Why is it in the News?

The Environment Ministry recently has made significant changes to the Norms of the Green Credit Programme.

What is the Green Credit Programme (GCP)?

• An innovative initiative by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
• Announced under the 'Lifestyle for Environment' (LiFE) movement.
• It aims to establish a market-based mechanism to incentivize voluntary environmental actions by individuals, urban local bodies, communities, and the private sector.

Target Sectors and Stakeholders:

• Designed to encourage voluntary environmental actions across various sectors.
• Engages diverse stakeholders, including individuals, communities, private sector industries, and companies.

Initial Focus Areas:

• Water conservation: Encourages efficient use and management of water resources.
• Afforestation: Promotes tree planting and forest restoration to enhance carbon sequestration and biodiversity.

Programme Implementation:

• The GCP's governance structure is overseen by an inter-ministerial Steering Committee, with the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) serving as the program administrator.
• ICFRE manages the implementation, monitoring, and operation of the program.
• A user-friendly digital platform will simplify project registration, verification, and issuance of Green Credits.
• ICFRE, in collaboration with experts, is developing the Green Credit Registry and trading platform to facilitate the registration and trading of Green Credits.
• Entities and individuals must register their activities with the government to earn Green Credits.
• Verification of activities will be conducted by a designated agency, with self-verification available for small projects.

Programme Impact:

• The GCP strives to encourage environmentally beneficial actions by creating tradable green credits through a market-oriented approach.
• These green credits can be traded on a domestic market platform, providing further incentives for positive environmental actions.
• Additionally, if the generation of green credits results in measurable reductions or removals of carbon emissions, they may also qualify for carbon credits.

Programme Adjustments:

• In response to concerns regarding the potential misuse of the GCP for profit-driven tree planting, the government has emphasized the importance of prioritizing ecosystem restoration over mere tree planting.
• Indigenous species will be preferred, and naturally occurring seedlings will be preserved.
• The previous requirement of a minimum of 1,100 trees per hectare to qualify as a reforested area has been revised, with States now tasked to define specific criteria.
• State forest departments will be responsible for the actual implementation of afforestation efforts.

Why in the News?

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change on October 13, 2023, notified the ‘green credit’ programme, a first-of-a-kind market-based instrument designed to incentivise individuals, industries and local bodies for their voluntary environmental actions across diverse sectors.

About Green Credit Programme (GCP):

• Green Credit Program (GCP ) is an innovative market-based mechanism designed to incentivize voluntary environmental actions across diverse sectors, by various stakeholders like individuals, communities, private sector industries, and companies.
• The GCP's governance framework is supported by an inter-ministerial Steering Committee and The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) serves as the GCP Administrator, responsible for program implementation, management, monitoring, and operation.
• In its initial phase, the GCP focuses on two key activities: water conservation and afforestation.
• A user-friendly digital platform will streamline the processes for registration of projects, verification, and issuance of Green Credits.
• The Green Credit Registry and trading platform, being developed by ICFRE along with experts, would facilitate the registration and thereafter, the buying and selling of Green Credits.
• To obtain Green Credits, individuals and entities must register their activities through the central government's dedicated app/website www.moefcc-gcp.in.
• The Administrator will verify the activity through a designated agency, with self-verification for small projects.
• Once verification is complete, the Administrator will grant a Green Credit certificate which will be tradable on the Green Credit platform.

What is the Ecomark Scheme?

• The Ecomark Scheme provides accreditation and labelling for household and consumer products that meet specific environmental criteria while maintaining quality standards as per Indian norms.
• Products accredited under the Ecomark Scheme will adhere to specific environmental criteria, ensuring minimal environmental impact.
• It will build consumer awareness of environmental issues and encourage eco-conscious choices.
• It will also motivate manufacturers to shift towards environmentally friendly production. The scheme seeks to ensure accurate labelling and prevent misleading information about products.
• The Central Pollution Control Board administers the Ecomark Scheme in partnership with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which is the national body for standards and certification.

Both initiatives mark significant steps in promoting sustainable living, and environmental conservation, and, through individual and collective choice, embody eco-friendly practices in India. They align with global sustainability goals and reflect the government's commitment to conservation and protection of the environment.