Climate Change Actions in Meghalaya initiatives under State Action - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Conserving Now, Preserving Future Dr Subhash Ashutosh

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Nodal Officer , Climate Change Government of Meghalaya

9th Nov,2017

Climate Change Actions in Meghalaya

initiatives under State Action Plan on Climate Change

• Meghalaya is situated at the unique confluence of the Indo-Malayan, Indo-Chinese and

Indian sub continent bio-geographical regions. Coupled with its physiographic features, the State has diverse habitats, which harbours diverse biota with high level of endemism

• Meghalaya is highly vulnerable to climate change due to its geo-ecological fragility,

landscape and socio-economic profile

• the State faces a major threat from the projected changes in climate. Climate sensitive

sectors like agriculture, water resources, forests, health, sanitation, and rural development are likely to be affected by climate change

• Meghalaya’s economy is closely linked to its natural resource base
• ver 70% people in Meghalaya are dependent on agriculture and natural resources for

livelihood.

• despite heavy rainfall, many areas turn water-stressed after rainy months due to heavy

run-off – many springs have dried up

• land use in the State is changing rapidly, natural resources are facing threat of

degradation

Climate Change and Meghalaya

Change in Annual Average Temperature (Observed) 1981-2012

Change in Annual Average Temperature (Projected) 1920-2050

Change in Annual Mansoon Average Rainfall (Observed) 1981-2012

Change in Annual Mansoon Average Rainfall (Projected) 2020-2050

Higher temperature, increased rainfall in lesser number of rainy days and increased frequency of extreme weather events are likely to cause disastrous consequences in the State – flash floods – land slides – excessive soil erosion (particularly from the shifting cultivation areas) – increase in flood affected areas – large scale damage to agricultural crops – siltation of reservoirs – damage of roads and other infrastructure – Increase in diseases particularly malaria – increase in drought affected areas in some parts of the State – stress on many floral and faunal species impacting biodiversity of the state adversely – damage to the forests; impact on regeneration and drying of forest stands – increase in forest fire occurrences – shift in forest types – changes in wildlife habitats and migratory routes – rise in elephant depredation cases and man-animal conflict – invasion of alien species and weeds – stress on agricultural crops and livestock, increased incidence of diseases and pathogens – adverse impact on other livelihood activities like sericulture, aquaculture, apiculture etc

Adverse Impacts of Climate Change in the State

Objectives of Climate Change Actions in the State

• scientific understanding of climate change phenomenon in the State – creation of

knowledge at an adequate scale and resolution and assess its impact on different sectors

• variability, CC projections, impacts and vulnerability
• sector specific assessment
• up to the district and sub district level
• mainstreaming climate change adaptation in development planning
• making livelihood sectors such as agriculture, horticulture, fishery, livestock,

sericulture, forestry resilient to climate change

• minimize adverse impacts of climate change on the people, livelihoods and economy
• f the State with a long term perspective
• build resilience in the ecosystems and adapt green economy pathways
• to expand and diversify livelihood opportunities as a strategy of adaptation to CC
• create wide spread awareness and build capacities in different stake holder groups
• leverage opportunities available due to climate change, under adaptation and

mitigation from national and international initiatives

State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC)

• approved by MoEFF & CC, GoI
• presents background and an overview of

climate change scenario in the State including variability, projections and impacts on different sectors

• an overview of different missions under NAPCC
• an overview of each of the six sectors in the

State

• discusses vulnerability of different sectors w.r.t.

CC

• 150 actions have been identified across six

sectors out of which 76 actions have been identified as priority actions

• proposed outlay for identified actions - Rs 6298

crore

* can be downloaded from the link http://www.moef.nic.in/sites/default/files/sapcc/Meghalaya.pdf.

Sectors Covered

• Agriculture
• Sustainable Habitat
• Sustainable Forestry
• Sustainable Water Management
• Mining Sector
• Energy Sector
• Cross Cutting Issues
• Ecotourism
• Health

SAPCC is under revision in the light of latest data and recent studies

Climate Change Actions in the State : mile stones

• Meghalaya State Council on Climate Change and Sustainable Development (MSCCC & SD)

constituted – headed by Chief Minister

• Steering Committee constituted – headed by Chief Secretary
• Meghalaya Centre for Adaptation to Climate Change launched (Sept, 2013)
• State Action Plan on Climate Change(SAPCC) prepared and submitted to MOEF&CC, Govt of

India (February 2014)

• SAPCC approved by MoEF&CC (September 2014)
• a Project Proposal to establish a Meghalaya Climate Change Centre under the National

Mission for Sustainable Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) was submitted to Department of Science & Technology (DST), GoI, the same was approved (June 2015)

• a Project Proposal on ‘Capacity Building on Climate Change’ submitted to MoEF&CC, the

same was approved (July 2015)

contd..

• Meghalaya Climate Change Center (MCCC) established (October 2015)
• under MBDA, Planning Department
• housed in MBDA Office Nongrim Hills
• MCACC merged with MCCC
• State Level Workshop on SAPCC for the officials of the concerned Departments organised

(April 2015, May 2016)

• Studies to understand Climate Change in the State
• Identification of climate vulnerability hot-spots in Meghalaya using high resolution

climate projections - IIT Gandhi Nagar ( November 2015)

• Assessment of the impact of climate change on forests and biodiversity of Meghalaya –

Indian Institute of Science, Banglore (March 2016)

• Carbon Footprint Study of Meghalaya – CII Godrej Green Business Center, Hyderabad

(June 2015)

• Impacts of Climate Change and Adaptation to It: Perception and Traditional Knowledge
• f the People in Rural Areas of Meghalaya

contd..

• a DPR on ‘rejuvenation of springs by integrated springshed development in the State’ was

submitted under the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) with an

• utlay of Rs 22.92 crore – the same was approved by MoEF&CC – funds released by

MoEF&CC (March 2016)

• workshop for sensitizing the Department officials on NAFCC project proposals organised

(April 2016)

• awareness workshops for the Students conducted
• awareness campaign in the villages launched
• a project proposal for Meghalaya ‘Restoration of Degraded Forests by Community Forest

Management for Livelihood and Enterprise Promotion’ under Green Climate Fund (GCF) - being steered by UNDP and MoEF & CC is under preparation

• a project on REDD+ is under implementation
• meetings with the individual Departments & MCCC
• to identify adaptation project proposals
• revise SAPCC

Integration of top-down and bottom-up approach

Current Climate variability assessment Climate Change projections Assessment of Impacts of Climate change Assessment of Vulnerability profiles

• f agriculture, water,

forest & other sectors Developing Adaptation strategies

Approach to Develop Adaptation Strategy

• Adaptation to climate change needs better understanding of its impacts in different sectors.
• Study on mapping vulnerable hotspots has been undertaken for creating State specific knowledge on

climate change based on the latest data and computer modelling science.

Reports

“Identification of climate vulnerability hot- spots in Meghalaya using high-resolution climate projections” by IIT Gandhinagar, Gujarat “Vulnerability of Forests and Biodiversity of Meghalaya to Climate Change” by IISc Bangalore “Carbon footprint Study Meghalaya State” by CII Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre, Hyderabad

Top-down approach:

Initiatives under Mission Green

• establishing community nurseries
• catchment area afforestation
• tree plantation drives
• sustainable livelihood interventions
• spring shed development
• promotion of organic farming
• knowledge services through the institutions
• seed bank
• green energy
• community NRM projects under convergence

Programmes & Initiatives of the State Government Departments towards Climate Change Adaptation & Mitigation

• Afforestation programmes by the Forest & Environment and Soil & Water

Conservation Departments

• Joint Forest Management, Conservation Reserves, Wildlife habitat and corridor

management by Forest & Environment Department

• Solar energy initiatives
• Water harvesting structures
• Horticulture and Sericulture initiatives
• Accelerated irrigation benefit programme
• Creation of multi purpose reservoirs
• Installation of Hydrological and Meteorological stations

Approved Project under NAFCC

The Project “Rejuvenation and Climate Proofing of Spring-sheds for Livelihood, Water and Food Security in Meghalaya” was sanctioned under the newly constituted National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change

The project aims to ‘revive impaired and critical springs to ensure enhanced flow of water, food and livelihood security under convergence approach as a climate change adaptation strategy for the vulnerable communities through scientific and participatory development of spring-sheds’. The project with a budget of INR 22.92 crores, will be implemented in four years, w.e.f. April, 2016 to March, 2020. It is expected to benefit 16494 households and revive 306 spring-sheds across 11 districts in the State. The project will be implemented by the Directorate of Soil & Water Conservation, Government of Meghalaya.

Objectives

• to study people’s perception on climate change
• to identify vulnerabilities of indigenous people to climate change
• to study vulnerabilities of the resource base
• to document local level changes and impacts on the livelihood, environment and

land-use systems

• to understand and document traditional knowledge in adaptation to climate

change

Impacts of Climate Change and Adaptation to It : Perception and Traditional Knowledge of the People in Rural Areas of Meghalaya

contd..

Traditional Knowledge in predicting weather phenomena

• When flying ants arrive its time for vegetation to bloom and

when they don’t arrive it symbolises a delay in blooming. Jongsok Garo Hills ,2016

• ‘Good flowering’ of mangoes and litchis indicates the
• ccurrence of cyclones/thunderstorm.
• There is a particular insect, (locally called Jongsok) which

when building a nest has one or more twigs protruding out to indicate the number of occurrences of flood (one protruding twig would indicate one flood and so on). Interestingly the length of the twig can also indicate the severity and scale of the flood. Mango flowering Flying Ants contd..

Traditions Knowledge in agricultural practices:

• The pest and insects which usually attacks the crops are

killed by the use of Pomelo (citrus maxima) (local name Jambura) and a flower (local name Dosimah). citrus maxima

• The water from soaked tobacco leaf is used to

minimise the attacks of crop diseases. Nicotiana tabacum

• Lime is widely used as preventive measure for turmeric

from rotting or dying.

Traditions Knowledge in Livestock practices:

• A particular ginger (local name sying blei) is used to

prevent heat exposure, skin diseases and as a drink.

Sying blei

• The leaves of the species Schima sp. (local nomenclature,

‘Diengngan’), is tied around the neck of the animals to prevent from disease attacks. Schima

• The juice of the Chambil (local name) fruit is mixed with

the feed to cure livestock diseases. contd..

Indications of climate change: Peoples’ Perception

• Reduction in fruit size and productivity of crops: Betel nut, Orange
• Early sowing time of some agricultural crops: Maize, Potato, Ornamental

Flowers

• Early ripening of agriculture crops
• Incidence of more pathogens/pests on agricultural and horticultural crops: Bay

Leaf, Betel leaf, Potato

• Incidence of diseases in livestock
• Reduction in the water discharge in the springs
• Spread of mosquitoes to the relatively cooler areas

Increasing; 37,72 Decreasing; 48,40 No Change; 3,56 Can't Say; 10,32

Rainfall during summer

Increasing 11% Decreasing 64% No Change 6% Can't Say 19%

Rainfall during winter

Increasing 34% Decreasing 40% No change 5% Can't say 21%

Temperature during winter

Increasing 72% Decreasing 7% No change 6% Can't say 15%

Temperature during summer contd..

People Perception : Climate Change over past 20 years

25% 61% 14%

Change in sowing period

YES NO No Response 51% 5% 24% 20%

Incidence of Pest Attacks

Increased Decrease Same No Response

contd.. People Perception: Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture

covered 163 villages under 19 Blocks & 10 Districts across the State

Carbon Footprint Study in Meghalaya

Study done by CII Godrej Green Business Center Objectives

• identify major sources of GHG emissions
• understand historic emission trends
• quantify benefits of activities that reduce emissions
• establish basis for developing a local action plan
• track progress in reducing emissions
• set goals and targets for future reductions

contd..

Way Forward

• district level vulnerability assessment and adaptation planning and mainstreaming

adaptation actions

• convergence of adaptation plans with the on-going schemes and programmes
• sensitization and capacity building of the department officials at the directorate, district

and sub-district levels

• develop more adaptation project proposals by the Departments under NAFCC, NAPCC

missions, MoEF&CC, DST, GCF and other funding sources

• continue awareness programmes and cover different stake holder groups
• undertake impact studies and vulnerability assessment in other sectors
• tap opportunities under mitigation, develop community REDD+ projects
• create a knowledge portal
• policy formulation facilitation in the climate sensitive sectors
• build capacity in the local academic institutions for undertaking State centric climate

change research

Thank You

for your kind attention