Union Government inks Global Environment Facility Grant Agreement with World Bank

The Union Government has inked US $24.64 million Grant Agreement from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) of the World Bank for Ecosystem Service Improvement Project.
The Project will be entirely financed by the World Bank out of its GEF Trust Fund. The project’s duration is of five years.

Ecosystem Service Improvement Project

The project will be implemented by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh through Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education (ICFRE) under the National Green India Mission (GIM).
 The objective of the Project is to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Community Organisations and Departments of Forestry to enhance forest ecosystem services and improve the livelihoods of forest dependent communities in Central Indian Highlands.

Global Environment Facility (GEF)

GEF is a multilateral financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit the global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities. Projects under it address six designated focal areas: biodiversity, international waters, climate change, ozone depletion, land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants. It was established on the eve of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.

National Mission for Green India (GIM)

GIM is one of the eight key Missions outlined under National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). It aims at protecting, enhancing and restoring India’s decreasing forest cover and responding to climate change by a combination of mitigation and adaptation measures.
The mission acknowledges the influence forests on environmental amelioration through climate change mitigation, water security, food security, biodiversity conservation and livelihood security of forest-dependent communities. It hinges on decentralized participatory approach by involving grass root level communities and organizations in decision making, planning, implementation and monitoring.

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2017