned and managed “Raised earthen flood shelter” is an example of decentralised decision making in adaptation financing. In Maharashtra SDC is developing small weather stations which will enable locally trained specialists to anticipate the risk of floods. Due to the active role of small scale farmers, Malawi has become the only country in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to sign the CAADP (Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program) that uses funds to develop small-holder resilience to climate change and in the process, increase productivity and access to markets. Similarly in Niger, Community Based Adaptation (CBA) project has been launched that includes piloting, demonstration, and community training in forage cultivation, dune fixation, and erosion reduction.

Phot

o ©

VIA

Inte

ract

ive/

UN

DP

Indi

a

46

The CBA project is also supporting adapted agricultural practices that will be more resilient in the face of climate change in Jamaica. The CBA project is supporting the Vaovai Village Council of Chiefs to rehabilitate natural coastal defenses and is working with government to develop and implement a climate-resilient coastal resources management plan in Samoa.

Linking religious/ social significance to adaptation projects may make them more effective. In a village in Bhagalpur, Bihar, 20 trees are planted on the birth of every girl child. Similarly in the State of Pondicherry the intervention of Auroville has regenerated the ecosystem in 6000 acres of land. In order to succeed the power and the function of afforestation as well as other adaptation projects must be implemented with the involvement of the local community with complete ownership of the project and in the decision making Process.

The Enterprise Model is an example of an innovative adaptation financing, where enterprises comprising of clusters of communities chose interventions that enhance their livelihood security. Some of the policy changes suggested to facilitate and incentivize private sector investment in adaptation are:

• Provision of tax breaks in notified areas for specified durations for private players involved in services/products.

• Support to research and development by private sector.

• Exemption from inter state movement taxes for products.

• Facilitating establishment of manufacturing or service providing units by soft loans, land at concessional rates etc.

• Mandatory annual reporting on ecological audit of all organizations for compliance to national policy on climate change.

• Micro-Finance Institutions and innovative insurance to be linked to government schemes.

• Policy level decision required to ensure CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) projects by private sector meet local needs.

Once the funds are allocated to enforce accountability and transparency it is suggested to use Participatory Geographic Information System (Participatory GIS) which combines communities knowledge about local events and resource base with that of remote sensing and GIS. Capacity building of local communities and providing them access to entitlements will improve decentralized decision making and enforce accountability and transparency.

In the long run providing adaptation for greater number of people will depend on innovations which bring down the cost of technology and delivery models which make the options accessible and affordable.


From Mustafa Ali Khan, Development Alternatives, New Delhi

Madhya Pradesh and Uttar PradeshBundelkhand Package, BundelKhand Aimed at drought mitigation in the Bundelkhand region in Central India a package worth approximately INR 7,000 crore was assigned but it is still being spent on road construction.

Green Social Enterprise Model by Development Alternatives, Bundelkhand Green Social Enterprise Model aim at efficient resource use, enhanced income and reduced GHG emissions. The concept of Community Carbon Clusters (C3) implies that an agency brings the individuals from the community together and facilitates measures through technology promotion and capacity building. Agency also packages measures to raise finances for the community through financial as well as emerging carbon markets.

Malawi, Africa

Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), Malawi (from Nimi Hoffmann, The Sustainability Commons, Department of Environmental Education, Rhodes University, South Africa) Malawi has been the only country in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to sign the CAADP constitution and use the funds that were subsequently freed up to develop small-holder resilience to climate change and in the process, increase productivity and access to markets.

47

From B.K. Sinha, Ministry of Rural Development, New Delhi

Bihar

Trees Plantation on The Birth of Girl Child, Bhagalpur, BiharIn the District of Bhagalpur there is a village where 20 trees are planted on the birth of every girl child. Where the person is landless the Panchayat permits him to plant the trees on its land with full right on trees and wood. This project is an example of attaching social significance to adaptation.

Pondicherry Regeneration of 6000 Acre of Land, AurovilleIn the State of Pondicherry the intervention of Auroville has regenerated the ecology in respect to 6000 acres of land. This project is an example of successful afforestation project by attaching religious/ social significance to the project.

Rajasthan Rain water harvesting and water user association, Jodhpur and Barmer District (from Mathews Mullackal, Green-Harmony, Kollam, Kerala (Shared in response to a previous query) During severe drought of 2009-10 villages such as Trisanagri Soda, Mandli and Kalyanpur enjoyed 12 months availability of drinking water by harvesting the scanty rainfall by implementing the project with the Jal Bhagirathi Foundation, with the support of UNDP and India Development Coalition of America (IDC).Water user associations (Jal Sabhas) are formed in these villages to plan and manage water resources available in the village and they have developed community norms of distributing water.

From Jai Kumar Gaurav, Solution Exchange, New Delhi

Maharastra Innovative Climate Change Adaptation Programme., Maharastra, India SDC has developed an innovative climate change adaptation programme involving creation of small weather stations which will enable locally trained specialists to anticipate the risk of floods and reduce the vulnerability of local populations to climate change.

AssamRaised Earthen Flood Shelter, Assam, India The “Raised earthen flood shelter” is a good practice and potential for scaling up because it is community owned and community manageable structure. It is within the periphery of traditional practices which provides immediate shelter provisions for flood affected people along with their livestock and other household belongings. It also provides provision for continuing emergency services viz. public health, schools, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) etc. locally.

NigerAgropastoral Adaptation in Rombou Commune, NigerCommunity Based Adaptation (CBA) is supporting the NGO Action Pour la Gestion Intégrée des Resources (AGIR) to work with agropastoral communities to develop climate-resilient alternatives to present practices, which are becoming increasingly risky. Project activities will include piloting, demonstration, and community training in forage cultivation, dune fixation, and erosion reduction measures around increasingly fragile water points.

Jamaica Sustainable Agriculture for Safer Slopes, Jamaica CBA is supporting the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust to work with farmers to pilot adapted agricultural practices that will be more resilient in the face of climate change impacts and reduce risks of erosion and landslide.

SamoaVaovai Village Coastal Adaptation Project, SamoaCBA is supporting the Vaovai Village Council of Chiefs to rehabilitate natural coastal defenses and work with government to develop vand implement a climate-resilient coastal resources management plan to guide development and protect the community from increased risks, while also protecting key habitats for endangered species and promoting local eco-tourism.

48

Related ResourcesRecommended Documentation

Adaptation to Climate Change in India - a study of Union Budgets (from Gyana Ranjan Panda, Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability, New Delhi) Working Paper; by K. Ganguly and G. R. Panda; Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA); Oxfam; New Delhi; May 2010; Available at http://www.oxfamindia.org/sites/www.oxfamindia.org/files/Oxfam_Working_paper.pdf (PDF 635 KB)

Paper presents an analysis of adaptation projects financed by the union budgets in India.

From Ramesh Jalan, Solution Exchange, New Delhi

Making the Adaptation Fund Work for the Most Vulnerable Briefing Paper; by A. O. Kaloga, R. Berger, S. Harmeling and B. Murphy ; Practical Action, Germanwatch e.V., Brot für die Welt (Bread for the World); Warwickshire, UK, Bonn, Germany, Stuttgart, Germany; December 2010; Available at http://www.germanwatch.org/klima/af2010-mvp.pdf (PDF; 650 KB)

This paper identifies entry points where the Board of the Fund must focus its attentions in order to ensure that the fund works for the most vulnerable.

The Germanwatch Adaptation Fund Project Tracker Tracker; by Germanwatch; Germanwatch; Bonn, Germany; November, 2010; Available at http://www.germanwatch.org/klima/afpt.htm (XLS; 50 KB)

Gives an overview of the state of project approval including a list of all projects so far considered by the Adaptation Fund Board

Adaptation Fund NGO Newsletter; by Germanwatch, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and ENDA-TM; Germanwatch, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and ENDA-TM, ; Germanwatch, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and ENDA-TM, ; December 2010; Available at http://www.germanwatch.org/klima/afnl-no1.pdf (PDF; 808 KB)

Its purpose is to provide a brief update on recent and future developments around the Adaptation Fund.

A method to finance a global climate fund with a harmonized carbon tax Paper; by D. N. Silverstein; Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden; Munich Personal RePEc Archive; December 2010; Available at http://www.germanwatch.org/klima/af2010-mvp.pdf (PDF; 251 KB)

A method is proposed to utilize a harmonized carbon tax to finance a global climate fund.

Adaptation Starts Here Article; by A. Chhibber; UN and UNDP Asia and Pacific.; Scoop; New Zealand; 6 December 2010; Available at http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1012/S00037/ajay-chhibber-adaptation-starts-here.html

Views on present system of adaptation finance and project implementation strategies including suggestions for effective adaptation financing.

Economic Sun Rising in the New South Vale Article; by A. Chhibber; UN and UNDP Asia and Pacific; The Economic Times; New Delhi; 4 December 2010; Available at http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=RVRELzIwMTAvMTIvMDQjQXIwMDkwMA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Article highlights the critical importance of the New South in spreading development benefits to the world.

49


Copenhagen Accord Accord; UNFCCC; UNFCCC; Copenhagen; December 2009; Available at http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2009/cop15/eng/11a01.pdf (PDF; 384 KB)

Accord signed by countries that are members to UNFCCC at COP 15.

National Action Plan on Climate Change Action Plan; by Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change; Prime Minister’s Office, Government of India; Prime Minister’s Office, Government of India; New Delhi; June 2008; Available at http://pmindia.nic.in/climate_change.htm (PDF; 10.8 MB)

It describes Government of India’s action plan for mitigation and adaptation to climate change.

Financing Adaptation to Climate Change: Issues and Priorities Report; by R. J.T. Klein and Å. Persson; European Climate Platform; European Climate Platform; Brussel; October 2008; Available at http://shop.ceps.eu (PDF; 124 KB)

Report looks into issues and priorities around adaptation financing.

Economic Evaluation of Climate Change Adaptation Projects: Approaches for the Agricultural Sector and Beyond Paper;The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank; Washington; 2010; Available at http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/DevCC1_Adaptation.pdf (PDF; 3.89 MB)

Paper discusses methodological options to access the economic soundness of adaptation investment at the project level with a focus on agriculture.

International Adaptation Finance: The Need for an Innovative and Strategic Approach Paper; by Benito Müller; Oxford Institute for Energy Studies; Oxford Institute for Energy Studies; Oxford, United Kingdom; June 2008; Available at http://www.oxfordenergy.org/pdfs/EV42.pdf (PDF; 1.92 MB)

Paper discusses innovative sourcing, strategic allocation and governance for adaptation funds.

Agricultural Technologies for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Developing Countries: Policy Options for Innovation and Technology Diffusion Report; by T. Lybbert and D. Sumner; International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) and International Food & Agricultural Trade Policy Council (IPC); Geneva, Switzerland and Washington, USA; 2010; Available at http://ictsd.org/downloads/2010/06/agricultural-technologies-for-climate-change-mitigation-and-adaptation-in-developing-countries_web.pdf (PDF;1.06 MB)

Paper highlights technological and institutional innovations required to meet climate change challenges, the constraints to their development, transfer and dissemination.

Recommended Contacts and Experts

From Ramesh Jalan, Solution Exchange, New Delhi

Dr. Axel Michaelowa , Prespectives, Zurich Fenglerstr. 9a . 22041 Hamburg, Germany ; Tel: 49-40-39999069; Fax: 49-40-87880757; http://www.perspectives.cc/Contact.72.0.html

He has worked on international climate policy instruments and the UNFCCC process and he is Senior Founding Partner, Prespectives.

50

Saleemul Huq, Climate Change Group, United Kingdom International Institute for Environment and Development, 4 Endsleigh Street, London WC1H 0DD; Tel: 44-20-73882117; Fax: 44-20-73882826; [email protected]; http://www.iied.org/climate-change/staff/saleemul-huq

Building negotiating capacity and supporting the engagement of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in UNFCCC.


From Mustafa Ali Khan, Development Alternatives, New Delhi (Shared in response to a previous query)

Development Alternatives, New Delhi 111/9-Z, Kishangarh, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi; Tel: 91-11-2613-4103; Fax: 91-11-2613-0817 [email protected]; http://www.devalt.org/mission.htm; Contact M. A. Khan; Environmental Scientist; [email protected]

Organization involved in innovation and dissemination the means for creating sustainable livelihoods on a large scale.

Watershed Organisations Trust, Pune 2nd Floor, “The Forum” S.No. 63/2B, Padmavati Corner, Pune Satara road; Tel: 91-20-24226211; [email protected]; http://www.wotr.org/ WOTR provides capacity building and advisory services to developmental practitioners.

Action for Food Production, New Delhi 25/1-A Pankha Road, D-Block, Janakpuri, New Delhi; Tel: 91-11-28525452; Fax: 91-11-28520343; [email protected]; http://www.afpro.org; Contact D K Manavalan; Executive Director

A socio-technical non-governmental organization working for the development of the rural poor through effective natural resource management solutions.

Seva Mandir, Udaipur Old Fatehpura, Udaipur, Rajasthan;Tel:91-294-2450960;[email protected]; http://www.sevamandir.org/

Seva Mandir is a non-governmental organization (NGO) working for the development of the rural and tribal population in Udaipur and Rajsamand districts of southern Rajasthan.

From Gyana Ranjan Panda, Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability, New Delhi

Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability, New Delhi A-11, Second Floor, Niti Bagh, Khel Gaon Marg New Delhi - 110049, India; Tel: 91-11-4174 1285; Fax: 91-11-2653 7603 [email protected]; http://www.cbgaindia.org/;

Organization promoting transparent, accountable and participatory governance and a people-centred perspective in preparation and implementation of budgets.

Oxfam, New Delhi 2nd Floor 1, Community Centre, New Friends Colony, New Delhi, 110 025, India; Tel: 91-11-4653-8000; Fax: 91-11-4653-8099 [email protected]; www.oxfamindia.org;

Oxfam India strives to secure the right to a life with dignity for all by actively engaging people and policy makers in the inclusive development of society.

51


Climate Himalaya Initiative, Prakriti, Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand (from K. N. Vajpai, Climate Himalaya Initiative,Uttarakhand) http://chimalaya.org/; Contact Title; K. N. Vajpai; [email protected]

It focuses on Himalayan Mountains, in four issues of climatic adaptation: ‘Awareness Generation’, ‘Knowledge Networking’, ‘Capacity Building’ and ‘Environmental Governance’

India Environmental Portal, Center for Science and Environment, New Delhi (from Jai Kumar Gaurav, Solution Exchange, New Delhi) http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/; Contact Centre for Science and Environment; Tel: 91-11-29955125; [email protected], [email protected].

The India Environment Portal is a one-stop shop of all environment and development issues in India

Recommended Tools and Technologies


Local Government Climate Change Adaptation Toolkit Guidence Toolkit; Owned by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, Level 5, 267 Collins Street Melbourne Vic 3000 Australia. Available at http://www.iclei.org/index.php?id=adaptation-toolkit. Available for downloading (Word and PDF; 1.5 MB); Contact Tel: 61-3-96398688; [email protected]

Toolkit merges the Australian Government’s risk management framework with the capacity building frameworks that ICLEI Oceania has developed.

A Toolkit for Designing Climate Change Adaptation Initiatives Guidance toolkit; Owned by Environment and Energy Group, Bureau of Development Policy, UNDP, New York. Available at http://www.undpadaptation.org/projects/websites/docs/KM/PublicationsResMaterials/UNDP_Adap tation_Toolkit_FINAL_5-28-2010.pdf. Available for downloading (PDF; 851.8 KB)

The content draws on the experiences of country-led UNDP-supported adaptation project initiatives.


Community Perception of Climate Variability in Semi-Arid Regions of India (Experiences, Advice). Climate Change, New Delhi, Issued 30 November 2010. Available at ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/clmt/cr/cr-se-clmt-27101001.pdf (PDF;152 KB)

It talks about community perception of climate variability at local level and also about how community is responding.

52

Responses in Full

Mustafa Ali Khan, Development Alternatives, New Delhi

A lot of debate has been done on the allocation of moneys for the Adaptation Fund at the international level and also by the national governments which have come with figures to showcase their expenditure on adaptation (development). However, what else needs to be debated is the expenditure of the money once it has been allocated for an adaptation project. In many cases, money is spent in various programmes which may only be indirectly justified as leading to adaptation. In this context responses to the queries are as follows:

How can adaptation financing be integrated into government budgetary processes and maximize accountability, transparency, and real benefits for poor people?An example in case is the expenditure being incurred by the Indian Government in one of its flagship programme. The scheme is titled the “Bundelkhand Package” and aims at drought mitigation of the Bundelkhand region in Central India (one of the most backward regions of the country). The package is worth approximately INR 7,000 crore.

Though the intent of the project is certainly a commendable one, the sectors where money is actually being spent is debatable. Recently, the state of Uttar Pradesh (one of the 2 states in which Bundelkhand is located) released the first lot of money. The purpose was that of road construction in one of the districts. Allocation of funds for road construction cannot be directly related to the package.

Though it might be argued that road construction will lead to increased access to markets by the farmers leading to increased adaptation capacity of the rural community, road construction will certainly not lead to increased availability of water and other natural resources within the villages required for agriculture. It was the recurring droughts that in the first place had attracted the attention of the Indian Government to this backward region. Taking actions to increase market access without ensuring that the farmers have enough to sell in the markets is on the one hand promoting migration and on the other hand reducing the food security of Bundelkhand region.

Thus in order to ensure that money spent translates in to real benefits for the poor there is a need to pose the question of additionality before fund are allocated for a programme or are released at a local level for a particular activity. The question of additionality will force the programme/ project implementers to seek out the difference which they want to create and will help in assuring that funds are directed in the appropriate direction, and that development brought about is climate resilient. Whereas in the case of mitigation additionality needs to be proven in terms of inaction in absence of carbon finance, in case of adaptation it may be linked to “unacceptable losses” in case of inaction.

Use of hi-tech science in combination with people’s knowledge is a very powerful means of enforcing accountability and transparency. An illustration of this is Participatory Geographic Information System (Participatory GIS) which combines a community’s knowledge about local events and resource base with that of remote sensing and GIS.

How can adaptation financing empower and enable decentralized decision making and action? Adaptation to climate change is a complex issue. The complexity results from its spatial and temporal variability. The root cause due to which adaptation is necessary i.e. climate impacts are themselves very difficult to predict at a local level and any given location may experience extreme events in two years. In order to respond in the most suitable timely manner it would be appropriate to keep decision making decentralized. Therefore the local governance systems should be made responsible for receiving and allocating adaptation funds.

Adaptation funds can empower and enable decentralized decision making and action by providing access to entitlements and developing the natural resource base in common properties. Another key area in this regard is that capacity building of communities so as to enhance their adaptive capacities.

What is your experience on innovative adaptation financing and how can these be scaled up? Development Alternatives in a project being supported by the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC) is developing enterprise models for adaptation to climate change. These enterprises comprise of a cluster of community members who by adopting chosen interventions enhance their livelihood security. The interventions selected are such that it also leads to reduction in emissions of green house gases. The trackable emission reductions than can be traded in the international carbon markets to provide further reinforcement for adaptation.

53

Some of the policy changes required are as follows:

• Provision of tax breaks in notified areas and time periods for private players involved in services/products leading to adaptation

• Support to research and development by private sector in the field of adaptation

• Exemption from inter state movement taxes for products leading to adaptation

• Facilitating establishment of manufacturing or service providing units for adaptation by providing soft loans, land at concession etc.

In the longer run providing adaptation for greater number of people will depend on innovations which bring down the cost of technology and delivery models which make the options accessible.

Nimi Hoffmann, The Sustainability Commons, Department of Environmental Education, Rhodes University, South Africa

I am not an expert in this field, but I can offer three insights which might be of potential benefit. Firstly, it appears that the British Government will divert funding away from poor but stable countries (like Tanzania) to strife-torn countries like Iraq, Sudan, and Afghanistan. This will have implications for the amount of funding that the DFID has, and the kinds of “adaption” it is likely to fund. This is a particular example of a more general trend amongst North Atlantic countries to finance ‘peace-keeping’ measures in oil rich countries. This is a caution against wholeheartedly integrating adaptation financing from wealthy countries into government budgetary processes, as this funding is increasingly variable and the purposes of the funding are not clear.

Secondly, it is interesting to look at the case of agricultural development in Africa, which is part and parcel of adaptation to climate change. Speaking in the context of CAADP (Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme) funding, the sociologist Tendai Murisa makes a convincing case for the need of popular organisations, in the form of small-scale farmers associations, to campaign actively to have a meaningful role in decision making around how adaptation is budgeted, what it is budgeted for, and means of ensuring that such budgeting and expenditure is transparent. Malawi has been the only country in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to sign the CAADP constitution and use the funds that were subsequently freed up to develop small-holder resilience to climate change and in the process, increase productivity and access to markets. I am not familiar enough with Malawi’s agri-politics to understand why this is the case, but I suspect that it might be due to the strong role of the small-scale farmers association in Malawi. This is just an indication that CAADP might be an interesting case study.

Thirdly, there seems to be a strong correlation between the relative success of weather-indexed insurance in India and the culture of evaluation and accountability that has emerged around the research. In the first instance, the highly context-specific nature of such research, as well as the necessity of farmers to be aware, critical and knowledgeable about insurance, requires participatory methods. However, much of this research is privately funded or supported by international institutions like Oxfam. As such, they have a major interest in seeing that the funding is effective. This seems to have helped stimulate a reflexive attitude to conducting this research, as the research often requires:1. MoUs between farmers and researchers so that expectations are explicit and each can hold the other accountable2. Ongoing peer evaluation so that mid-term correction strategies can be identified and strengths capitalised on and 3. A long-term assessment of the impact of the research and the insurance products in a specific context.

In this case, private funding seems to have helped decentralize the research effectively and lead to more successful research, although it is difficult to see whether this will help decentralise governance. The microfinance community might be of interest here, as they recently opened a query on systematic longitudinal studies of microfinance, and the overall consensus seemed to be that, although there were many individual case studies, the absence of systematic longitudinal studies was an obstacle to ascertaining the scalability of such projects. It might be helpful to include them in the conversation, and consider whether there were any systematic longitudinal studies of decentralization in India, and if so, what insights they provided.

54

Jyotsna Bapat, Independent Consultant, Mumbai

Climate change in rural India will manifest as increase in natural disasters of one kind or the other. In my experience there are already traditional means and methods that the local community uses to determine markers of impending natural disasters. When that threshold is crossed they take actions.

All that the government needs to do is to support these actions when the community approaches them. Let the community decide and take ownership of the adaptive methods needed, i.e. giving them the ownership for actions. Combined with the negative financial incentives I have seen work in infrastructure. i.e. the less money you ask the sooner you get it.

Gyana Ranjan Panda, Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability, New Delhi

It is proven that adaptation to Climate Change is a long-run policy essentiality than mitigating climate change. India as non-annex party to UNFCCC has been strongly advocating for robust adaptation framework and its lone policy document, the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), has claimed that the Central government spending on adaptation exceeds 2.6 percent of GDP as of 2006-07 and broadly identifies the focus areas which are a) crop improvement, b) drought proofing, c) forestry, d) water, e) coastal regions, f) health, g) risk financing, h) disaster management. An impediment in assessing the facts put forward by the government through the NAPCC is that it stops short of providing details of programmes/ schemes considered adaptation measures or a detailed analysis of how these address vulnerabilities to climate change in India. Given the lack of clarity in the policy document, the apprehension is that a bulk of the government spending in the aforementioned sectors may be more development oriented with little or no adaptation focus. Given the circumstances, Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA) and Oxfam India have conducted a study on public provisioning on adaptation with the following broad objectives:

• Identification of the currently ongoing programmes/schemes of the government in focus areas outlined within the government policy documents.

• Assessment of the nature of these programmes/ schemes in terms of their developmental or adaptation focus.

• Budgetary analysis of sectoral public spending on adaptation based on the above assessment for the years 2006-07 to 2010-11.

The findings of the study are extremely important to be deliberated in the national and international discourse on adaptation and how India is faring in its budgetary provisioning.

For the five years budgets examined by the study, the union Government’s expenditure on adaptation to climate change shows an increase from 1.7 percent of GDP in 2006-07 to 2.64 percent of GDP (1999-00 prices) in 2010-11 and much lower rate of 2.52% of GDP for the same financial year in 2004-05 prices. However, this rise in the expenditure has been largely due to increase in expenditure on some specific programmes relating mainly to poverty alleviation, such as, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in which Union Government’s budget allocation has more than doubled during 2006-07 to 2010-11. Likewise, there has been a significant increase in the Union Budget allocations for programmes/ schemes relating to watershed development, e.g. the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP). The study classifies Union Government’s expenditure on adaptation to climate change into two broad areas: the first is expenditure towards enhancing human capabilities (programmes/ schemes relating to poverty alleviation, health improvement and disease control, and risk management), while the second category is expenditure towards conservation and management of natural resource and human dependence on these (programmes/ schemes relating to agriculture and allied services, land development, drought proofing and flood control, water resources, forestry and biodiversity conservation, coastal, and marine resources management, and disaster management). The study finds that, in 2010-11 (Budget Estimates), expenditure towards enhancing human capabilities constitutes more than 85 percent of Union Government’s total expenditure on adaptation to climate change (i.e. around 2.32 percent of GDP out of the total of 2.64 percent of GDP). The existing budgetary allocation for improvement in ecosystem services (in the context of adaptation) is a meager 0.32 percent of GDP in 2010-11 (Budget Estimates). The budget 2010-11, in particular, has exposed the government’s apathy towards the protection and conservation of wildlife, forests and bio-diversity.

55

Crucial schemes like National Afforestation Programme (NAP), Integrated Forest Protection Scheme (currently known as Intensification of Forest Management), Biosphere Reserves Conservation Programme, Mangroves Eco-systems and Wetlands Conservation Programme, Natural Resources Management Programme, and Biodiversity Conservation Programme have not received adequate allocation. Less priority signifies less government intervention in ecological restoration and eco-developmental activities in the country. Moreover, the study points out that, the policy framework on adaptation put forth in National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) has a number of glaring lacunae. For instance, while the budgetary provisions by Union Government, which can be considered relevant for adaptation, have paid a lot more attention to poverty alleviation (than other sectors within the adaptation framework), the policy statements on adaptation and the national missions have been silent on how poverty alleviation can be integrated into the overall adaptation framework and linked with other relevant sectors. The national missions, proposed in NAPCC, focusing on adaptation are directed mainly towards improvement in sustainability of ecosystem services. The NAPCC has not clarified whether the missions will subsume existing interventions or there will be additional measures supported by additional budgetary provisions. The study of Union Budget also reflects low priorities attached to adaptation strategies in the country, it continues to be informed by the ‘business-as-usual’ development trajectory and pursue economic growth devoid of climate change inputs and concerns. The gulf between the significance of inclusive growth and sustainable development has become even more glaring. Sectors that are crucial to any adaptation intervention such as food security, rural and urban housing for the poor, and health and education infrastructure have received inadequate attention in the policy response on adaptation. These critical sectors need to be integrated into the country’s adaptation policy framework. Moreover, region-specific vulnerabilities across the country call for region-wise stylized intervention requirements, which can hardly be met under the prevailing system of centrally sponsored programmes / schemes that entail rigid guidelines and uniform unit costs. There is a need for greater transparency in the process of formulation of public policies towards adaptation to climate change and the Union Government should include civil society organisations in these processes. A comprehensive policy framework on adaptation to climate change, based on the assessment of differential vulnerabilities across sectors, needs to be formulated with clearly establishing the linkages between the interventions for enhancing human capabilities and those for improving the sustainability of ecosystem services in the country.

For the detailed report, kindly go through http://www.oxfamindia.org/files/resource/adaptation-climate-change-india-study-union-budgets.

B.K. Sinha, Ministry of Rural Development, New Delhi

Climate change has several factors. Some of these are related to the local causes. One of the major factors is the massive deforestation that has taken place. The Government programmes in afforestation have not quite succeeded for two reasons- one that the species being planted are not friendly to the ecology and are not integrated into the social and cultural ethos; second that their economic returns are not immediately perceptible with long gestation periods. Protection of ecology has been woven into our cultural-religious milieu. This significance has to be restored into the government programmes. For instance, Peepal tree is considered sacred and it is forbidden to cut or even prune them. Peepal is a sturdy tree with high oxygen yield.

I have come across many instances where the process is being reversed by attaching religious/ social significance to it. In the District of Bhagalpur there is a village where 20 trees are planted on the birth of every girl child. Where the person is landless the Panchayat permits him to plant the trees on its land with full right on trees and wood. In the State of Pondicherry the intervention of Auroville (http://www.auroville.org/) has regenerated the ecology in respect to 6000 acres of land. In order to succeed the power and the function of afforestation must come to the local community with full ownership.

The programme of MGNREGA literally is a blank cheque provided to the community. However, unfortunately this blank cheque has not been much used with the specific purpose of re-constructing the ecology except in isolated cases. The Ministry has been taking steps for this.

56

K. N. Vajpai, Climate Himalaya Initiative, Uttarakhand

At the onset, we must appreciate the initiative taken by DFID in capturing, disseminating emerging evidence and learning about mainstreaming climate change adaptation into the development process.

Before last week, an all-party parliamentary group in UK on climate change gathered. During this meeting the NGO Practical Action claimed that $100 billion a year is needed for adaptation alone from 2020 and “a fair and binding international climate deal”. It further mentioned that, at this time, world leaders have pledged only $1.5 billion to finance adaptation and of which a meager $190 million has been given. The important concerns raised were that, the governments-in both developed and developing countries -are not making important links between: climate change and development; climate change and the geopolitics of water; and climate crisis and economic crisis. This is reasonably true for various international agencies as well.

In a recent global meeting at Tianjin, the developing countries were fighting amongst themselves over who should receive priority for adaptation funding.

Certainly, the adaptation financing could be a way forward towards enhancing the community resilience; but, it is also true that, there is a substantive gap in knowledge available on adaptation issues and its access to practitioners and vulnerable populations. In order to suggest possibilities for the inclusion of adaptation financing in planning process, it is very important that we have the conceptual thinking to consider the relationship between development processes, ways to cope with risks and adaptations to climate change. We need to understand the broad spectrum of adaptation and the impact from ongoing and future climatic changes. As historically, most work on climate adaptation has taken a global, large-scale, or sector-based perspective.

There is a gap in research on local adaptation processes, and the factors enabling or constraining them. At first level, such knowledge gap needs to be understood and worked out. The problem is that, this gap also exists at national and regional level in terms of linkages and knowledge sharing among institutions and agencies. Thus, the collaboration, cooperation and linkages are the three missing domains in majority of our planning processes. This could be understood from the recently held regional adaptation forum in Asia and it’s proposed ‘regional climate change adaptation knowledge platform’, in which many South Asian countries were excluded. The details are available at http://chimalaya.org/2010/10/23/india-not-part-of-asia-or-regional-adaptation-network/

What has been apprehended about the bulk of spending of Indian government in more development oriented activities than in adaptation actions is quite obvious, and the solution is that, we must adhere and emphasize upon inclusive planning. Evidences have shown that, when we tried to overlap with additional and parallel institutions or processes, the efforts failed and results were unsustainable.

We should not exaggerate the climatic adaptation as a complex issue, for whatever reason, but, see it with existing and possible solution angles. As historically, societies have developed distinct means of reacting to and coping with their environmental surroundings. These can be seen in various rituals, behaviors and coping strategies. These historic survival strategies will, in most cases, help to increase resilience.

Another issue is that, adaptation is not separate from development: the adaptation challenge is to understand how and where existing planning and development decisions need to change to strengthen resilience and reduce risks from the potential effects of climate change. Adaptation may require fundamental changes in the way of planning and institutional operation, however, such changes are always a challenge, but getting them right is contingent upon understanding who needs to, and is able to, do what, when: so, it is again about ‘knowledge’ and ‘capacities’.

The need is that, how to translate the so called ‘complex science’ in to simplistic or workable models, so that people are benefited. This is what, our scientists and professionals are supposed to do. It is established that, for better scientific results, the larger the time-scale of our research, better would be the precision, and on this front we must collaborate and cooperate for existing data set at local, regional and international level.

Therefore, while planning for adaptation financing in government’s budgetary process, it would be appropriate to develop an inclusive and workable model out of existing developmental activities while considering the important sectors like-water, forest, agriculture in rural and urban context.

57

Following are the key prerequisites:

• Awareness, Capacity building efforts and strengthening Knowledge on adaptation are the key starting point to financing.

• There is thorough and proper conceptual understanding among planners and policy makers on the linkages between development processes, ways to cope with risks and adaptations to climate change.

• There is understanding among decision makers that, how the ability to adapt depends on poverty levels, access to various natural and financial resources and influencing capacities like knowledge, skills and institutional abilities.

• There are workable models for effective communications between scientists and decision makers, and they have adequate provisions to translate scientific findings into policies and programs.

• We carefully consider the relative vulnerability in a region or community while allocating the resources for adaptation measures, e.g. mountain dwellers are more vulnerable than downstream communities, poor slum dwellers in urban areas are more vulnerable than other settlements, rural women and children are more vulnerable, etc.

• We are not making adaptation a complex issue but also consider traditional or certain indigenous measures judiciously developed by societies historically as means of reacting and coping with climatic vulnerabilities.

• There are innovative insurance solutions involving partners from the public and private sectors, which offers local decision-makers cost-effective ways to secure funding before a disaster strikes and therefore make their communities more resourceful.

Muhammad Mukhtar Alam, Center for Ecological Audit,Social Inclusion and Governace, New Delhi

It is interesting that Department for International Development (DFID) is interested in capturing, disseminating emerging evidence and learning about mainstreaming climate change adaptation into the development process recognizing the critical concern of the adaptation financing mechanisms and, questions of how adaptation can best be financed at national and local levels to deliver greatest impact on poverty and create the right incentives. I would like to share my responses as follows:

How can adaptation financing be integrated into government budgetary processes and maximize accountability, transparency, and real benefits for poor people? Planning process starts at the district level where plans are prepared with inputs from the blocks, clusters and villages and therefore programmes for the adaptation will have to be initiated at the district level ensuring community participation .Mapping of the stakeholders in adaptation processed would have to be done there while ensuring that there are in built mechanisms for accountability and transparency in the planning processes with reference to programmes and financing for the programme. Financial requirements for the all these programmes are best organized indigenously without any external assistance unless those are as grants for assisting the governments. This assistance should be based purely on the basis of shared concerns for securing population out of climate distressed regions. This is being proposed considering the relationship between the financing for development and acceleration of climate distress across the region with liberal policies for generation of money from multiple bankers. It is important to ensure that all the financial requirements are met from public controlled banks and entire operations for adaptation are not hinged on profit motive. It is best to ensure that all these programmes should be financed by interest free loans for the states and the external financing if any accepted for this should be interest-free.

How can adaptation financing empower and enable decentralized decision making and action? Vulnerability analysis of the regions along with the community while recognizing the aggregated data set available should give us adequate information as the communities and regions where adaptation processes need to be launched and where these are already happening for example in the Flood prone region of North Bihar. Adaptation financing as such may not result in decentralization of the decision as these floods are an outcome of disturbances in the natural track for water flow to Bay of Bengal that has been caused due to construction of dams under Kosi Pariyojna that was formulated as per the national development planning for addressing the issues.

In Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand, there are many instances of protest of the communities against the construction of dams for harvesting water for generation of electricity. Recently, we have heard from friends about the resistance to construction of Renuka Dam that would result in displacement of people from their ecologically safe habitats. Decentralization can be however ensured through participation of the local communities and letting them realize the entitlements. Considering the perspectives from villages, we can see that decentralization in decision making has not happened with reference to certain major projects that result in the loss of ecologically safe habitats and livelihoods.

58

What is your experience on innovative adaptation financing and how can these be scaled up? I have been arguing for deleting usurious and speculative money from the system and getting more public control on the creation, distribution and regulation of money supply considering the linkage of FDIs with acceleration in the loss of ecologically safe habitats and national survival equations. It is better that this linkage is understood for ensuring that we safeguard cities from future transition cataclysms in the eventuality of the absence of full replacement by non-renewable energy for the support systems.

What policy changes are required to facilitate and incentivize private sector investment in adaptation? Mandatory annual reporting on the ecological audit of the all the processes in production ,consumption, transport from all the organizations both public and private would be a critical step for ensuring that there is compliance of the national policy on climate change. There is a need to adopt policies across the nations simultaneously with recognition of the both limits to the sustainability of the exhaustible resource and widely documented adverse impacts of climate change. Other measures that could be suggested are the following:

• Tax deduction for financing adaptive and mitigation programmes

• Instituting award for schools integrating education for adaption and mitigation

• Instituting awards by chambers of commerce for excellence in financing for adaptation and mitigation programmes

• Instituting awards for states and districts for mainstreaming adaptation and mitigation programmes in district and state plans

• Instituting awards for media organizations for promoting transformation in consumption and production and reduction in the emission of Green house gases

• Promotion of interest free loans as part of financing for adaptation and mitigation

With the above, I would like to conclude my submission.

Irene Stephen, UNDP, New Delhi

When we talk about adaptation finance, firstly we should understand the type(s) of adaptation which we are actually going to consider for financial support. When we look at the adaptation activities it can be either Mitigation or Capacity Development. And for sure these activities require sufficient financial support.

Adaptation action calls for interrelated projects with defined sets of activities of common nature and designed to achieve specific national policy goals and objectives meant to be fulfilled at different levels. Secondly, we must have an estimation of the investment to be made through the adaptation actions. The estimations which could be viewed to either protect the vulnerable community or to protect the environment even as ranking of adaptation needs are being done in accordance to the given importance identified in a national action plan and in the national strategy.

Thirdly, it is important for planners, managers and policy advisors to also make a choice of the financial support which could be required for a vulnerability-focused adaptation action or for a impact-focused adaptation action. At present though there is a supplementary flow of international support and at the same time market mechanism is also recognized as one of the source but with its own limitations,

Fourthly, the investment and financial support for adaptation actions must be in harmony with the national planning and budgetary system. This source of finance could ensure better allocation and utilization of financial resources not only over a period of time but also has a scope to deliver intended progress to achieve the final impacts and consequences of the adaptation activities.

While looking at the option of national budgetary system, attention must be paid to see if each of the adaptation activities are stated in line with the National Development Plan, National Flagship Schemes/ Programmes, and also relevant to sectors of the ministerial/departmental strategies which do operationalize each of the government’s departmental objectives.

While taking up actions for adaptation we must see to that the actions are related to the government’s ministerial/departmental objectives which reflects their vision for providing improved standards of community oriented services.

59

Bibhu Prasad Mohanty, Hunger Solution, Koraput, Orissa

A consultation was held in Bhubaneshwar on 4th November, 2010 to understand the present MFI operations with SHGs of Mission Shakti and SHGs led and supported by MFIs. The concern was on safeguarding the interest, dignity and property of women in the state that help the process of empowerment. MFIs and NGOs are mostly close to WCD Department and Mission Shakti. Therefore this consultation was called to look into the present status of MFI operation in the state. The ordinance over MFI operation in Andhra Pradesh has lead to an unprecedented situation in adjacent districts of Orissa. MFIs could also be utilized for climate change adaptation funding and therefore the above consultation is important in the present context; they could play an important role in the future.

Following points were the major outcomes of the consultation

1. Lack of coordination network among MFIs 2. Multiple lending should not be encouraged. However in case of lending productive means should be carefully planned and

adequately funded. To avoided risk for MFI segregation of funds should be planned in such a manner that the affordability and capacity of client should not be affected. A proper lending approach and process needs to be evolved.

3. Government needs to support, nurture and capacitate MFIs to adequately fund SHGs and reach maximum possible areas where commercial banks are unable to reach

4. Member MFIs of Sa-Dhan have already agreed to abide with self promoted ethical means of finance operation with poor clients, SHGs and maintain utmost transparency.

5. MFIs should also try to link Government entitlements along with Government schemes to people in their operational area. They must disseminate Government social security programmes along with their product information which will support the process of poverty eradication.

6. The lending is becoming exploitative when the client is not even given breathing and gestation time in the process of repayment and recovery.

7. Capacity building of both SHGs and MFIs is one of the major areas that need focus in the coming decades. 8. Effective rate of interest is always a concern for the people and Government. The interest rat differs from 20% to 30%.

Government and RBI along with NABARD should look into the issue and come out with a realistic approach. 9. MFIs should look into affordability and repayment capacity of client SHGs or individuals. Adequate investment and degree of

appropriative lending needs to be prioritized. 10. Diversion of funds by MFIs results in rising cost of products which affect the sector adversely. 11. Low-cost, well performing and effectively productive approaches are acceptable. Therefore Mission Shakti, SHG federations

and MFIs should be proactive. 12. Women clients from SHGs are worst sufferers because peer pressure induces borrowing from SHGs or banks to fulfill their

need such as, mobile phone for young children, money for marriage of young daughters, ailing non members of family etc, which cause extra burden on women clients .Decision of accessing loan by women is induced by their male counterpart and social vanity.

13. Absence of credit bureau or MFI commission in the state has created unprecedented situation where MFIs from outside Orissa are operating without ethical practices. This has generated extraordinary uproar in Government and the present situation in Andhra Pradesh lead to the imposition of an ordinance on MFI operation.

14. Data and resource sharing among MFIs and with Government at field and state level should be given priority. 15. As the development approaches oriented around Government welfare, market and community could not proceed and faced

several bottlenecks in the time and space. MFI could get space to operate and reach the un-reached. Considering their services and its importance, Government should support and nurture their growth.

16. Assessment of MFIs by funds or banks in terms of commercial rating should not be encouraged. Attempts should be made to look into socio-economic aspects of MFI operation because of its core focus on poor.

17. Banks should lower the interest rate when investing in non-profit MFIs in the state. That will again reduce the rate of interest at consumer level and give enough space for consumers to grow.

18. There should be attention on diversity of products and their relevance in its operations. 19. Lending for anything and everything in the line of poverty reduction should be the ground rule for lending organizations. Care

to be taken to design products for different conditions, traditional/ social practices and livelihood practices. Site specific and situation specific financial products can effectively address poverty.

20. Insurance linked credit should be clearly discussed with the client. Secondly the operation should be adequately insured where loss of property along with life are involved. A scrupulous approach to insurance should be promoted in the state.

21. Public place recovery, monthly recovery etc are the major approaches to recovery and should be adopted and followed with strict compliance of rules. Door step recovery and induction of unethical means for recovery.

60

22. Microfinance ceiling should be redesigned keeping in view of present scale of operation, requirement by clients and so on. 23. There should be regular public declaration and disclosure of operational details of MFIs and their status in the state. 24. Bankers should redesign their investment plans and policy when MFIs are their client. 25. Replication of livelihood supporting financial products along with consumption loan products linked with productive

investments should be encouraged by both banks and MFIs.

Ramit Basu, New Delhi

I am sort of tempted to respond to this query although I have limited exposure in the subject. One of the ways in which funding can be secured to mitigate effects of climate change is perhaps following the ‘polluter pays’ principle. Whether it be an industry or even purchase of an automobile to even a ‘dhobi ghat’ polluting the downstream river, there needs to be some way in which they can be held responsible and be made to compensate the loss.

The recent spate of protests in the country against corporate mining and mindless industrialization can be tackled if the private players can be made to compensate for the ecological loss which otherwise would have sustained these communities. The fund can be used not only to rehabilitate these communities and help them find eco-friendly livelihood opportunities but also to restore the lost ecological balance.

Taxation by the state and local bodies can be another initiative provided the proceeds collected is used towards creating eco-friendly ways of addressing poverty and creating livelihood opportunities. Local bodies like panchayats and municipalities can collect taxes and invest in creating infrastructure and assets which would help in mitigating the impacts of climate change.

Kalika Mohapatra, Independent Consultant, Bhubaneshwar

In the past DFID had supported some of the adaption projects in Orissa–Community Based Water Harvesting Structures in Western Orissa in 2001 to reduce the water scarcity after repeated drought in that area. Adaption process to change of agriculture practices and use water were clearly visible till now. Another project called Community Based Disaster Preparedness programme in Orissa after Super Cyclone, in this project communities are readily accepting preparedness and generate demand as per their requirements.

In future DFID may also support similar types of projects or programmes on a large scale, which could help in reducing the impact of climate change on the Community. They should promote community involvement in planning and implementation programme based on the vulnerability and risk analysis of all developmental programmes. The programme should be based on the local need and flexible to accommodate the local needs.

Secondly, we need to bring more convergence among the various line departments for any one of the causes/ issues. Role of each department would be different in the same programme and contribution would be as per the expertise and the programme should be in Public private Community Partnership (PPCP) model. So the sustainability of the programme can be ensured from the beginning. The adaption technology should be available at the community level, which means more and more resource persons and institutions would be created for easy access of the resources.

Capacity Building is one of the programmes which facilitates the adaption process at various levels. So DFID may prefer to fiancé various capacity building programmes related to climate change based on the risk and vulnerability of the focused areas.

I hope my response would help in future financing of adaption programmes in the country.

B N Biswal, Lutheran World Service India Trust, Bhubaneshwar

It is nice to learn that, DFID through its various programs would like to extend support in the field of climate change and to use adaptation funds and provide knowledge base/ technical guidance for the benefit of the poor and marginalized people. It envisaged that, international community including World Bank and DFID would be proactive to combat negative effects of climate change through various ways and means.

In regard to different aspects pertaining to the usage of adaptation funds to tackle the effects of climate change, there are some thoughts that may be considered related to the specific questions as mentioned below:

61

How can adaptation financing be integrated into government budgetary processes and maximize accountability, transparency, and real benefits for poor people? It is extremely important to integrate adaptation financing in the budget of the government so that it can be treated as an ongoing process of government action for the benefit of the poor and disadvantaged with inclusive approach. Adaptation measures to climate change is like addressing the effects and negative impacts of climate change that people have already experienced and continue to face various problems in the current scenario. So, there is an urgent need to address the issue. Following issues could be considered in this critical situation:

• Annual budget in terms of adaptation financing in the national budget be earmarked with specific program components that benefits the most vulnerable people such as agriculture, micro finance, entrepreneurship development, etc.

• Provision for grant in aid to states in the event of any natural catastrophe, thereby states can combat the situation effectively at community level by reaching to the poor and marginalized

• Earmarked budget should be kept to support the farmers if they lose their crops due to unprecedented natural calamities and with financial assistance, farmers can go for other crops during the winter season.

• It is also extremely urgent to keep budgetary provision for all categories of farmers to ensure micro insurance/ crop insurance, livestock insurance etc.

With regard to Accountability, there are various governance systems functioning in a democratic state either at national level or state level even at local level like Panchayati Raj in rural settings and Urban Local Bodies in urban settings. However, the crux is that, accountability can be ensured if people have a say in the planning and decision making process. In other words, if people are involved in grass root level planning, they will definitely secure their entitlements. In this regard, there must be some rules and regulations to secure accountability and transparency in the governance system.

How can adaptation financing empower and enable decentralized decision making and action? Higher levels of adaptation financing are needed for effective implementation of adaptation activities to combat climate change effects that are already being noticed in any of the developing countries including India. If there are enough resources in hand either with the state. or the centre, it is their responsibility to allocate resources to various inter sectoral departments to utilize such funds for immediate action. There are departments such as agriculture, horticulture, animal resources including fisheries, forest & environment, health, women & child development etc which needs adequate resources to deal with different situations and support peoples needs. However, there is a need for inter departmental coordination to work together for effective results which is really important. Through this coordination, decentralized decision making will be ensured and all line departments will supplement and complement each other for better results, but should not work in isolation.

Each department should be asked to make perspective plans for adaptation measures keeping in mind the extreme events of the recent past by using appropriate actual data. These plans can be very helpful to analyze the need for adaptation financing by different departments and volume of resources necessary for the program. Though it is process oriented task, but in the long run it will help the decision/ policy maker to understand the gravity of the problems in different segments and need to address the problems in decentralized manner to achieve the goal i.e., addressing climate change impacts in unison.

What is your experience on innovative adaptation financing and how can these be scaled up? In Coastal districts of Orissa, our organization has undertaken programs related to agriculture in the form of saline resistance crops being supported to community farmers and fisher folk since they lost monsoon crops last year. Saline resistance crops like paddy has given better results and yield and people are satisfied and ensured of their livelihood. Of course it may not be innovative, but the effort is well appreciated by the locals.

Through adaptation financing, there are tremendous efforts made by SHG members and village youth to develop mushroom cultivation, fish farming, backyard poultry, goat rearing, etc. to secure their primary source of income and improve their family income and livelihood options. It is really important to keep youth in the villages where we work, as many of the young people have left for search of employment.

What policy changes are required to facilitate and incentivize private sector investment in adaptation?

• There is a need for policy level decisions to influence the private sector to ensure their Corporate Social Responsibility by addressing the local needs.

• Private sector should be committed to serve the society and not out of compulsion, otherwise it will not benefit the people.

• Need to propagate NATIONAL FEELINGS IN THEIR HEART & MIND to support people in need, particularly when people are suffering from various catastrophic events like floods, cyclone, earthquakes or any other calamity

• Private Sector should be vigilant about the current situation and problems related to climate change and how people are suffering due to unprecedented weather events. Their roles and responsibilities to combat this long term problem at the local level needs to be clearly highlighted.

62



Disaster Management Community

Query: Inputs for Developing the Indian Himalayas Climate Adaptation Programme (IHCAP) -Experiences; Examples

Compiled by Ramesh Jalan and G Padmanabhan, Resource Persons and Jai Kumar Gaurav and Nupur Arora, Research Associates Issue Date: 12 September 2011

From Shirish Sinha, Climate Change and Development, Embassy of Switzerland in India, New Delhi Posted 09 August 2011

The earliest impacts of climate change are invariably experienced in mountain areas. Melting of snow and glaciers impacts, macro and micro climatic systems, which in turn have a spiralling impact on water, food and livelihood security. This is critical in the context of the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), as the region is a repository of enormous freshwater resources. The run-off of the Himalayan Rivers are the main source of livelihood for people residing in the mountains as well as people living downstream by providing for irrigation, drinking water, and agriculture.

Developing adaptation strategies, which are rooted at community level and draw from scientific assessments, are essential for achieving climate resilience to help protect the poor, who are most vulnerable. This requires advanced scientific research and capacities, which needs further attention in the IHR. Equally critical is the need for prioritisation of climate resilient development and climate adaptation in policy development and implementation.

Recognizing the enormous challenge of climate change for the IHR, the Division of Climate Change and Development, Embassy of Switzerland in India is developing a new programme called the Indian Himalayas Climate Adaptation Programme (IHCAP). The IHCAP is under the Global Programme of Climate Change supported by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The outline of the programme is being developed in consultation and with inputs from several organisations including the Government of India and some State Governments in the IHR.

The IHCAP builds on capacity and knowledge enhancement related to three pillars:

1. Scientific and technical knowledge cooperation between Indian and Swiss scientific institutions for long-term

research in the field of glaciology, hydrology and climatology; and short-term research in the field of science based

adaptation;

2. Adaptation measures and risk reduction for vulnerable communities

3. Mainstreaming adaptation policies for improved action in the IHR by linking grassroots voices with science and

policy.

Therefore in the context of climate change adaptation (including disaster risk reduction), we would request members to respond to the following keeping in view critical sectors/ themes such as livelihoods, water, agriculture (including land use, horticulture and livestock), disaster risk reduction, climate resilient development, etc. in the IHR Eco-system:

• What are the methodologies that have been applied/available to conduct Climate/Hazard Risk and Climate Vulnerability Assessment?

• What have been the community experiences/responses to climate change impacts and disaster risks in the mountains?

• What policies and programmes presently exists/that could be put in place to strengthened/promote adaptation and what are the constraints /barriers in up-scaling/implementing them?

INDIA

63

In addition please share potential innovative areas of research that need to be taken up for better understanding of climate change and disaster impacts at micro and macro level in the IHR.

Your inputs will help us in formulating the Indian Himalayas Climate Adaptation Programme (IHCAP). The contributions of members would be suitably acknowledged.

Responses were received, with thanks, from 4. Satya Prakash Mehra, Rajputana Society of Natural History, Udaipur, Rajasthan

5. Sandeep Srivastava, Shohratgarh Environmental Society (SES), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

6. Rudra Prasad Nandi, Sea Explorers’ Institute, Kolkata

7. Arvind Sinha, UNDP-BCPR, New Delhi

8. Shalini Misra, G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development Srinagar, Garhwal, Uttarakhand

9. Himadri Maitra, Department Of Disaster Management, Kolkata, West Bengal

10. Swayamprabha Das, New Delhi

11. Ramesh Jalan & G Padmanabhan, UNDP, New Delhi

12. Archana Chatterjee, Regional Programme on Himalayan High altitude wetlands, WWF-India, New Delhi

13. P. C. Joshi, Department of Anthropology, Delhi University, Delhi

14. N K Agarwal, Dehradun

15. Rudra Prasanna Rath, State Child Health Resource Centre, Orissa

16. Sunder Subramanian, Gurgaon, Haryana

17. Sejuti Basu, Pragya, Gurgaon, Haryana

18. K N Vajpai, Climate Himalaya Initiative, Uttarakhand

19. Mustafa Ali Khan, Climate Connect, New Delhi

20. Kriti Nagrath, Development Alternatives, New Delhi

21. Manu Gupta, SEEDS, New Delhi



Summary of Responses 62Comparative Experiences 65Related Resources 66Responses in Full 71


The IHCAP could play a pivotal role in ensuring a sustainable future of the Himalayan region by addressing the impacts of climate change. Collaborating with existing programs and projects could help IHCAP achieve exceptional results and avoid duplication. The experiences, examples and issues shared by members include the following:

The respondents shared the following methodologies that could be utilized for conducting Climate/Risk hazard and Climate Vulnerability Assessment:

• Literature review and data analysis: Review of literature and analysis of meteorological data, historical disaster related data, recent weather changes data etc..

• Surveys and interviews: Conducting surveys and interviews in the local community.

• Methodologies: International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), United Kingdom, Ramsar particularly for Wetlands and IPCC framework for Vulnerability Assessment could be used in the IHCAP.

64

The community experiences related to impacts of climate change and disaster risk include:

• Variations in precipitation: change in the rainfall pattern with fewer rainy days; more intense rainfall during rainy days, reduction of snowfall during the winter etc.. Due to excessive rain major disasters occurred in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh (HP).

• Water scarcity: Extreme water scarcity caused primarily due to reduced discharge of water in springs and lower water flow into rivulets.

• Changes in flowering pattern and climate change impact on food production: The Rhododendron, litchis, peaches etc. flower early and wheat crop is growing spikes before time. Citrus fruit production is being curtailed in Sonali village in Chamoli district, HP.

• Behavioral change in wildlife: Districts in HP and Uttarakhand have been experiencing attack of wild life on crops due to reduced forest produce.

• Impact on tourism: Changes in rainfall pattern, increasing frequency of disasters is resulting in decline in tourism. For example, heavy rains this year hampered the Char Dham pilgrimage in Uttarakhand.

• Increasing risk of disasters: Around forty villages in Chinyalisaur block of Uttarkashi district in Garhwal have been affected by seepage of water from the Tehri dam. Rains are breaking record for the last 10-years in Garhwal, increasing risk of floods.

• Impact on cattle: Due to heavy snowfall and harsh weather conditions death of cattle is increasing. Further, there is not enough fodder available in many parts of the IHR.

• Impact on infrastructure: Houses, roads, commercial buildings etc. are damaged by frequent disasters and adverse climatic conditions.

• Changes in river water flows, adversely impacting Hydro Power Generation: In Bhutan, the change in river water flows caused by colder, drier winters and warmer, wetter summers is threatening its ambitious hydroelectric power plans. Similar impacts are being observed in India as well.

• Occurrence and risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs): Melting of glacial ice due to warmer summers has led to the creation of lakes leading to increased frequency and higher risk of GLOFs.

• Traditional water harvesting: In Kangra district of HP, Khatri, a kind of percolation tank with dimension of 10’x10’x10’ or more is being used for storage of water for drinking and other uses. In Rajasthan also traditional techniques of water harvesting are being used by communities.

• Migration: Communities are migrating to other regions due to impacts of climate change, adverse climatic conditions and increased disaster risks.

Existing policies and programmes and suggestions for new programs include:

• Enhancing awareness on climate change: Developing different innovative knowledge products; promoting use of eco-friendly materials and inclusion of climate related issues in the curriculum of schools and colleges. Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization (HESCO), People’s Science Institute, Himalayan Action Research Centre, Sri Bhuvaneswari Mahila Ashram and Research Advocacy & Communication in Himalayan Areas (RACHNA) are enhancing awareness on climate change in the region. A “Community Led Assessment, Awareness, Advocacy and Action Programme for Environment Protection and Carbon Neutrality” in the State of HP (HP-CLAP) is being implemented by Development Alternatives (DA). The Climate Change Leaders Programme of LEAD India in the Himalayas could be utilized for creating awareness at the community level. Climate Himalaya Initiative focuses on adaptation in Himalayan region through awareness generation, knowledge networking as well.

Phot

o ©

UN

DP

Indi

a

65

• Research on climate change impacts: Scientific community and academic institutions need to be involved in a structured and systemic manner to conduct research on impacts of climate change. For example, Pragya has been working on threat assessment and identifying vulnerable hotspots in the high altitude Himalayas, particularly in Jammu & Kashmir and HP. In 2006-2008, it conducted a series of detailed studies in the cold desert region of the Indian Himalayas.

• Documenting and using traditional knowledge: There is a need to document traditional knowledge for assisting the community in its adaptation efforts.

• Women empowerment and gender sensitive adaptation programs: Improvement in education of women, providing access to market etc. will empower women.

• Conserving forests in Himalayan region: There is a need to prevent deforestation and conserve the forest ecosystem.

• Promotion of eco-tourism: Home stays, eco-tourism, particularly in rural areas need to be promoted to provide alternate livelihood options.

• Land and watershed management programs: It is important to develop specific land and watershed management programs for the Himalayan region.

• Development of Early warning systems and training on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR): Early warning systems and training programs for communities on DRR need to be developed. For example, WWF-India has a programme in Ladakh involving training of youth on DRR.

• Adaptation Programmes being implemented include:

� State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCC): The SAPCC are being prepared for a majority of the states in IHR, utilizing a consultative process for its design and subsequent implementation.

� Working group under the Planning Commission: A working group under the Planning Commission to address issues affecting the IHR is being formulated.

� Adaptation component in MGNREGA and NDMA programs: Adaptation projects could be linked to MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) programmes.

• Replication of success stories: Replicating success stories of organic farming, Eco-tourism, Bamboo based livelihood, water mills, Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) & Joint Forest Management (JFM) needs to be encouraged.

• Promotion of climate resilient buildings: Climate resilient buildings involving innovative features including passive solar heating; stone foundation, corner reinforcements for disaster risk reduction; use of compressed stabilised earth blocks in walls up to the sill level to withstand damage from water logging and use of local materials and resources needs to be promoted in the IHR. For example, SEEDS and Ladakh Ecological Development Group have been promoting Climate Resilient Housing in the Ladakh region.


Rajasthan Unaware of the Term ‘Climate Change’, Local Communities Prepare Themselves for Adverse Weather Conditions, (from Satya Prakash Mehra, Rajputana Society of Natural History, Udaipur, Rajasthan ) In the drought affected Aravallis, an NGO through its research concluded that the local community has its own traditional approaches to face challenges due to climate change. They adopt strategies (livelihood, water security, cropping etc.) according to the local weather conditions. Since drought is the main disaster, they are now using traditional techniques of water harvesting.

Jammu and Kashmir & Himachal Pradesh Vulnerability Assessment in J&K and HP, (from Sejuti Basu, Pragya, Gurgaon, Haryana) Pragya, a NGO, has been working on threat assessment and identifying vulnerable hotspots in 82 watersheds across J&K and HP. It used strati?ed, nested sampling across four altitude Bands and three hydrological levels in the target bio-geographic regions. Participatory surveys, scienti?c ?eld observations and secondary data collection were conducted to identify the “Vulnerability Hotspots”.

Himachal Pradesh Water Conservation Through Traditional Ways, Kangra (from Arvind Sinha, UNDP-BCPR, New Delhi) In Kangra, community uses traditional methods and structures for conserving and harnessing water in the mountains like Khatri, a traditional percolation tank. It has dimension of 10’x10’x10’ and could be made larger depending upon the space available. It requires special skill to dig and select the place for the Kharti. Community in Kagra district is using this structure for storage of water from the mountain top that percolates down in the Khatri.

66

Community Leads Environment Protection Programme (from Kriti Nagrath, Development Alternatives, New Delhi) Government of Himachal Pradesh (HP) is supporting a programme on “Community Led Assessment, Awareness, Advocacy and Action Programme for Environment Protection and Carbon Neutrality” in the State of Himachal Pradesh (HP-CLAP). The programme at the grassroots level is being implemented through a network of eco-clubs, mahila mandals, NGOs including Development Alternatives, WWF, Jagriti etc..

Ladakh Training Youth on Disaster Preparedness, (from Archana Chatterjee, Regional Programme on Himalayan High altitude wetlands, WWF-India, New Delhi) In the aftermath of Ladakh cloudburst, WWF-India applied Climate witness approach and documented community experiences with scientific backstopping. From the experiences it clearly emerged that communities are not prepared for disasters hitherto unknown in their region. WWF-India is training youth on disaster preparedness in the region.

Climate Resilient Housing in Ladakh, (from Jai Kumar Gaurav, UNDP, New Delhi) SEEDS and Ladakh Ecological Development Group is supporting development of climate resilient housing using local material. It includes using stone foundations, corner reinforcements for disaster resistance; use of compressed stabilised earth blocks in the walls up to the sill level to withstand damage from water logging.


From Shalini Misra, G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Srinagar Garhwal, Uttarakhand

Spring in winter Article; by Ms. Shalini Misra; G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development; Down to Earth; Uttrakhand; 2007; Available at http://www.downtoearth.org.in/node/2997

Article elaborates on changes in flowering pattern and its possible impacts on productivity and food security.

Lets celebrate Spring Article; by Ms. Shalini Misra; G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development; Down to Earth; Uttrakhand; May, 2009; Available at http://www.downtoearth.org.in/node/3109

Article provides details of changes in flowering pattern in Himalayan region and its impact on social customs.

Floods and Politics Article; by Ms. Shalini Misra; G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development; Down to Earth; Uttrakhand; May, 2009; Available at http://www.downtoearth.org.in/node/1965

Article highlights impact of heavy rains coupled with rise in water of Tehri dam in the region.

Mountain Women- Key Drivers of Change Article; by Ms. Shalini Misra; G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development; Climate Himalaya; Uttrakhand; May, 2009; Available at http://chimalaya.org/2011/08/08/mountain-women-key-drivers-of-change/ Article

focuses on the importance of understanding the functioning of mountain ecosystem in context of livelihood and women.

National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) Available at http://pmindia.nic.in/climate_change.htm (PDF; Size: 19 MB)

Outlines the national strategy to enable the country adapt to climate change and enhance the ecological sustainability of India’s development path.

67

IPCC framework for Vulnerability Assessment Document; by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. New Delhi; 2007; Available at http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg2/en/ch2s2-2.html

Methodology recommended in the framework has been used in Sikkim and Arunachal to identify the most vulnerable districts.

From Mustafa Ali Khan, Climate Connect, New Delhi

Land use dynamics and landscape change pattern in a typical micro watershed in the mid elevation zone of central Himalaya, India Article; by Ms. K. S. Rao and Ms. Rekha Pant; G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development; Uttrakhand; 31 August 2000; Available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167880900002747

Highlights the land use land cover change pattern and policies leading to such impacts.

Patterns and ecological implications of agricultural land-use changes: a case study from central Himalaya, India Article; by R. L. Semwal, S. Nautiyal, K. K. Sen, U. Rana, R. K. Maikhuri, K. S. Rao and K. G. Saxena; Uttrakhand; 31 August 2003; Available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167880903002287

Article elaborates on land use and land cover changes and their impact on yield, manure input, soil loss and run-off in the Pranmati watershed.


Rajputana Society of Natural History, Rajasthan (from Satya Prakash Mehra, Rajputana Society of Natural History, Udaipur, Rajasthan ) Kesar Bhawan, 16/747, P. No. 90, B/d Saraswati Hosp., Ganeshnagar, Pahada; Tel: +91 294 2470690; Contact Mr. Satya Prakash Mehra; Advisor; [email protected]

Organization involved in CCA and DRR work in the state; have researched on meteorological data, disaster vulnerability, recent weather changes and their correlations.

G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development Srinagar Garhwal, Uttarakhand (from Shalini Misra, G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Srinagar Garhwal, Uttarakhand) Kosi, Almora, Uttrakhand, 263463; [email protected]; www.gbpihed.gov.in;

Focal agency for advancing scientific knowledge and evolving integrated management strategies in Indian Himalayan Region (IHR).

Climate Change Leaders in the Himalayas programme, New Delhi (from Swayamprabha Das, New Delhi); LEAD INDIA, 66, 1st Floor, Hemkunt Colony, New Delhi - 110048, +91 11 26225790 92, 41638440; +91 11 26225791,http://www.leadindia.org/beta/?p=climatechangeli; [email protected]

LEAD India (supported by the British High Commission) had trained 56 people across the regions from different backgrounds on climate change issues.

From Archana Chatterjee, Regional Programme on Himalayan High altitude wetlands, WWF-India, New Delhi

International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Nepal G.P.O. Box 3226, Khumaltar, Kathmandu, Nepal; Tel: 977-1-5003222; Fax: 977-1-5003299/77; http://www.icimod.org/?page=abt

Knowledge development and learning centre serving the countries of the Hindu Kush-Himalayas and assisting them on climate change related issues.

68

WWF- India, New Delhi WWF Programme, WWF-India, 172 B, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi- 110003; Tel: +91 11 4150 4815; Fax: +91 11 2469 1226; http://wwfindia.org/about_wwf/reducing_footprint/living_ganga/;

WWF has undertaken several scientific studies, hydrological modeling studies, developed Vulnerability Assessment (VA) protocols for Himalayas.

Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), United Kingdom, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Environment Centre Wales, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW; +44 (0)1248 374500; +44 (0)1248 362133; http://www.ceh.ac.uk/;

Centre has developed methodologies that have been applied to conduct climate and Hazard Risk and Climate Vulnerability Assessment.

Ramsar, Switzerland Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland, Tel.: +41 22 999 0170, Fax: +41 22 999 0169; [email protected]; http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-home/main/ramsar/1_4000_0__ ;

Organization involved in conservation of wetlands and has developed a framework for Vulnerability Assessment in high altitude regions.

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Delhi NDMA Bhawan, A-1, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi 110029; Tel: 91-11-26701700; [email protected]; http://ndma.gov.in/ndma/aboutus.htm; Contact Brigadier (Dr). B. K. Khanna; [email protected]; 9911297972

Apex body mandated to lay down policies, plans and guidelines for disaster management and also provides support to other countries affected by major disasters.

National Rural Employment Gaurantee Act (NREGA), New Delhi Ministry of Rural Development,Krishi Bhawan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi 110001; Tel: 91-11-2338-5027; Fax: 91-11-2688-8254 [email protected]; www.rural.nic.in

National Employment Guarantee Scheme provides 100 days of employment to rural poor and can be collaborated with to conduct adaptation work.

From P. C. Joshi, Department of Anthropology, Delhi University, Delhi

Himalyan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organisation, Uttrakhand Village : Shuklapur, P.O. : Ambiwala, Via: Prem Nagar, Dehradun, Uttrakhand, INDIA; Tel: 09411109073, 09412932511, 09411112402; [email protected]; http://www.hesco.in/

Works to promote use of indigenous knowledge for finding solutions to reduce mountain hazards along with providing scientific inputs.

People’s Science Institute, Uttrakhand 653, Indira Nagar, Dehra Doon - 248 006, Uttarakhand, T: 0135 – 2763649; F: 0135–2763650; http://peoplesscienceinstitute.Org/#

Organization involved in community-led watershed-based livelihoods development, environmental quality monitoring and dissemination of appropriate technologies.

Himalayan Action Research Centre, Uttrakhand 744 Indiranagar, Phase 2, PO New Forest, Dehradun 248 006 Uttaranchal; T: 0135-760121 Conducts research on issues such as Survey of Natural Resource of Central Himalayas and is involved in development and planning based on biotic resources.

Research Advocacy & Communication in Himalayan Areas, Uttrakhand 47/33/2 Park Road, Laxman Chowk, Dehradun, Uttarakhand- 248001, India; Contact: Mr. Manoj Bhatt, Executive Director, [email protected] Nonprofit organization working for promotion of green businesses, policies, practices etc. for lasting protection of the Himalayan ecosystems.

69

Pragya, Haryana (from Sejuti Basu) 766, Udyog Vihar, Phase-V, Gurgaon-122 016, Haryana; +91 124 4574500; +91 124 2341559; [email protected]; http://www.pragya.org/

Organization involved in threat assessments and identifying vulnerable hotspots in the high altitude Himalayan region.

SEEDS, New Delhi (from Manu Gupta, SEEDS India, New Delhi) 15/A, First Floor, R.K.Puram, Sector-4, Institutional Area, New Delhi-110022, India; Tel: 91-11-26174272; Fax: 91-11-26174572; http://www.seedsindia.org/home.html;

SEEDS is a non-profit organisation that seeks to protect the lives and livelihoods of people exposed to natural disasters and are living in disaster prone areas.


Himalyan Voices, Pragya, Haryana (from Sejuti Basu, Pragya, Gurgaon, Haryana) http://www.himalayanvoices.org/?q=media/voices/videos; http://www.himalayanvoices.org/?q=media/voices/interviews/4

Collection of Audio-Visual clips and interview transcripts from the field under the initiative called ‘Himalayan Voices’ to address the existing information gap in the Himalayas.

Climate Himalaya, Prakriti, Uttrakhand (from K N Vajpai) http://chimalaya.org; [email protected] Organization connecting various institutions, leaders etc. working in the Himalayan region to encourage collaborative actions at local, regional and international level.


Developing a Training Module for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change, from Sarat Panda, UNDP, Thimphu (Advice; Experiences). Solution Exchange Bhutan; Issued 26/May/2010 Available at: http://www.solutionexchange-un.net.bt/cr/cr-se-bhutan-26051002.pdf (PDF, Size: 143 KB)

Provides inputs for developing a training module on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation through effective natural resource management.

Developing a PPP Framework for Climate Change Adaptations and DRR Efforts -Advice; Examples from Tanvi Patel, Centre for Integrated Development, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.Climate Change and Disaster Management Community, New Delhi Issued 7/September/2010. Available at: ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/clmt/cr/cr-se-clmt-drm-27071001.pdf (PDF; Size: 147 KB)

Elaborates possible frameworks that could be effectively used in order to include public/private partnerships for climate change adaptation and DRR.

Developing Climate Responsive Approaches to Managing Disaster Risk from Amit Tuteja, SEEDS, New Delhi for Alliance for Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Disaster Management and Climate Change Community, New Delhi, Issued 30/June/2010. Available at: ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/clmt/cr/cr-se-drmclmt-28051001.pdf (PDF Size: 276 KB)

Shares experiences of adaptation to Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction Programmes, and identifies key challenges faced in implementing them.

70

Climate Himalaya Initiative, from K. N. Vajpai, Prakriti-A Mountain Environment Group, Uttarakhand (Examples; Advice). Climate Change Community, New Delhi, Issued 01/June/2010. Available at ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/clmt/cr/cr-se-clmt-06041001.pdf (PDF,112 KB)

Themes to be covered under the initiative and ideas to make the electronic platform more interactive were highlighted.

Climate Change and the Himalayan Eco-system, from Pragya Varma, Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) - India, New Delhi (Experiences, Referrals). Climate Change Community, Delhi, Issued 16/October/2009. Available at ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/clmt/cr/cr-se-clmt-11090901-public.pdf (PDF,157 KB)

Case studies on impact of Climate Change on Himalayas as Inputs to the Conference organized by LEAD India were highlighted.

Enabling Conservation of Medicinal Plants and Traditional Knowledge for Climate Adaptation, from Tenzing Ingty, ATREE, Bangalore, (Experiences; Advice). Climate Change Community, New Delhi, Issued 17/June/2011. Available at ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/clmt/cr/cr-se-clmtfood-13051101.pdf (PDF,196 KB)

Measures to promote eco-tourism, conserve medicinal plants, traditional knowledge and certification of traditional healers have been highlighted.

Enhancing the Reach and Effectiveness of Climate Himalaya Initiative Knowledge Sharing Platform, from K. N. Vajpai, Climate Himalaya Initiative, Uttarakhand, (Advice). Climate Change Community, New Delhi, Issued 21/July/2011. Available at ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/clmt/cr/cr-se-clmt-10061101.pdf (PDF,152 KB)

Suggestions included on steps to make the CHI Knowledge sharing platform more interactive and additional themes, resources, activities that could be added.

Climate Change in the Hindu Kush Himalayas, from Krishna S. Vatsa, Bureau of Crisis prevention and Recovery-UNDP, New Delhi (Experiences; Examples). Climate Change Community and Disaster Management Community, New Delhi, Issued 11/January/2011. Available at ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/clmt/cr/cr-se-clmtdrm-14121001.pdf (PDF,142 KB)

Climate Change impacts, adaptation and mitigation measures adopted in the eco-fragile Hindu Kush Himalayas were discussed.

Disaster Risk Reduction in the Hindu Kush Himalayas, from Krishna S. Vatsa, Bureau of Crises Prevention and Recovery-UNDP, New Delhi (Experiences). Disaster Management Community and Climate Change Community, New Delhi, Issued 21/December/2010. Available at ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/drm/cr/cr-sedrm-clmt-16111001.pdf (PDF,276 KB)

Experiences of DRR in Hindu Kush Himalayas, community responses and role of government institutions were discussed.

Enhancing Awareness on Climate Change in the Northeast, from R. N. Boipu Koireng, United NGO’s Mission, Imphal, Manipur (Experiences, Advice). Climate Change Community, New Delhi, Issued 05/August/2011. Available at ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/clmt/cr/cr-se-clmt-16061101.pdf (PDF,188 KB)

Includes experiences of communicating about ‘climate change’ to communities and suggests appropriate climate change related issues for the Northeast.

71

Responses in Full

Satya Prakash Mehra, Rajputana Society of Natural History, Udaipur, Rajasthan

Greetings!!

This query is in fact helpful for all the members at least in developing nations.

As per our working experiences in Rajasthan, here are my inputs:

1. Methodology: We used two approaches -first, review of literature of particular region in question related to the meteorological data, disaster vulnerability (historical perspectives), recent weather changes in the region and the correlations with the other aspects collected (second approach) through surveys, interviews etc. with the concerned local community. The biodiversity components were also used along with their relations with indirect factors due to local climate changes.

2. Community responses/experiences: We were more concerned with the microclimatic conditions of Aravallis (environmental conditions of which are a lot different from the Himalayas). We found that the local community has got their own traditional approaches to meet the challenges of climate change though they are least aware of the term ‘climate change’. The local community adapts their strategy (livelihood, water security, cropping etc.) according to the local weather conditions. This may be short term change or long term as per their experience and circumstances (scientifically, as per the local predictions/ weather conditions). Since drought is the main disaster for the communities of the Aravallis (for example, Abu Hills), therefore, they have the traditional techniques of water harvesting which is being used for many years. Further, local movement within lower/ higher altitudinal ranges/ terrains along with their herds/ cattle are also adapting to the adverse conditions. In the lower terrains, there are sites with flooding (eastern parts of Rajasthan), community has the option to move away from the flooding areas but they usually retain the land for the agricultural practices and as per the water availability they decide the cropping pattern too.

3. Policies/ programmes: Though, there exist lot of policies and governmental programmes for the disaster prone areas but lack of awareness as well as lack of proper implementation leads to failure of these programs. Lack of coordination within governmental departments and with NGOs/ social workers etc. worsens the conditions.

Potential Innovative Areas of Research: These include involvement of traditional approaches/ methodologies adapted by the local communities for adapting to climatic change or disasters within their regions experienced by them. In many areas, the traditional approach may not be documented but are in existence and passed from generation to generation through folklore. These should get properly documented and should be given priority in the policies and programmes for the community. Thus, policies and programmes should be planned from the lower level (local community) to higher level (scientific community/ policy makers) so that ground reality could be included.

Sandeep Srivastava, Shohratgarh Environmental Society (SES), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

Our organization is working in the Tarai Region of Uttar Pradesh. In my viewpoint, following can be a part of the Indian Himalayas Climate Adaptation Programme (IHCAP):

• Constraints to adaptive practices (including physical, social, economic).

• Historical/traditional knowledge regarding agriculture and climate, and passing down of adaptive strategies from one generation to another.

• Knowledge and learning patterns and structure.

• Existing institutional structures and behavior that may facilitate or hinder innovation and /or adaptation to climate change.

• Exchanges within the community (internal) and with outside farmer communities (external), including through migration.

• Farmer organizations/network (formal/informal), especially groups of farmers and their innovations.

• Household priorities and behavior, in terms of flexibility towards adaptive change and belief in investing in new innovations.

Last but not the least, engage local partners in targeted areas, as they are the best to bring out information, knowledge & suggestion from the community.

72

Rudra Prasad Nandi, Sea Explorers’ Institute, Kolkata

Climate change will have far-reaching consequences for agriculture that will disproportionately affect the poor. Greater risks of crop failures and livestock deaths are already imposing economic losses and undermining food security and they are likely to get far more severe as global warming continues.

Adaptation measures are needed urgently to reduce the adverse impacts of climate change, facilitated by concerted international action and strategic country planning. As a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, agriculture also has much untapped potential to reduce emissions through reduced deforestation and changes in land use and agricultural practices. But for this to be achieved, the current global carbon enhancing mechanism needs to change.

For example, Agriculture in low-lying areas in some developing countries would also be damaged by ?ooding and salinization caused by sea level rise and salt water intrusions in groundwater aquifers. Less precipitation would reduce the availability of water for irrigation from surface and groundwater sources in some areas. Access to perennial surface water may be particularly vulnerable in semiarid regions, especially in parts of Africa and in irrigated areas dependent on glacial melt. Between 75 and 250 million people are expected to experience increased water stress in Africa. In all affected regions, the poor will be disproportionately vulnerable to its effects because of their dependence on agriculture and their lower capacity to adapt.

Adapting agricultural systems to climate change is urgent because its impact is already evident and the trends will continue even if emissions of GHG emissions are stabilized at current levels. Adaptation can substantially reduce the adverse economic impact.

Arvind Sinha, UNDP-BCPR, New Delhi

Thanks for bringing the e-discussion on such a vital issue about Indian Himalayas. Himalayas are very sensitive to climate and it is also very responsive to any human action and intervention. Climate is the lifeline for the mountain people for their livelihood and habitation. Good climatic condition is not only responsible for high yield in agriculture and horticulture but it also contributes to the economy by promotion of tourism, traditional handicrafts, availability of medicinal plants and fresh water. Climate variability has direct bearing on the livelihood support system. Scientific community and academic institutions are involved in measuring the impact of climate change in the mountain area by way of studying the glacial retreat, variation in precipitation, snow modeling and so on. Community measures the impact by measuring the changes in physical appearance.

I had an opportunity to work in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir with community in association with civil society. I worked on project called, Regional Climate Risk Reduction in Himalayas with UNDP-Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (UNDP-BCPR). Risk identification in terms of climate induced disasters and development of some measures for reducing the risk to the community was a major component of the project. I would like to take you through some assessment processes in the context of Climate Hazards, Risk and Vulnerability as we are in the process of discussing pertinent issues related to climate change and find out the perceptions of the community. I am sharing some of the views of community about the understanding/perception of climate change as given below:

• Decrease in rain fall, shorter span of rainy season, untimely and unseasonal rain and shifting of geographical location of rain fall. Shifting of geographical location of rain fall has caused a major disaster in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh in India. It is known as the cold desert and receives very less rain for shorter period. It received a lot of rain this year for extended period and it has impacted badly on the topography. District head quarter of Kinnaur has developed lots of cracks in the land mass and buildings. Communities see it as an impact of climate change, which has brought more rain to this cold desert and it has resulted in sinking of Rekang Peo. Scientific study is being commissioned to understand the facts.

• Community also relates to it with the diminishing of crops and livelihood options. Few years ago, Sonali village in Chamoli district had good harvest of oranges and other citrus fruit as one of the source of food. Nowadays, its production has gone down and it is not available in the village. It is also perceived by the community that its production has reduced and diminished due to climate change.

• Community also perceives that behavior of wild life has changed in recent past due to climate change. Most of the districts in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have been experiencing the attack of wild life on the crops. It has been perceived that there is not much forest produce available in the forest to feed the wild life which is now being attracted towards the agriculture produce. Crops are being ruined by monkeys and bears to a large extent. It is also related to climate change as perceived by the community. Forest cover is reduced and it is forcing the wild life to invade into human settlements. If the trend continues, it would create food insecurity in the mountain.

73

There is an urgent need to enhance the knowledge, information and skills among local communities, Panchayats and government agencies on climate change issues. Following strategies could be adopted to enhance understanding about climate related issues:

1. Engage different scientific and research institutions in developing people centric awareness strategy on climate change adaptation for common people;

2. Establish and strengthen the institutional mechanism to develop different innovative knowledge products on climate related issues to impart knowledge to government institutions and panchayats;

3. Develop and impart training courses on climate change to policy makers and orientation for executive body in government organizations;

4. Create an enabling environment at home, public and work place by writing slogans, instructions and using eco friendly materials;

5. Inclusion of climate related issues and knowledge in the curriculum of schools and colleges.

I will like to share one initiative for water conservation undertaken in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. There are several processes that have been adopted to conserve water in a traditional way. Communities are using lots of traditional methods and structures for conserving and harnessing water in the mountains. Khatri is a kind of percolation tank, which is dug in the mountain. It has dimension of 10’x10’x10’ and could be more depending upon the space available. It requires special skill to dig and select the place for kharti. Community in Kagra district is using this structure for storage of water from the mountain top, which percolates down in the Khatri. Community was using stored water for their house hold work and drinking purposes.

Few places in Kabgra are known as changer (It is local name, meaning desert). Most of the Khatri are present in these changer locations. People have started realizing the change in rain fall in this area and it is reducing day by day. It has also started impacting agriculture and vegetable produce of this area.

Community thought about some value addition in the process of harnessing water from khatri for sustaining their agriculture produce. Unfortunately, Kharti does not store that much water so that larger agriculture produce could be sustained. Community then took a mid path by developing some kitchen gardens in their homes to grow some vegetable with the help of little water from Kharti. It was very helpful for fulfilling their daily needs of vegetables for a family of 5 members. Then they decided to connect Kitchen garden with small pipes to grow vegetables with little amount of water from the Khatri.

It could be considered as one of the examples of adaptation in the context of climate change and change in rain fall pattern.

Shalini Misra, G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development Srinagar Garhwal, Uttarakhand

I am a researcher from G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (www.gbpihed.gov.in) and the focus of my research has been on understanding the functioning of ecosystems, particularly forests and adjoining village ecosystems, the pressures on them both climatic and non-climatic (natural and man-made) and the development of a framework for assessment of vulnerability so as to suggest an adaptation framework for forest and village ecosystems.

I am giving below links of my publications: http://www.downtoearth.org.in/node/2997; http://www.downtoearth.org.in/node/3109) which can be used for planning research on developing adaptation strategies, which are rooted at community level and draw from scientific assessments. These are essential for achieving climate resilience to help protect the poor, who are most vulnerable.

My publications can help provide a glimpse of community responses and observations as these publications are based on community responses generated through personal interviews, discussions and group discussions with elderly people particularly women (as they have a better idea about changing weather conditions in last couple of decades) with methodologies for initiating your work. Detailed archival reports were also reviewed along with literature in different libraries of Uttarakhand.

In addition potential innovative areas of research that need to be taken up for better understanding of climate change and disaster impacts at micro and macro level in the IHR apart from agriculture, forestry and livelihood (though they are one of the most important areas of research on Climate Change (CC) in IHR where locals are hit invariably). They are also trying to adapt with their available capacities and resources as climate in Himalayas has never been consistent and locals have faced disasters in the form of land slides, cloud burst, storms, floods, famines almost every year. They have tried to evolve their life style according to climate extreme events.

74

What I personally think is that research needs to some how also cover the issue of CC and adaptations with linkages to upcoming hydro electric projects. This would be extremely relevant as in most of the high altitude areas either these projects are working, or under construction or are proposed and their implementation has accelerated the pace of disasters for the locals who would be hit the hardest in the near future (http://www.downtoearth.org.in/node/1965).

Gender can also be an interesting issue (http://chimalaya.org/2011/08/08/mountain-women-key-drivers-of-change/) . Working on health aspects of CC is also an important area for IHR.

Regarding policies and programmes I think if this research comes up some brilliant results can in a big way strengthen National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) in which sustainable agriculture and Himalayan ecosystems both are a major work areas.

Hope this can help you in some way to initiate your interesting work.

Himadri Maitra, Department of Disaster Management, Kolkata, West Bengal

Climate change, development and disaster are correlated to each other. Climate change can cause disaster and disaster can also have the potential to change the climate. Likewise developments for the last 100 years are directly affecting the climate. In fact, industrial development is supposed to be the main cause of climate change. Alternatively, climate change can also hamper development; this is true also that disaster hamper development and some developments also trigger disasters.

So, there is a clear correlation amongst disasters, development and climate change. Here we mean development as social development mainly which is hampered by disaster and climate change, whereas structural development causes climate change or disasters. Since long we have spent on structural development, building capacity of people in this field completely but ignoring disaster risk reduction factors in designing these structures.

In climate change adaptation we want to involve the community and want to sensitize them regarding the effect of climate change on their livelihood. In Himalayan region people depends on nature basically for their livelihood. Marginalized people choose their living places in most vulnerable areas. They excavate mines, quarries in unstable slopes of Himalayas. Flow of water in rivers that is fed by glaciers are reducing, thus ultimately reducing the scope of agriculture which is the main livelihood support of rural India.

So, when we try to introduce community based climate change adaptability vis-a-vis Disaster Risk Reduction to marginalized people, the first question will be the question of livelihood, i.e., what will happen to their livelihood. Risk perception for these people is not same as we perceive them. Their livelihood is at risk, so they do not bother if they are creating any risk to the environment or not in the process of earning their livelihood.

Thus, when we plan a project on climate change adaptation and want to involve community in the project, that means if we want to plan for a community based climate change adaptation (CBCCA) or community based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR), we plan first for an alternative livelihood programme for the local people. Secondly, development planners and structural designers should be sensitized to the effect that the future development programmes needs to take care of disaster related risks. Thirdly, specialists of climate change, disaster risk reduction and development should sit together and jointly plan to save Himalayan region. Traditional local knowledge and scientific knowledge needs to evolve a common platform so that the community gets the benefit of both scientific and traditional knowledge.

Swayamprabha Das, New Delhi

Climate Change in the Himalayas is indeed of importance as it impacts the lives and livelihoods of millions of people living in the region and also the communities dependent on associated rivers emanating from the Himalayas.

In the context of climate change, an ecosystem approach (which includes humans) needs to be considered. There are two important issues I would like to flag here -

1. Degrading/ degraded ecosystems will be adversely impacted than others, so it is of utmost importance to identify and prioritize these areas for action. Land degradation is one of the major problems in the Himalayas, where unsustainable mountain agricultural practices have impacted not only the land but also the associated ecosystems. It is therefore of utmost importance to consider land management and also watershed management in the Himalayas. Pasture lands should also be considered in the context of livestock management and programs & policies in this context should be analyzed and revised (if need be!)

75

2. Cold deserts in the Himalayas should be given due importance as any change in the precipitation levels incapacitates the community who are unaware of such climatic events and not prepared for eventualities. This could be considered from the ecosystem management perspective as well as disaster management.

Secondly, in agreement with Shalini Misra, Gender should be one of the areas of consideration as women have a direct interaction with the environment and are also impacted by variations in the surroundings.

Thirdly, the culture and traditions of the mountain communities are related to seasons, specially winters & snow covers. It has been documented that some of the traditions, which are dependent on snow cover and the duration of winters are no longer been followed due to changes in the climatic patterns. These may impact the social structure of the communities and need to be considered.

Last, considering that there are a large number of organizations and initiatives already in the region, an assessment of policies and programmers already in place would reduce duplicity of efforts and support replication of best practices.

Further, the Climate Change Leaders in the Himalayas programme of LEAD India (supported by the British High Commission) had trained 56 people across the regions from different backgrounds. IHCAP could possibly consider their engagement/ participation, as appropriate.

Ramesh Jalan & G Padmanabhan, UNDP, New Delhi

Thanks for the overwhelming response to the above query, so far. We are highlighting the experiences, examples and issues shared by members while responding to the query till now.

The respondents shared the following methodologies used for conducting Climate/Risk hazard and Climate Vulnerability Assessment:

• Literature review and data analysis: Review of literature and analysis of meteorological data, historical disaster related data; recent weather changes data etc..

• Surveys and interviews: Conducting surveys and interviews in the local community.

• Methodologies: It is advisable to use the methodologies developed: International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), United Kingdom, Ramsar particularly for Wetlands and using the IPCC framework for Vulnerability Assessment.

The community experiences related to impacts of climate change and disaster risk shared included:

• Variations in rainfall: Decrease or increase in rainfall, shorter span of rainy season etc.. Major disasters in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh were caused due to excessive rain.

• Changes in flowering pattern and climate change impact on food production: The Rhododendron, litchis, peaches etc. flower early and wheat crop is growing spikes before time. Citrus fruit production has stopped in Sonali village in Chamoli district, HP.

• Impact on cultural practices: Spring flowers bloom earlier than usual in Uttarakhand disrupting the annual festivities. The rituals to celebrate spring are done without the flowers.

• Behavioral change in Wildlife: Districts in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have been experiencing attack of wild life on the crops due to reduced forest produce.

• Impact on Tourism: Changes in rainfall pattern, increasing frequency of disasters lead to reduction in tourism. Heavy rains hampered the Char Dham pilgrimage this season.

• Increasing risk of disasters: Around forty villages in Chinyalisaur block of Uttarkashi district in Garhwal have been affected by seepage of water from the Tehri dam. Rains are breaking record for last 10-years in Garhwal, increasing risk of floods.

The members shared following community responses to climate change impacts and disaster risks:

• Traditional water harvesting: In Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh Khatri, a kind of percolation tank with dimension of 10’x10’x10’ or more is being used for storage of water for drinking and other uses particularly for kitchen gardens.

• Migration: Communities are migrating to other regions due to impacts of climate change and increased disaster risks.

76

Existing policies and programmes and suggestions for new programs included:

• Enhancing Awareness on Climate Change: Developing different innovative knowledge products is crucial; promoting use of eco-friendly materials and inclusion of climate related issues in the curriculum of schools and colleges.

• Research on climate change impacts: Scientific community and academic institutions are involved in research on impacts of climate change. It is crucial to support additional research and utilize research findings in tackling climate change.

• Documenting and using traditional knowledge: There is a need to document traditional knowledge and use it for adaptation.

• Women empowerment and Gender Sensitive Adaptation Programs: Improvement in educational status of women, providing access to market etc. will be empower women for adaptation.

• Adapting agricultural systems to climate change: Adopting climate resilient crops and plants to ensure food security.

• Conserving Forests in Himalayan region: There is a need to prevent deforestation and conserve the forest ecosystem.

• Promotion of Eco-tourism: Home stays, eco-tourism need promotion as it provides alternate livelihood opportunities.

• Community based climate change adaptation (CBCCA) and community based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR) projects are required.

• Land and Watershed management programs: It is crucial to develop effective land and watershed management programs in the Himalayan region.

• The Climate Change Leaders in the Himalayas programme: LEAD India program was highlighted and suggestion for its engagement with IHCAP is important.

We request you to respond on other aspects of the query particularly regarding responses of community, existing programs and new programs that could be initiated to strengthen adaptation in order to enrich the discussions even further.

Archana Chatterjee, Regional Programme on Himalayan High altitude wetlands, WWF-India, New Delhi

Firstly, I would request the query poser to get in touch with International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) as they are working on a very similar proposal called HICAP (Himalayan Climate Change Adaptation Programme).The programme goals are to reduce the scientific uncertainty, promote policy frameworks for autonomous adaptation and generate knowledge for informed policy decisions making. This would help develop synergies between the programmes.

WWF-India is working on Conservation of Himalayan High altitude wetlands in 5 Himalayan States (Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh). This is part of the WWF Regional Programme ‘Saving Wetlands Sky High’ operational in 5 countries in the region (Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan and China). Climate adaptation for ecosystems, species and communities is evolving as an integral part of the conservation programme. We have undertaken several scientific studies, hydrological modeling studies, developed Vulnerability Assessment (VA) protocols, and undertaken pilot adaptation initiatives for selected locations in Himalayas.

Regarding the query, my responses are as below:

What are the methodologies that have been applied/available to conduct climate/Hazard Risk and Climate Vulnerability Assessment? Methodologies have been developed by ICIMOD and Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), United Kingdom and also by Ramsar but for Wetlands specifically. WWF-India has used Ramsar framework for VA of high altitude wetlands and based on the field work adapted it to Himalayan high altitude ecosystems and species. For community and livelihoods, IPCC framework for VA has been used in Sikkim and Arunachal to identify the most vulnerable districts based on certain indicators. Data deficiency in Himalayas is a constant constraint to effective VAs, and this is an area where a lot of focus is required. A network of long-term representative Himalayan ecosystem plots for monitoring needs to be identified (on the lines of Biotope system in Switzerland).

What have been the community experiences/responses to climate change impacts and disaster risks in the mountains? WWF-India has applied the Climate witness approach and carried out documentation of community experiences with scientific backstopping ( wherever possible). In the aftermath of Ladakh cloudburst disaster last year, it was very clear that communities are not prepared for disasters hitherto unknown in their region, and thus a well thought programme of community preparedness, education and awareness is required. WWF-India has taken up a small programme in Ladakh towards this and is working with the youth by training them. An early warning system is an absolute necessity and this is a potential area for research on what would work in mountains ( keeping in mind the sensitive border zones, presence of army and non availability of radio frequencies due to security reasons)

77

What policies and programmes presently exists/that could be put in place to strengthened/promote adaptation and what are the constraints /barriers in up-scaling/implementing them? State level action plans on climate change (within the framework of NAPCC) are under first level of finalization. WWF-India held policy platform consultations in five states on these issues and also to highlight high altitude region concerns to be reflected in state planning documents. Apart from this Himalaya Mission under NAPCC would be a perfect avenue. The adaptation works could also be linked to MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) training programmes.

P. C. Joshi, Department of Anthropology, Delhi University, Delhi

The idea of IHCAP is excellent and from its brief introduction the programme speaks loudly of the concerns to the community, especially the marginalized and most vulnerable inhabiting the Indian Himalayas. With such an objective the goal of the programme needs to be facilitating the vulnerable and marginalized section of the society in adapting to climate change and risk reduction to hazards. Therefore, the process of such a change should be rooted in strengthening the food security and livelihood systems on one hand and increasing the coping capacity and resilience to the hazard risks of the community on the other.

While there is no denying of the fact that climate change is occurring in the Himalayas and is affecting the critical resources – water, food and livelihood, in rural areas in particular the consumption pattern has so far not reached the critical level warranting extreme measures. While the urban areas in the Indian Himalayas, Dehradun, Nainital, Shimla have become sterile concrete jungles, the relative absence of population pressure in the rural areas has protected the resources to an extent that some timely interventions and appropriate scientific inputs can go a long way in increasing the coping capacities of the rural communities to the adverse effects of the climate change and disaster risks.

In looking for the mechanism to implement such an ambitious programme, the endeavor should be ‘growth’ oriented. By this approach, I have in mind the approach which is capable of strengthening the existing capacities rather than imposing an entirely new and alien structure from outside. While elaborating on this approach, I would like to make a brief mention of the organizations which have a grass root presence in Uttarakhand Himalayas and have been involved in using science to find solutions to mountain hazards. The first such organization that comes to my mind is HESCO. The scope of activities that HESCO has been working on is countless but the basic premise that this organization has always believed in is to start from the indigenous level of knowledge and then improve further upon through scientific inputs. It has its network spread around the Indian Himalayas and its work on the water mills has been exemplary. What is most important is the very innovative work that it has undertaken to empower the rural children through uninterrupted publication of children’s newspaper called ‘Bachchon ka Akhbar’. Besides Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization (HESCO), People’s Science Institute, Himalayan Action Research Centre, Sri Bhuvaneswari Mahila Ashram and Research Advocacy & Communication in Himalayan Areas (RACHNA) are other committed organization working on the philosophy of empowering the people by inculcating scientific temperament and rational spirit.

I personally see the government to be the biggest cause to the problems being faced by the Himalayan communities. In the name of development, progress, industrialization and urbanization, the impact on ecosystem and climate are too visible to be ignored. Therefore, a programme aimed at climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction should be of the people, by the people and for the people. It is necessary that we involve the grass root organizations and people as partners in such a manner that the people are able to live a better and secure life than before.

N K Agarwal, Dehradun

The Himalayas all along its approximately 2400 km length has highly variable disaster potential mainly due to:

• Terrain Inherited Geo-hazards and

• Man Induced Geo-hazards.

Hence, community livelihood adaptation strategies in Himalayas need to integrate these two important aspects which are climate change and anthropic inclusive but, a strategy pivoted to climatic change alone is necessarily not inclusive of these two aspects.

78

Rudra Prasanna Rath, State Child Health Resource Centre, Orissa

Two things that come to my mind while finalizing the action plan for climate change- one is the indigenous knowledge of the inhabitants and the second with regard to protection of the Natural Ecosystems.

In Orissa, particularly in tribal districts, where shifting cultivation is rampant, tribal’s follow cyclic cultivation pattern so that even if trees are cut for cultivation purpose a space is given to earth so that the same can be regenerated after a fixed interval of time. This is an example of shifting cultivation & ecosystem preservation as well as climate change adoption going in tandem.

The second most important thing is linking scientific knowledge of modern day with traditional behavioral pattern. Once scientific intervention cannot save the earth from doom but linking it with communication pattern or traditional behavioral pattern without disturbing the life style of the community is critical.

While drafting any action plan for climate change these two things need to be tabbed & clubbed together.

Sunder Subramanian, Gurgaon, Haryana

I would like to mention a few inputs from a long history of work in the Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH) region as well as from a more recent consulting exercise for KfW, designing the institutional and financial flow mechanisms for their (upcoming) North East climate change adaptation (CCA) programme:

• It is important for states and other governance entities in the HKH that climate change impacts both rural and urban sectors! Therefore, not only is it important to focus on issues such as water, food and livelihood security in the rural context, but also on urban systems and infrastructure.

• What is less obvious is that while a programme can be designed for CCA, it is important to recognize that adaptation and mitigation needs to be hand in hand-adaptive measures often hinder mitigation, and mitigation measures often run counter to adaptation efforts. Therefore, there is a need for states/their levels of governance entities to develop a larger order and overarching Strategy For Climate Change Response (including both mitigation and adaptation, rural and urban responses, and covering not only livelihoods, natural resource base degradation, and building community resilience, but also adapting the states’ infrastructure base)

• Considering that capacities in the HKH states can be very limited, it is highly recommended that one of the first programme activities needs to be an intensive orientation (3-4 days) exercise on climate change in general, and specifically on adaptation, including the differences between adaptation and mitigation, and the relationship between the two approaches that key personnel (from various levels) from the states (and potentially, the Centre and Region) undergo. Such an orientation session should be specially designed to suit the needs of the Programme – and this, it is anticipated, will bring the states on a common shared platform of understanding on CCA and programming approaches

• It will be evident from the above, then, that the program design/re-design approaches to CCA need to emerge from the overarching state strategies and form an integral part of it, ensuring that a process of mainstreaming adaptation mechanisms in all development programming in the respective states is begun right at the start of programme implementation and adopted/codified in the state policy.

• Since building focussed and successful adaptation strategies and programming will require an assessment of climate change related risks, the building up of time-series data and documenting of anecdotal evidence and analyses of both should become a key element of the overarching State Strategies, thus providing a strong basis for evidence and research based informed policy making and programme design.

• Since climate change and its impacts are as much local and state issues as they are regional and global, it is recommended that States incorporate a Climate Data and Research Wing within the organisational and institutional frameworks which can also be empowered and tasked with connecting to regional and global networks on climate science.

These are some initial remarks; I’d be happy to comment on any strategy drafts that might get developed.

Sejuti Basu, Pragya, Gurgaon, Haryana

We at Pragya, (www.pragya.org) have been working on threat assessment and identifying vulnerable hotspots in the high altitude Himalayas. In 2006-2008, we conducted a series of detailed studies in the cold desert region of the Trans and Western Indian Himalayas. We followed strati?ed, nested sampling across four Altitude Bands and three hydrological levels in the target bio-geographic regions. Participatory surveys (PRAs), scienti?c ?eld observations and secondary data collection were done for 82 watersheds across Himachal Pradesh and J&K. Criterion variables were used to identify the “Vulnerability Hotspots” and attempts were made at identifying the driving factors (both anthropogenic and natural processes), and determining focus areas for interventions. The details are available at: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1896526.

79

After the Leh flash flood event in August 2010, post disaster assessment and analysis validated several of these research outputs and predictions. The article also contains a brief description of our interventions for adaptation measures and success stories. Each of these and the whole process involved in design and implementation needs to be understood and localized to suit the context where it is being implemented.

Regarding community experiences, you can visit the following links and browse through some Audio-Visual clips and interview transcripts collected from the field. They are part of an initiative called ‘Himalayan Voices’, aimed to address the existing information gap on the Himalayas. http://www.himalayanvoices.org/?q=media/voices/videos http://www.himalayanvoices.org/?q=media/voices/interviews/4 We are in process of consolidating the collection.

There are a number of activities that have already been done or are underway in this field. We hope IHCAP takes all these into account during its developmental phase.

K N Vajpai, Climate Himalaya Initiative, Uttarakhand

The proposed measures by SDC for the region are much needed. I have been reading the points made by members with great interest, as these areas are of concern at present in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR).

With our work at Climate Himalaya (http://chimalaya.org) on climate change aspects in IHR and across Himalayan region, we have been learning from a number of researches and interventions. Our role since the last one year remained to connect various institutions, leaders and interventions, so that people in this region are benefited from collaborative actions at local, regional and international level. Therefore, knowledge networking on various climate change adaptation and mitigation aspects remained our core areas in policy advocacy domain.

Voices have also been raised by a group of Parliamentarians from all the 12 Indian Himalayan States recently at the Planning Commission of Government of India, which recommended urgent consideration of the following issues in the 12th Five Year Plan:

• Forming a separate working group under the aegis of Planning Commission to address various mountain related issues. This group will work closely on the unique challenges faced by the mountain ecosystems and its inhabitants.

• Reviewing piecemeal approach adopted by various Ministries like: Ministry of Environment & Forest, Ministry of Development of North East region, Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Ministry of Science & Technology on mountain development issues and

• Considering the recommendations of various Task Forces created for Indian Himalayan Region for inclusion in the 12th Five Year Plan document.

However, in this region three major sectors need attention, i.e. Water, Forest and Agriculture.

What are the methodologies that have been applied and available to conduct Climate Hazard Risk and Climate Vulnerability Assessment? Reading through various examples put forth by members about such methodologies, I feel that everyone in this region is new in applying those methods in their various assessments. In the absence of a proven methodology, we need to learn the methodologies applied in other mountain region of the world, and these could be from the Alps or Caucasus mountains. During one of the mountain summits recently, I came across a presentation made on such community based assessment, and found that it was not much different from the assessment we do for various social development purposes, without using the same logic. Further, I find that people who did this assessment had no experience on Climate Hazard or vulnerability assessment. So, before applying any such methodology we need to be cautious on applying them to communities; areas; spread, types of vulnerabilities, sector, processes, agencies in the region, sample size, data collection methods, questionnaire, people being involved in the task etc.

What have been the community experiences/responses to climate change impacts and disaster risks in the mountains? It has been learned that climate change is not the only factor which contributed to the vulnerability of mountain communities or threatened their livelihoods. As the communities in mountains have faced challenges from a range of social, economic, political and environmental factors, and the threats from these factors have further been intensified due to the current climate change scenario. (Link: http://bit.ly/qJnxo0) Regarding water, agriculture, forest and disaster following experiences of community in the IHR are being shared:

• Water: While interacting with communities about water resources, we find that people in the region are experiencing high water scarcity for the last 15-20 years caused primarily due reduction in the spring water discharge, less water in rivulets and scanty rainfall. This has led to struggle for water during peak summer season of May-July and lower crop yields in rain fed areas. Further, due to reduced water in rivulets, cropping pattern in irrigated part of mountains has been altered. One study conducted in 2001 and subsequently in 2003 in Uttarakhand showed that 60 % water springs in Garhwal and Kumaon region received lower discharge during the preceding 10 years and about 20% completely dried up. Also, in last two years we faced long spell of rains during monsoon that led to disaster like situation.

80

• Agriculture and Forest: During our interaction with various women in Indian Himalayan mountains they feel that due to various natural factors productivity in agriculture has declined and major factor remained the changing and uneven weather conditions in terms of rain (scanty and erratic), harsh weather, temperature rise and increased pests. They also feel that due to uncertain, lower and uneven rain pattern, crop production has been affected and they are switching to cash crops. This has also been elaborated by one of Climate Himalaya’s Youth commentator (Link: http://bit.ly/qjEaxp), leading to women drudgery. Similarly there are issues related to agro-pastoral communities in this region. Various mountain communities are now dependent on food supplies from lowland areas.

• Disaster: Last year heavy rain took toll across the region where huge road network collapsed leading to a situation of non availability of food, milk, vegetables etc. Everyone was disconnected with phones not working and there was no electricity for at least a week. We are facing similar situation of heavy rains these days as well. The major reasons according to the community are deforestation and increasing temperature. Similarly one of our Youth Leaders from Pakistan writes about the 2010 Flood in Pakistan and the reasons put forth by the people were deforestation and theft of trees by timber mafia (Link: http://bit.ly/ppO0Yx ), as people were not at all prepared for such an eventuality.

What policies and programmes presently exists/that could be put in place to strengthened/promote adaptation and what are the constraints /barriers in up-scaling/implementing them? In this context each sector in IHR region has its own framework. States like Sikkim, Manipur are far ahead of devising their climate change policies. However, other states in IHR need to be pushed to take it up seriously. The Shimla Declaration (Link : http://bit.ly/nhSfI8 ) still needs a big push where the Chief Ministers of all Himalayan states participated and agreed on climate change issues. Success stories of organic farming, Eco-tourism, Bamboo based livelihood, water mills, Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) & Joint Forest Management (JFM) etc. are some of the areas that need further intensification. Under the NAPCC the ‘Himalayan Mission’ also needs to rope in all the 12 Himalayan states.

Apart from this, as mentioned by fellow members about their work in the direction of climate change in IHR, a serious thought needs to be given in collective action and non-repetition or duplicity. This is the biggest problem in this region where agencies (including government) are reluctant to come together to work for mutual benefits. We come across instances regularly where agencies are even reluctant to share their success stories and good work done in different part of the IHR. In this context I would request you to please go through two of my articles about Knowledge Disconnect and organizing events in the Himalayan region (Link: http://bit.ly/o5DlPn and http://bit.ly/pAdtBX ).

I hope the above information is useful in some way.

Mustafa Ali Khan, Climate Connect, New Delhi

The Himalayan region is characterized by a huge biodiversity wealth, heterogeneity of land use, land cover types and variation in management practices. In addition, new economic policies may interact in unexpected ways with the existing situation and lead to changes in land use land cover.

The land use, land cover change perspective to climate change adaptation may be of use. Land use-land cover change directly affects biodiversity, contributes to global warming and is a major determinant of soil fertility and food security. Here are the results of a few peer reviewed research studies which have been carried out in the Indian Himalayas and have policy level implications are being highlighted.

Land use land cover change patterns and their policy level reasons have been studied by Rao and Pant (2001) in Sadiyagad micro watershed and found that between 1963 and 1986, 13.1% of the natural forests had been lost. Between 1986 and 1996 the rate of deforestation slowed down and 1.1% of the forest was lost. The slowdown in deforestation was attributed to intensification of agriculture and developmental interventions including irrigation, agro-forestry, soil conservation and reforestation by the government.

Sen et al. (2002) studied land use land cover change in the Pranmati watershed, Chamoli district. Agriculture was found to have increased by 1.03% between 1963 and 1993. They found land use land cover change to be driven by a conversion from subsistence level economy to a market driven one.

Semwal et al. (2004) studied land use land cover change and effect on yield, manure input, soil loss and run-off in the Pranmati watershed. They found that agricultural area increased at the expense of forests. Local crops were found to be replaced by introduced ones. Manure input was found to have increased while the yield of local crops decreased and those of introduced crops increased.

81

Wakeel et al. (2005) showed that government institutions were more effective in controlling forest cover loss than public institutions. From 1967 to 1988 the loss in natural forest cover was around 18% while from 1988 to 1997 the loss was 2%. The slowdown in the rate of deforestation has been linked to intervention by Government agencies in providing alternate employment opportunities and improvements in agricultural production systems.

Singh et al. (2008) analyzed various land use types in a village landscape in Tehri district and found that the existing community based land use differentiation is optimally designed to respond to climatic variability in the region.

Hope that the response was pertinent to the queries raised.

Kriti Nagrath, Development Alternatives, New Delhi

Climate change is a global phenomenon and its impacts are being observed all over the world. However, the impacts of climate change are most seriously felt in Himalayan regions because latter belong to the most vulnerable ecosystems and lives of the people are closely intertwined with the natural resource base. The environmentally fragile and ecologically vulnerable region is faced by threats from glacier retreat, extreme weather events, changes in food production and security, water stress, increased drought and floods, increased incidences of vector borne diseases. For e.g. As per a ICIMOD study, the average temperature of Shimla has increased by about 1° C during last 100 years and the average snowfall in the state decreased from 272.4 cm in the year 1976-80 to 77.20 cm in the year 2001-04.

Keeping in mind the fragile environmental condition of the hilly states, Government of Himachal Pradesh (HP) is supporting a programme on “Community Led Assessment, Awareness, Advocacy and Action Programme for Environment Protection and Carbon Neutrality” in the State of Himachal Pradesh (HP-CLAP). Development Alternatives (DA) as a ‘Programme Management Agency’ is managing and implementing the programme in the state. The Department of Environment, Science and Technology, Himachal Pradesh is leading the initiative. The overall aim of the programme is to develop HP as a sustainable and climate resilient state by mobilizing community responsibility for environment protection and carbon neutrality. The programme at the grassroots level will comprise of the following activities being implemented through a network of eco-clubs, mahila mandals, NGOs etc.

• Assessment: Systematic assessment and documentation of the existing environmental quality and carbon foot-prints of Panchayats, Urban Local Bodies, Blocks, and Districts by participatory appraisal techniques and building requisite capacity for these purposes on an ongoing basis.

• Awareness: Generation of systematic awareness amongst citizens, decision makers and other stakeholders on the state of environment, environmental issues and causes of degradation and possible ameliorative action.

• Action: Based on the environmental assessment, help Panchayats and communities to undertake environmental improvement actions at local level and reduce their carbon foot-prints

• Advocacy: Mobilization of Panchayats and communities to promote environmental advocacy for policy change at district and state level.

The focus areas of the assessment are Energy, Land use, Waste, Livestock and Biodiversity. The programme is developed on a very participatory approach, where in the communities themselves assess their impact and take corrective and / or preventative action to mitigate the environmental damage. Communities assess their impact while responding to an interview schedule calculating their carbon footprint and via on site water and air testing kits. Results are shared using pictographic Village Carbon Cards. This creates a sense of ownership for the programme and facilitates appropriate action among the communities. Periodic assessments enable them to track their progress and compare themselves against other panchayats generating an atmosphere of healthy competition.

HP has a very strong and empowered network of Mahila Mandals. They have responded extremely well to the programme in terms of proactive participation in the assessment exercises. Among the NGO’s working at grassroot level also, environmental concerns are integrated in their work.

Another area that requires concern in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is the construction sector – Habitat, Housing Infrastructure, roads. Increased urbanization and commercialization of these spaces has lead to a boom in the construction industry. The sector contributes to almost 22% of the national GHG emissions. As demand for habitat services increases, the strain the sector places on the environment not just in terms of emissions but also in terms of resource utilization becomes immense. Also the sector is closely impacted by climate change impacts especially when seen from the disaster point of view. The region is seen as a weekend retreat /getaway from the plains. This has led to a proliferation of construction activities – roads, villas, resorts, spas, etc. Thus a very urgent question that we need to answer is how do we decide / demarcate zones of no-construction where forests are conserved and preserved i.e. establish “go” and “no go” areas for construction.

82

While the NAPCC recognizes the importance of the habitat sector, the emphasis of it’s mission on sustainable habitat is more urban in nature and focuses on energy efficiency aspects. The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) and other relevant bodies however do recognize the need for climate compatible construction in small towns and rural areas. Certain states have begun taking initiatives. In the IHR, the State Council for Science Technology and Environment, Himachal Pradesh, is working on developing a Green Building code for the state. The Council has established a Building Centre at the Appropriate Technologies Research, Development & Promotion Centre [ATC] at the Government Polytechnic in Sunder Nagar in collaboration with Housing and Urban Development Cooperation Ltd. (HUDCO) to promote low cost & environment friendly building technologies.

There is a need to introduce and mainstream concepts of low carbon climate compatible construction in such ecologically fragile areas. This includes ideas related to energy and resource efficiency, disaster risk reduction as well as appropriate design, planning and zoning. There is latent need among stakeholders to fill this knowledge gap. Thus packaging of relevant knowledge on low-carbon construction, planning and policy and its application through building requisite capacities of stakeholders is required for the region. The DA group has begun an initiative supported by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) to develop and disseminate knowledge on low carbon construction in order to build capacities of relevant stakeholders viz. masons, architects, engineers and policy makers. Other NGOs like Technology and Research Network Welfare Society (TARN) and Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization (HESCO) are also involved in this space.

Manu Gupta, SEEDS, New Delhi

So far, an excellent discussion with some rare insights into the volume of work accomplished. Responses from other colleagues, strengthens our conviction on the high level of risk to loss of life in the Himalayan region due to impacts of climate change.

In the last few decades, the DM community has strongly believed and practiced community led risk management practices. This is widely recognized in the region and has successfully demonstrated local capacity and leadership in finding practical, low cost and lasting solutions aimed at reducing risk. (Local early warning system and successful dissemination of warning messages has significantly reduced loss of life in many parts of South Asia).

Moreover, lessons learnt from such community led risk management practices should be able to influence on how similar practice can be followed in the proposed IHCAP. An important lesson relevant to the current discourse is of limited sustainability of community led risk management initiatives. Attempts to address this issue have recently been initiated at the community level.

In India, six such district level alliances are being mobilized. District alliances place communities, particularly vulnerable groups at the centre stage supported by a long term partnership forged between local civil society groups, academia and government. The starting point for such forums has been an orientation on methodologies and tools to assess local perceptible risks followed by assessments and dialogue ultimately leading to local policy notes that in turn would influence how government programmes incorporate climate change impacts and other risk concerns.

Settlements in the Himalayan region, especially district level towns high on the vulnerability scale can forge such local alliances aimed at strengthening resilience through increased adaptive capacities. National and International institutions can do well in enabling such alliances

Many thanks to all who contributed to this query!

If you have further information to share on this topic, please send it to Solution Exchange for the Climate Change Community in India at [email protected] with the subject heading “Re: [se-clmt] Query: Inputs for Developing the Indian Himalayas Climate Adaptation Programme (IHCAP) -Experiences; Examples. Additional Reply.”

Disclaimer: In posting messages or incorporating these messages into synthesized responses, the UN accepts no responsibility for their veracity or authenticity. Members intending to use or transmit the information contained in these messages should be aware that they are relying on their own judgment.

Copyrighted under Creative Commons License “Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0”. Re-users of this material must cite as their source Solution Exchange as well as the item’s recommender, if relevant, and must share any derivative work with the Solution Exchange Community.

Solution Exchange is a UN initiative for development practitioners in India. For more information please visit www.solutionexchange-un.net.in

INDIA

climate change community

Documents