Three special sessions, focusing on initiatives taken on afforestation and sustainable transportation in the country, was organised at the Indian pavilion on the third day of the crucial global summit on climate change at Marrakech in Morocco.
During the first session on 'Afforestation and REDD+', experts said that the government has asked the forestry sector to help the country meet its goal of creation of 2.5-3 billion tonnes of additional carbon sinks, as per the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
"This target will be met using a variety of means, including afforestation, reforestation, and agro-forestry, conducted through community participation and mechanisms like REDD+," experts said as per an official statement here.
REDD+ stands for Reducing Emissions by Deforestation and Degradation, an initiative finalized under the UN's Paris Agreement in 2015.
Emphasis was also placed on promoting the exchange of information and present potential collaborations among South Asian countries that share Himalayan and tropical ecologies.
In the second session on ecosystem and climate change, discussions were held on the role of forest in climate change mitigation and adaptation.
India's forests serve as a major sink of CO2, offsetting around 12 per cent of the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the country. Representative of Bihar government provided detailed information on the initiatives on the agro-forestry and strategy to meet the climate change risk during the discussions.
Showcasing India's efforts on sustainable transport solutions, Railways Ministry with its technical partner, Council on Energy, Environment and Water also hosted the third session on "Sustainable Transport Solutions'.
Special Secretary, Environment Ministry R R Rashmi said that India is on the road to managing its transport sector emissions in an effective manner and added that there have been efforts to decrease fossil-fuel dependence in the transport sector by moving towards cleaner sources of energy and increasing the share of renewables in driving mobility.
The official statement said that India has focused its low carbon initiatives on the development of railways, waterways, Mass Rapid Transport Systems (MRTS) and other forms of public transport.
Initiatives such as the Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) were highlighted during the discussions.
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