The National Mission on Sustainable Habitat is one of the eight climate missions of the Indian government under the NAPCC (National Action Plan on Climate Change) mitigation strategy. The National Mission On Sustainable Habitat was launched in the year 2010 and is governed by the Ministry of Urban Development. It was intended to make cities more sustainable by enhancing building energy efficiency, improving the management of solid and liquid waste, encouraging the use of public transportation, and promoting conservation through the proper modifications to the legal and regulatory framework. This article will explain to you about the National Mission On Sustainable Habitat which will be helpful in preparing the Environment Syllabus for the UPSC Civil Service exam.

Salient Features of National Mission On Sustainable Habitat

What is Sustainable Habitat?

• Sustainable habitat is an environment that provides food and shelter for people and other living things while preventing resource depletion and producing no external waste.
• Thus, the environment can survive into the future without receiving resource infusions from outside sources.
• Achieving a sustainable habitat also entails striking a balance between the economic and social development of human habitats, environmental preservation, equity in employment, housing, and basic amenities, as well as social infrastructure and transportation.
• It is possible for such a habitat to develop naturally or as a result of human intervention.
• If human intellect is to successfully construct and design a sustainable ecosystem, it must mimic nature.
• Everything in it is interconnected with a wide variety of living things, materials, and physiological processes.
• The term is frequently used in reference to environmentally aware human habitats, which typically involve green construction methods.

NMSH- Objectives

• To encourage the use of alternative technologies and energy-saving techniques in both household and commercial settings, thereby reducing energy consumption.
• To encourage better urban planning with the goal of improving disaster management which includes patterns of urban planning that encourage using public transportation more frequently rather than private vehicles.
• To support the usage of automobiles with less pollution.
• To encourage stakeholder participation and community interaction for a more sustainable pattern of growth.
• To encourage natural resources essential to creating sustainable human habitats, such as fresh water, clean air, and flora and fauna.

NMSH- Functional Areas

• Energy Conservation Building Code: Expansion of the energy-efficient building code, which tackles how new, substantial commercial buildings should be designed to minimize their energy consumption.
• Growth of Medium and Small Cities: Long-term transportation plans are made to support the growth of medium-sized and small communities in a way that ensures convenient and effective public transportation. Better urban planning and modal shift to public transportation are key components of these plans.
• Waste to Energy: The development of technologies for producing power from waste will be a particular area of focus when it comes to recycling materials and managing urban waste.
• R&D Programme: To begin an R&D program that focuses on biochemical conversion, the use of wastewater and sewage, and, whenever possible, recycling solutions.

NMSH- Flagship Missions

• The Mission on Sustainable Habitat, which is being carried out through the Ministry of Urban Development's 4 flagship missions/ programs, has not received any specific funding and is not currently seeking any.
• The four flagship missions include:
  • Atal Mission on Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)
  • Swachh Bharat Mission
  • Smart Cities Mission
  • Urban Transport Program

NMSH- Adaptation and Mitigation Measures In the field of Water Supply & Sanitation

• Sustainable Habitat Standards: The Central Public Health & Environmental Engineering Organization (CPHEEO), Technical Wing of the Ministry, presents sustainable habitat standards in the areas of solid waste management, water supply and sewerage, and stormwater drainage for incorporation into the current acts, rules, and regulations governing developmental activities at the State level by all States/Local Bodies.
• Integration of Environmental Issues And Accomplishment of Goals: In order to assist States/ULBs in integrating environmental issues into developmental activities and accomplishing the goals set forth under NMSH, efforts have been made to consolidate and present in this report other key connected activities in the field of public health engineering.
• Public Awareness: The review of various Ministry initiatives provided in this report through its programs, manuals, advisories, and materials for raising public awareness will also be useful in assisting States in realizing the goal of a sustainable habitat.
• Review And Integration of Standards: To ensure that all upcoming developments and retrofitting works are in compliance with sustainable habitat, the City Government and State Government may want to review the current acts, rules, and regulations prevailing in the States and appropriately integrate the standards leading to their incorporation in various developmental activities in the State.

Conclusion

Therefore to achieve sustainability, the ultimate goal of National Mission On Sustainable Habitat is to adapt and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. According to a report written by TERI for the Ministry of Urban Development for the COP21 summit in Paris, these flagship missions have the potential to reduce GHG emissions by 133 million tonnes CO2eq by 2021 and 270 million tonnes by the year 2031 upon successful execution.