Chief Secretary, B R Sharma Tuesday favored conceptualizing suitable small size adaptation and mitigation project proposals to expedite the approval process under the various domestic & international climate change funding corridors including National Adaptation Fund on Climate Change (NAFCC), Adaptation Fund Board (AFB) and Green Climate Fund (GCF). Chairing a meeting to review the progress of implementation of the J&K State Action Plan for Climate Change (SAPCC), Chief Secretary underscored the need to conceptualize and develop projects consistent with the guidelines to access financial resources.
"J&K is amongst the most sensitive regions to climate change and represents a highly fragile & vulnerable ecosystem as such focus should be on adaptive activities and building climate resilience in the State" Chief Secretary said and instructed concerned administrative Secretaries to immediately identify and develop suitable projects proposals in this regard for accessing funds under NAFCC, AFB and GCF.Union Government in 2008 launched the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) with 8 National Missions. 32 States including J&K and UTs have developed SAPCC to mainstream the climate change concerns as part of their developmental planning. Union Government also established the National Adaptation Fund on Climate Change (NAFCC) with a budget provision of Rs 350 Crore for the year 2015-16 and 2016-17. The objective of the fund is to assist the States and Union Territories that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change in meeting the cost of adaptation.