Pakke Declaration

The Pakke Declaration is India’s first state-level commitment to climate action. Formally titled the “Pakke Tiger Reserve 2047 Declaration on Climate Change Resilient and Responsive Arunachal Pradesh,” it was adopted on November 13, 2021. The Government of Arunachal Pradesh designed this roadmap to promote low-emission development and climate resilience over twenty-five years.

The Five Pillars: Panch Dhara

The declaration operates through five foundational pillars aimed at multi-sectoral growth and environmental protection.

• Environment, Forest, and Climate Change: Focuses on increasing forest cover, utilizing carbon credits, and deploying drone surveillance for ecosystem monitoring.
• Health and Well-being: Aims to create climate-resilient healthcare infrastructure and use drone networks for delivering medical supplies to remote areas.
• Sustainable and Adaptive Livelihoods: Promotes green tourism, organic agriculture, and eco-friendly economic models for local communities.
• Resilience and Disaster Management: Targets the development of weather-resistant infrastructure to protect urban and rural areas from extreme climate events.
• Evidence Generation and Collaborative Action: Involves funding localized climate research, empowering Panchayati Raj institutions, and preserving indigenous tribal knowledge.

Execution and Institutional Framework

The state government integrated climate goals into the operational mandates of 23 working departments.

• Financial Allocation: The state mobilized ₹802.6 crore to fund green reforms and climate-responsive projects.
• Action Line Segmentation: The strategy consists of 410 discrete action lines divided into three phases: 162 short-term (completed by 2023), 122 medium-term (target 2030), and 126 long-term (target 2047).
• Implementation Status: By the 2025 review, the government completed 246 out of 410 action lines. It achieved 68 of its 75 primary climate strategies.
• Biodiversity Alignment: The “Arunachal Pradesh State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan” complements the declaration to align local efforts with national biodiversity goals.

Role of the Nyishi Community

The Nyishi tribe acts as the primary custodian of the Pakke Tiger Reserve. Their traditional practices are vital to the success of the declaration.

• Hornbill Nest Adoption Program: Community members protect nests from hunting and logging. This initiative won the India Biodiversity Award in 2016 for conserving threatened species.
• Guba Governance: Traditional community systems assist forest officials in preventing poaching and illegal timber trade.
• Eco-Tourism: Local families manage homestays in Seijosa, shifting the economy from forest exploitation to sustainable tourism.

Key Facts and Administrative Trivia

Departmental Climate Targets

Specific targets ensure that climate action reaches the grassroots level through various ministries.

• Environment and Forests: Automation of monitoring tools in remote border zones to prevent illegal deforestation.
• Health and Family Welfare: Installation of solar power backups at remote Primary Health Centres to maintain the cold chain for medicines during floods.
• Rural Development: Use of local, sustainable materials for infrastructure to reduce the impact of landslides on village connectivity.

The State Butterfly: Kaiser-i-Hind

The cabinet officially declared the Kaiser-i-Hind as the State Butterfly alongside the climate pact. This rare species stays in high-canopy habitats. Its designation provides legal protection and encourages butterfly-based eco-tourism, which provides alternative income for residents near the reserve.