What: WGIA16
Where: New Delhi
When: 10-13 July 2018
- Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan on July 11, 2018 Inaugurated the 16th Workshop on Greenhouse Gas Inventories in Asia (WGIA16) in New Delhi.
- India is hosting WGIA for the first time.
- The four-day Workshop has been organized by the Ministry of Environment, Government of Japan and is being hosted by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), from July 10 to 13, 2018 in New Delhi.
- During inauguration, Dr. Harsh Vardhan stressed that India have committed to achieve 175 GW of installed capacity of renewable energy generation by 2022. Other policy initiatives of the government include increasing penetration of LEDs, 5-10% Ethanol blending in petrol, increasing efficiency of coal power plants, and more efficient public transport.
- He also referred to the decision to leapfrog from Bharat Stage IV (Euro IV) to Bharat Stage VI (Euro VI) standards for vehicular emissions by 2020.
- The Minister stated that as per the Paris Agreement, there is a need to enhance transparency in reporting, which is possible only through adequate finance and capacity building.
- The Environment Minister outlined Green Good Deeds, Green Good Behaviour, Green Good Practices and Green Social Responsibility being promoted amongst different stakeholders and accepted at various international forums, including BRICS Environment Ministers meeting recently.
- Director General of Forests and Special Secretary, MoEFCC, Dr. Siddhanta Das, said that India is well poised to meet the target of creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by the year 2030.
- Additional Secretary, MoEFCC, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, said that India has submitted its two National Communications and first Biennial Update Report (BUR) in time and BUR-2 would also be submitted in time. He said that India is on track to meet its Copenhagen commitment of reduction in emissions intensity of GDP by 20-25% by 2020 with reference to 2005 level.
- According to the UNEP Gap Report 2017, India is also on track to meeting its Paris commitment of 33-35% reduction in emissions intensity of its GDP by 2030 from 2005 level. He further stated that India stood by its commitments towards climate action and will continue to do so as a responsible nation.
- Charge d’áffaires ad interim, Embassy of Japan in India, Mr. Hideki Asari said that India has emerged as a leading voice in the field of environment, especially after the announcement to achieve 175 GW renewable energy capacity by 2022, setting up and coordinating International Solar Alliance, hosting of World Environment Day 2018 and a number of similar initiatives. He also shared recent climate change policy initiatives undertaken by Government of Japan.
About WGIA
- WGIA is an initiative of Government of Japan to improve the quality of Greenhouse Gas Inventories of Asian countries by building capacities through training and exchange of experience.
- A reliable and robust inventory is the backbone of climate action. Such efforts will contribute towards meeting the requirements towards enhanced reporting and transparency as required under the Convention and its Paris Agreement.
- 15 countries including Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam are WGIA members and around 100 GHG inventory experts from these countries participated along with representatives from UNFCCC, IPCC, FAO and other specialized agencies.
