Shimla, May 12: 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.

Listing out initiatives the state has taken, Dhumal said the state, in order to reduce energy consumption, has announced Rs 80 crore subsidy scheme for all domestic consumers who will be provided free compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) bulbs. Similarly in hydel sector, all projects taken-up for energy generation would be run-off-the-river projects i.e without construction of damn. The state has hydro-electric power potential to the tune of 20,564 MW. This all will be a source of clean renewable energy, harnessed in a most scientific manner, the CM said.

The use of solar passive technologies and afforestation were being promoted besides formulating forest fires prevention schemes and imposing ban on use of coal and fossil fuels, he added.

Other additional measures, outlined in the draft policy to achieve the objective, include: steps to reduce the GHGs emissions by recovery of energy from the wastes and to avoid landfills; encouraging bio-fuels crops plantation; promoting use of renewable energy; discouraging industrial pollution; adopting environment mitigation technology besides efficient public transport system and use of ropeways for transportation.