Daily Current Affairs-UPSC – 15 May 2024 The Green Credit Programme (GCP) : About Ecomark Scheme

To take ahead the ‘LiFE’ – ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ movement announced by the Hon’ble Prime Minister in 2021, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has introduced two pioneering initiatives that indicate the country’s pro-active approach to climate change, sustainability and promotion eco-conscious practices. These initiatives, the Green Credit Program (GCP) and the Ecomark Scheme, seek to encourage environmentally friendly practices rooted in tradition and conservation; reflecting the ideas of LiFE  concept.

Green Credit Program (GCP): Incentivizing Environmental Actions:
Green Credit Program (GCP )notified on 13th October, 2023 is an innovative market-based mechanism designed to incentivize voluntary environmental actions across diverse sectors, by various stakeholders like individuals, communities, private sector industries, and companies.

The GCP’s governance framework is supported by an inter-ministerial Steering Committee and The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) serves as the GCP Administrator, responsible for program implementation, management, monitoring, and operation.

• In its initial phase, the GCP focuses on two key activities: water conservation and afforestation. Draft methodologies for awarding Green Credits have been developed and will be notified for stakeholder consultation.
• These methodologies set benchmarks for each activity/process, to ensure environmental impact and fungibility across sectors. A user-friendly digital platform will streamline the processes for registration of projects, its verification, and issuance of Green Credits.
• The Green Credit Registry and trading platform, being developed by ICFRE along with experts, would facilitate the registration and thereafter, the buying and selling of Green Credits.

To obtain Green Credits, individuals and entities must register their activities through the central government’s dedicated app/website www.moefcc-gcp.in. The Administrator will verify the activity through a designated agency, with self-verification for small projects. Once verification is complete, the Administrator will grant a Green Credit certificate which will be tradable on the green credit platform.

Ecomark Scheme: Promoting Eco-Friendly Products:

• The philosophy behind LiFE, (Lifestyle for Environment)is nudging individual choices and behavior towards sustainability.
• In line with this approach, the MoEF&CC has recast its Ecomark notification so that consumers are able to make choices among products and thereby opt for those products that are eco-friendly in their design, process etc.
• The Ecomark Scheme, notified on 13th October 2023, replaces the previous Notification. It provides accreditation and labelling for household and consumer products that meet specific environmental criteria while maintaining quality standards as per Indian norms.
• Products accredited under the Ecomark Scheme will adhere to specific environmental criteria, ensuring minimal environmental impact. It will build consumer awareness of environmental issues and encourage eco-conscious choices. It will also motivate manufacturers to shift towards environmentally friendly production. The scheme seeks to ensure accurate labelling and prevent misleading information about products.
• The Central Pollution Control Board administers the Ecomark Scheme in partnership with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which is the national body for standards and certification.
  Both initiatives mark significant steps in promoting sustainable living, environmental conservation, and, through individual and collective choice, embody eco-friendly practices in India. They align with global sustainability goals and reflect the government’s commitment to conservation and protection of the environment.