The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has introduced two pioneering initiatives go take ahead the ‘LiFE’ – ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ movement.
- These initiatives are; the Green Credit Program (GCP) and the Ecomark Scheme. These initiatives seek to encourage environmentally friendly practices rooted in tradition and conservation; reflecting the ideas of LiFE concept.
About Green Credit Program (GCP)
- Green Credit Program (GCP) notified on 13th October, 2023 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 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.
- 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.
Ecomark Scheme
- The Ecomark Scheme, notified on 13th October 2023, replaces the previous Notification.
- It 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 Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which is the national body for standards and certification.
