On COP26: Home truths on climate change

News: Surprising many, India announced its net-zero target, including many other new commitments, at the recently held COP 26 meeting in Glasgow.

This has established India as a world leader in fighting the climate change crisis. But, there is a gap between what the government says on the international stage and what it does at home.

How India’s internal policies are in divergence to what it committed at COP 26?

– Coal use: India is privatising the coal industry, auctioning coal mines and encouraging open cast mines without the guarantee of end use, but for commercialisation and export. Thus, coal is used as a commodity for profit, not necessarily for any development purposes.

– Forest loss and land degradation: India did not sign the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use. India did not sign the agreement on the ground that the declaration linked trade to land use and trade falls under the purview of the World Trade Organization. However, within, India is promoting corporatisation of agriculture and the encouragement of contract farming.

Also, the government has moved to monetise, privatise and commercialise the forests as reflected in the proposed Forest Policy of 2018, the suggested amendments to the Forest Act of 1927, the amendments to the Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980 etc. All these changes strip the Gram Sabhas of any voice in decision-making processes. These policies have accelerated the diversion of forests for a variety of projects.

From 2013-2019, it is estimated that 96% of tree cover loss occurred in natural forests.

– Carbon sequestration: In the 2015 COP in Paris, India had promised that it would develop carbon sinks to the equivalent of 2 billion to 3 billion tonnes of CO₂ by 2030. The government set up a Green Mission for the regeneration of forests, afforestation, additional forest and tree cover. The Estimates Committee of Parliament in its 2018-2019 report stated that to fulfil the promise of sequestering the CO₂ target, 30 million hectares of land are required to plant indigenous trees, not monocultures or plantations as is being done at present. At present, the lands of forest-dwelling communities are being forcibly taken away and used for plantations. The Gram Sabhas are not being consulted. The communities which have the least role to play in carbon emissions are being made to pay for it with their lands and livelihoods.

The pursuit of such policies domestically damages the credibility of India’s stand on international platforms.

What is the way forward?

As per Brinda Karat, the author of this article,

– Govt must reverse its pro-corporate policies reflected in privatisation.

– It should not modify or try to effect changes in the Forest Rights Act and constitutional provisions that protect Adivasi communities.

Source: This post is based on the article “Home truths on climate change” published in The Hindu on 13^th Dec 2021.