Gradually building-up its case for earning carbon credits, Himachal Pradesh is finally out with a draft policy on climate change-2008, which primarily focuses on effective environment management strategies, clean development mechanism (CDM) and steps to reduce green- house gas (GHG) emissions in the state.

The policy, prepared by the state’s Department of Environment and Scientific Technologies, has been sent to all government departments, which have been told to forward their comments before the policy gets a final shape by December 2008.

Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said Himachal Pradesh was one of the states in the country which can contribute immensely to adoption of clean development mechanisms. He said energy efficiency and conservation, renewable energy, reduction in gas emission in transport and industrial sector, afforestation and land restoration, waste management and land use change for GHG mitigation were identified as potential areas for earning carbon credits in the state under the draft policy.

Dhumal claimed the draft lays emphasis on translating the project ideas under the CDM protocol into Project Design Document, and posing it for funding and registration to the National CDM Authority through the Ministry of Environment & Forests. The Government, as the next step, will apply for registration to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climatic Change under Kyoto Protocol, 1992. Beside India, China, and Brazil have a huge potential in this sector.

He said the new concept comes close to global initiatives like where the beneficiary of the environmental commodities and services is required to Pay for Environmental Services (PES). The state Government has already raised a claim for compensation for preserving the natural wealth and ecology. The Government intends to give direct benefits to the farmers from this concept.

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