Previous Year Question

India's first National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) was formally launched on 30 June 2008 in New Delhi by the then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. It was prepared under the guidance of the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change. Its objective was to establish a balance between economic growth, environmental conservation, and Sustainable Development while addressing the impacts of climate change in India.

The NAPCC initially identified Eight National Missions—the National Solar Mission, National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency, National Mission on Sustainable Habitat, National Water Mission, National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem, National Mission for a Green India, National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture, and National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change. These missions promoted climate-related measures in sectors such as energy, water, agriculture, forests, and scientific research.

Two important foundations of the Action Plan are Climate Change Mitigation and Climate Change Adaptation. Mitigation aims to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions and increase carbon absorption, whereas Adaptation focuses on reducing the risks and impacts arising from climate change. Solar Energy and Energy Efficiency contribute to emission reductions, while water conservation, sustainable agriculture, and protection of the Himalayan Ecosystem help address climate-related risks.

The NAPCC also initiated the development of State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs). These plans enable states to develop climate strategies according to their local geographical, environmental, and economic conditions. The Paris Agreement of 2015 was a separate international climate agreement, whereas India's first National Action Plan on Climate Change had already been launched in 2008.