National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change

Why is in news? National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC), implemented by the Department of Science and Technology

The Government of India stands committed to combat the global challenge of climate change.

India has updated its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in August 2022

India has also prepared and submitted a separate framework document titled ‘India’s Long-term Low Carbon Development Strategy’ to the secretariat of the UNFCCC in November 2022 with the vision to reach net-zero by 2070.

The Government is implementing many schemes and programs including the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) which comprises of missions in specific areas of solar energy, energy efficiency, water, sustainable agriculture, Himalayan ecosystem, sustainable habitat, green India, health and strategic knowledge for climate change.

The National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC), implemented by the Department of Science and Technology, under the National Action Plan on Climate Change promotes research, knowledge generation and capacity building relating to climate science.

The mission has been revised to align its objectives and priorities with the commitments of the country.

There are focused research and development (R&D) programmes in climate change science and adaptation which are carried out through twelve Centres of Excellence (CoE), twenty three major R & D programmes; seven Network Programmes and seven capacity building programmes.

Thirteen Climate Change centers/cells have been set up in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Telangana to carry activities that connect their state action plans on climate change with NMSKCC priorities of action.

National Action Plan on Climate Change:

The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) was launched in 2008 by the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change.

It aims at creating awareness among the representatives of the public, different agencies of the government, scientists, industry and the communities on the threat posed by climate change and the steps to counter it.

There are 8 national missions forming the core of the NAPCC which represent multi-pronged, long term and integrated strategies for achieving key goals in climate change. These are -

National Solar Mission

National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency

National Mission on Sustainable Habitat

National Water Mission

National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem

National Mission for A Green India

National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture

National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change