Administrative Structure for the Kyoto The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) is the Nodal Ministry for all matters concerning the Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.

Interactions between the two Protocols

Both the entities are under the same Ministry of the Government of India (GoI) and the same Secretary to the GoI. However, since the science of climate change and that of depletion of the ozone layer and their scope are two different things, very little interactions are visible at present.

The following measures have been taken to support the Montreal Protocol goals :

In the Kyoto Protocol, gases like HFCs, PFCs, and SF6 need to be mitigated due to their very high global warming potential (GWP), whereas in the other (Montreal Protocol) these are the replacement for ozone depleting substances. Therefore, there is a basic conflict in the two protocols.

The science of global warming and the science of depletion of the ozone layer are two different things. Developing countries do not have the capacity and fund, to take up research activities to address the issue of harmonizing the two Protocols.

The IPCC should take up the work of finding out a third group of substances which could be used as replacement for ODS, and have very low GWP. This is a global scientific challenge, not only for the developing countries alone, but for the entire world.

Harmonization needs to be taken up at all fronts:

There should be scientific harmonization and policy harmonization and both the protocols should be serviced as far as possible under one umbrella to bring down the cost of implementation as well as for efficiency and coordinated action.

Lessons Learnt

The Ozone cell, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India has already set up a process of responding to all queries pertaining to the ozone layer and the Montreal Protocol, particularly from industry, NGO and school children. The ‘Clearing-house’ concept thus set up in India is in the right direction and has proved to be a very effective instrument for the implementation of the Montreal Protocol.

At present there are seven networks globally to address the issue of depletion of the ozone layer and Montreal Protocol. India is a member of the South Asia network with 12 countries. The first meeting was held sometime back and a good beginning has been made.

Climate Change has a considerable regional bias and the concept of ‘Clearing-house’ and ‘Networking’ under the Montreal Protocol, if initiated for the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol, would be in the right direction.

The initiative taken by Development Alternatives to formalise the NGO AIJ/CDM Facilitation Centre at Development Alternatives for the Asia-Pacific region is in the right direction for serving as a ‘Clearing-house’ and ‘Networking’ purposes to address the Climate Change Convention and Kyoto Protocol.

Other important lessons learnt in the implementation of the Montreal Protocol are:

n Internationally, implementation of such protocols may be undertaken through a consensus.

n International Implementation Agencies dealing with such environmental treaties(protocols) must be geared to the needs of the developing countries.

n Procedural delays with the implementing agencies like WB, UNDP, UNIDO must be avoided for speedy implementation of the Montreal Protocol.

n Voluntary guidelines or agreements with industry in the initial stages of implementation of such protocols are useful tools.

n Unorganised sectors, like the SME, need considerable support at every stage of implementation.

n For the success of such protocols, people’s active participation is crucial.

n Media and NGOs role is vital for generating awareness among community, grassroots NGOs etc.