Strengthening State Strategies for Climate Actions in Sikkim

Report of Inception Workshop, Sikkim

6th September 2016, Mayfair Resort and Spa, Gangtok

The inception meeting on the project “Strengthening State Strategies for Climate Actions

in Sikkim” along with the first State Steering Committee meeting on implementation of climate

change programme in Sikkim was organized by Department of Science and Technology & Climate

Change (DST&CC) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on 6th of September in

Hotel Mayfair Resort, Gangtok.

The objective of the inception meeting was to share the overall project framework and

the state work plan, which was developed in closed consultation with the sectoral government

departments of Sikkim. Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) , UNDP & MoEFCC

Government of India have collaborated on the project for strengthening capacities in Sikkim for

the implementation of the SAPCC. The project aims to assist the State Nodal institution on climate

change (DST&CC) in implementation of the SAPCC, focusing on the identified priority sectors

(Water, Disaster Management, Forests). Within these sectors, the appropriate intervention

strategies proposed in the SAPCC will be further prioritized, developed and implemented. The

major interventions in these sectors will be mobilization of appropriate expertise, capacity

building of resource persons/institutions, facilitation of implementation strategies and

knowledge sharing.

Mr. D. G. Shrestha, Additional Director and nodal officer on climate change, DST&CC

welcomed all the officials and gave an overview of the structure of the inception meeting. He

also apprised about the state priorities and the initiatives on climate actions that are being

undertaken by the DST &CC.

Shri Alok Kumar Srivastava IAS, Chief Secretary of Sikkim was the chief guest of the

function and chaired the meeting. In his address he called for concerted action from all

stakeholders to adapt and mitigate the impacts of climate change in the Sikkim Himalaya. In this

connection he shared the various initiatives like State Green Mission, Ten Minutes to Earth, Ban

on Grazing, Smriti Vans, Development of Himal Rakshyaks, etc. which the state of Sikkim has

undertaken for conservation of environment. These initiatives of the government began much

before the preparation of the State Action Plan on Climate Change. In his remarks, he highlighted

the climate induced disasters and also stressed on prioritizing the key actions that needs to be

taken for mitigating the impacts of climate change. He also highlighted the need for knowledge

dissemination and sharing to the communities for building resilience. He appreciated the effort

of RMDD in preparing the proposal for getting the funds under National Adaptation Fund (NAF).

Further he urges the other relevant department to explore the possibility of support to state

specific climate change program. He urged that UNDP SDC to continue support in preparing

proposals for support under NAF or Green Climate Fund (GCF).

Dr. Anil Mainra, Principal Secretary, DST&CC, Government of Sikkim in his opening

address shared about the visible impacts of climate change in Sikkim and also highlighted the

State Action Plan on Climate Change which is a policy document developed to deal with climate

change impacts. He highlighted the need and significance of providing livelihood opportunities

to the vulnerable communities to increase the resilience. In his remarks, he reiterated the need

for technology transfer and also sharing of best practices. He also briefed about the projects

supported by the DST, Government of India and also the proposals, being developed with the

technical support from UNDP.

Dr. Preeti Soni, Assistant Country Director and Head, Energy and Environment in her

address stated the actions needed to deal with the challenges of climate change. She highlighted

the preparation of Sikkim SAPCC with the help of coordination committee as a step to tackle the

issues of climate change. She also briefed about the UNDP interventions in the north east. She

highlighted key aspects of the project on ‘’Strengthening State Strategies for Climate Actions”

and also highlighted that the project management cell has been constituted for implementation

of the project. She has assured continuous support in formulating proposals for bigger funding

for the state of Sikkim.

Mr. Manish Mohandas of SDC in his address broadly spoke about the SDC-UNDP

partnership on this project for increasing the community resilience and strengthening the

capacities of the state agencies. He also highlighted the key areas of intervention of climate

change through SDC’s Global Programme on Climate Change (GPCC) in India. He spoke about the

UNDP & SDC collaboration for implementation of select strategies of SAPCC in the state. In his

remarks, he stated that since Sikkim and Switzerland have commonalities in mountain ecological

settings so SDC would bring necessary international in the implementation of climate actions in

the priority sectors.

In the technical session, Mr. Anand Kumar, National Project Manager UNDP presented

the overall project framework of the project “Strengthening State Strategies for Climate Actions

in three States”. He shared the project goals/outcomes and objective of the project along with

the conceptual framework and implementation arrangements.

Dr. Surajit Baruah, State Project Manager UNDP presented the State Work Plan

highlighting the key activities in the priority sectors. Dr. Baruah also sought cooperation from all

sections of the society in implementation of the activities in the state.

Ms. Sarika Pradhan, Additional Secretary from RMDD presented the proposal, to be

submitted to MoEFCC under the National Adaptation Fund. The proposal was approved by the

state steering committee for its submission to the National Adaptation Fund for support.

The technical session was chaired by Dr.Anil Mainra IFS Principal Secretary DSTCC which

was followed by an open house interactive session where senior officials from state government

departments made suggestions on the activities of the state work plan. The observation and

suggestions put forwarded in the session are as follows

To carry out PRA exercise with the communities before taking up and livelihood

support activities in vulnerable areas so that they are suitable and site specific

activities.

To include agroforestry as part of ecosystem based adaptation.

To create a comprehensive database on the wetlands like springs, lakes and

rivers

To provide technical support for development of proposal on climate change

adaptation and mitigation

To help develop pilot studies on glacial lakes susceptible to outburst due to

climatic impacts at high altitude.

To gradually include other sectors for strengthening their capacities for climate

actions

The vote of thanks was given by Dr. B. C. Bassist Additional Director, DSTCC

Annex-I

Agenda

Inception cum State Steering Committee Meeting

Date and Venue: 6th September 2016, Mayfair Resort and Spa, Gangtok

Inaugural Session

11:00 AM - 11:05 AM Welcome Address by Shri D.G. Shrestha, Additional Director & Nodal Officer on climate change, DST & CC

11:05 AM - 11:15 AM Address by Mr. Manish Mohandas, Programme Officer, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

11:15 AM – 11.25 AM Address by Dr. Anil Mainra, Principal Secretary, DST & CC

11:25 AM – 11.40 AM Address by Dr. Preeti Soni, Assistant Country Director & Head Energy and Environment Unit, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

11:40 AM – 11.55 AM Address by Hon’ble Chief Secretary of Sikkim

11:55 AM - 12:15 AM Group Photo & Tea

Technical Session

12:15 AM - 12:35 PM Strengthening State Strategies for Climate Actions in Sikkim: An Overview by Shri Anand

Kumar, National Project Manager UNDP and State Work Plan by Dr. Surajit Baruah State

Project Manager, Sikkim UNDP

12:35 PM – 12.50 PM Panel Discussion on addressing climate change impacts and strategies by Department of

Science & Technology and Climate Change (DST&CC), Rural Management and

Development Department (RMDD), Forests, Environment and Wildlife Management

Department, Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA)

12:50 PM – 01:00 PM Presentation of National Adaptation Fund Proposal by RMDD

01:00 PM - 01:10 PM Open Discussion

01:10 PM - 1:25 PM Way Forward by Dr.Preeti Soni , Assistant Country Director & Head Energy and Environment Unit, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

01.25PM -01.30 PM Vote of Thanks

01:30 PM Lunch

A