The study aims to develop GHG inventory for India’s LULUCF sector for 2017-19, utilising the methodologies laid out in the IPCC Good Practice Guidance 2003 (IPCC National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Programme, 2003). This will involve an estimation of emissions released from the following sectors – Land-Use Change and Forestry; Croplands, Grasslands, Settlements, Wetlands and Other Lands; and Non-CO2 gases emissions from biomass burning in forest land. This will assist in the establishment of a comprehensive, transparent, and accurate Activity Data (AD) base, emission factors (EF), and GHG Inventory (CO2, CH4, N2O) for the LULUCF sector.

Strengthening Sikkim’s vision of carbon neutrality, IORA developed Sikkim Climate Inventory and Monitoring System (SCIMS). It is a first of its kind web based automated system that annually inventorises Green House Gas (GHG) emissions by sources and sinks with additional capability of measuring , reporting and verifying (MRV) emission reduction and sequestration achieved through various actions of the state, the corporates, communities, and through individual efforts. Supported by Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, IORA is presently engaged in executing institutional and outreach activities for SCIMS. Under the same project, IORA is working closely with Gujarat Energy Research and Management Institute (GERMI) to support Gujarat in implementing its SAPCC. We will also develop a GHG inventory and Climate MRV system for Maharashtra on the lines of SCIMS. IORA is developing GHG emission baselines to identify high emission sectors and sectoral trends for both these states.

IORA supported the Government of Sikkim in developing and implementing a first-of-its-kind State level GHG Inventory and Climate MRV System called the ‘Sikkim Climate Inventory and Monitoring System (SCIMS)’. It provides data on emissions and sequestration trends across the state, and tracks actions that contribute to GHG emission reduction/sequestration. The platform also offers an avenue for evidence based green climate governance, enabling Sikkim to remain a carbon neutral state.

World Bank engaged IORA and HIS Markit to develop a National “Meta-Registry” which aimed to support cost-effective GHG Emission Reduction in India. This registry serves as a data management system to monitor and facilitate the transaction, transfer, and Measurement, Reporting & Verification (MRV) of all current and proposed Market-based Mechanisms (MBMs). It also hosts and link infrastructure of the existing and upcoming MBM registries, and therefore serves as a transaction registry.
IORA performed a needs assessment for the Meta-Registry, while analysing its functionality, operations, required regulations and data management needs. Additionally, we defined the registry’s functional and technical specifications and provided a Meta-Registry Needs Assessment Report, Technical Specifications Report and a Functional Specifications Report.

IORA supported MoEFCC in developing a GHG inventory for the Aviation, Marine and Railways sectors for the years 2015 and 2016. It also contributed to India’s BURII, BURIII and NATCOM III reports. The BUR-III recognises our work on Sikkim Climate Inventory and Monitoring System (SCIMS).

Laya has registered two Gold Standard (GS) standalone project in line with the National initiative of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India (GoI), which aims to primarily enhance the availability of clean and efficient energy. The projects use GS methodologies and UNFCCC CDM small-scale methodologies. IORA has been involved in preparing GS monitoring reports and credits transaction for these two projects.
About GS:
Established in 2003 by WWF and other international NGOs as a best practice standard to ensure projects that reduced carbon emissions under the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) also delivered on the dual mandate to foster sustainable development, Gold Standard now has more than 80 NGO supporters and 1400+ projects in over 80 countries, creating billions of dollars of shared value from climate and development action worldwide.
See https://www.goldstandard.org/ for further details.

IORA supports Indian developers in obtaining optimum finance for their carbon offsets in the global markets. With a strong connection with both regulatory and voluntary buyers, IORA has helped transact over 4 million carbon offsets from India in the last 7 years. We help our clients structure and transact multi project portfolio transactions, access upfront financing against their carbon offset portfolio and retire offsets on their behalf.

IORA is working on “Developing Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Models for Deployment of Decentralised Renewable Energy Systems in Assam and Meghalaya”. The project is supported by Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation. We have identified 10 sites to deploy suitable DRE technology solutions across both the states using a PPP approach. Our pilots present solutions for rural electrification, building resilient Disaster Risk Management (DRM) infrastructure, resilient medical infrastructure and development of local enterprises. We will identify/ create local institutional frameworks to host and support the implementation and monitoring of the proposed DRE solutions. This may include the existing Village Panchayat (VPs), Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs), Self Help Groups (SHGs) or creation of new Village Energy Committees (VECs) as needed. Training and capacity building of community stakeholders will be carried out to encourage entrepreneurship and to ensure effortless operation and maintenance of DRE systems. The project is an endeavour to achieve SDG 7 in Assam and Meghalaya by developing a roadmap to provide reliable access to electricity.

Development Alternatives engaged IORA to provide consulting support and to develop corporate & government engagement strategies, project due diligence tools and project contracting procedures for pilot projects in the Smart Power for Environmentally Sound Economic Development (SPEED) Project. The project aimed to create a positive impact on the lives of rural communities in India through the delivery of more affordable, reliable and clean energy services.

IORA (in association with ICF Strategic Consulting) empowered the Government of Assam with technical capacity to develop a state-level energy plan with several specific actions. We appropriately designed and established a Project Management Unit (PMU) capacitated with required skills and knowledge to establish permanency of the developed Energy Plan within the Assam State Energy Planning processes.

USAID initiated the Innovations in Ecosystem Management and Conservation (IEMaC) project under it’s InFORM (Innovations in Forest Resource Management) program. IORA led the deployment of IEMaC in collaboration with MART and Bioversity International. Implemented in two landscapes- Sirsi (Karnataka) and Mandla (Madhya Pradesh), IEMaC aimed at reducing pressure on forests through development of innovative gender sensitive tools for improved fuelwood management, community-centric NTFP value chains and community based forest-monitoring tools. They were trained on gendered value-chain development and assessment of its impact at household and enterprise level. We developed NTFP enterprises as an alternative livelihood strategy for the forest dependent communities. This involved developing sustainable NTFP harvesting techniques, community-based entrepreneurs, Farmer Producer Company (FPC), organic certification and value addition at processing hubs and market linkages leading to a 30% increased income for forest dependent communities. 50 women farmers were trained under the program. The program resulted in certification of 27 wild harvested produce, 20000 Ha of forest land & 400 farmers as organic under USDA-NOP, NPOP & EU 847/2007 organic standards.
The project led to the development of iFoReST (India’s Forest Resource Decision Support Tool), an innovative decision support system (DSS) that scientifically guides investments aimed at addressing unsustainable extraction of fuelwood from forests. The iFoReST was deployed in both the landscapes with the Karnataka Forest Department and Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, respectively. Several clean technology installations targeting domestic, commercial and institutional users of fuelwood were carried out by clean technology entrepreneurs trained under the project. The project resulted in 1,000 tonnes of reduced CO2 emissions, through increased community plantations, installation of fuel-efficient water heaters, dryers, cookstoves and jaggery processing units along with household biogas plants.

IORA in collaboration with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) implemented the initiative ‘Smokeless Biomass Briquetting’ in Sikkim. This intervention was a part of the USAID sponsored Partnership for Land Use (Forest-PLUS) Programme. The key objective of the pilot project was to reduce fuelwood consumption (household-level cooking and heating) leading to conservation and enhancement of Sikkim’s forest ecosystems that support agriculture and livelihoods. It promoted a new locally-made and cost-effective technology that converts biomass waste into a clean fuel called “Biomass Briquette” or “Bio-briquette” (alternative clean fuel that reduces the extraction and consumption of fuelwood as a key source of energy).
It also provides a solution to agricultural waste and invasive species, which can be used as biomass inputs.

IORA formulated India’s first successful household waste management project – India Organic Waste Management Programme (IOWMP). The project promotes household organic waste management through installation of biogas plants at household, community and institutional levels. IOWMP’s value chain ensures timely delivery, training on usage, rapid installation, maintenance and monitoring. In partnership with Biotech Renewable Energy, we distributed over 20,000 plants across India.

As part of the project for GIZ India, our team strategised a set of comprehensive climate change vulnerability assessments (VRA) consultations with a wide range of stakeholders from policy, academia, industry and think tanks for multiple sectors in order to understand the challenges faced by practitioners of VRA and the capacity needs of other stakeholders of VRA. The purpose of this project was to analyse existing VRA methodologies, identify gaps and limitations, and further recommend means of strengthening the existing frameworks or methodologies applied in India. Basis the analysis, recommendations to enhance the robustness of current methodologies (with reference to IPCC Assessment Reports in the Indian context) were given. These recommendation further enabled the State Government to effectively mainstream and integrate climate change actions into departmental action plans.

Supporting Government of India’s goal of sustainable cooling in India (through India’s Cooling Action Plan-ICAP), IORA is working closely with the World Bank to design a policy roadmap for the implementation of ICAP. Focussing on strengthening of the existing policies, programmes and initiatives, the work entails development of actionable measures for implementation of ICAP in key thematic areas including space cooling in buildings, cold chain and refrigeration (agriculture and health) and transport air conditioning. The roadmap will chart out selected interventions in policy, financing and institutions as well as technology and design. This will assist in reducing the cooling demand, associated energy demand and GHG emissions from the above sectors. IORA has designed a series of interconnected steps for identification of holistic, viable, and scalable interventions, which will operate through partnerships with various stakeholders to identify measures towards successful implementation of ICAP.

Towards integrating actions on climate change and disaster risk management in Sikkim, we developed an actionable roadmap that identified and prioritised areas of action in spheres of policy, investments, knowledge, and institutional capacity for key climate-relevant and disaster-prone sectors in the state. Supported by the World Bank, the project analysed the current capacity of Sikkim in addressing and dealing with climate and disaster risks through an extensive analysis of the existing SAPCC and Disaster Risk Management Plans in the state. Post a detailed analysis of current institutional capacity, policy framework, and investments for each of the focus areas, we recommended for suitable risk mitigation strategies, institutional structure, and a financing plan. The review assisted in developing a clear understanding of the existing knowledge systems on climate change and disasters in the state, risk monitoring & reporting frameworks, future climate change projections, and GHG emission trends. The project assisted in the identification of over 100 interventions to address the gaps in knowledge creation, policy development, institutional capacity building, and investments. 39 high-priority interventions across 8 focus areas were also finalised using the Multi-Criteria Decision Approach (MCDA) Framework and US Government’s STAPLEE Method.

The project implemented by the MoEFCC and GIZ, developed capacities in the areas of climate protection, resilience and NDC implementation as well as transdisciplinary issues. It promoted network-building with relevant stakeholders, established linkages with national and international research institutions and supported the establishment of a publicly available knowledge platform (for climate change adaptation). IORA in consultation with GIZ and relevant technical institutions designed an institutional framework for the flow of advisory service.

IORA supported Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Telangana and Tamil Nadu to impart training to state and district level officials for integrating climate change adaptation into the development programmes. We undertook 12 state level workshops and developed a guidebook for Master Trainers Programme, which was subsequently used for training state and district level officials, policy makers and community members at the implementation stage. A state wise practitioners’ guidebook was also customised for every official. The designed guide on Climate Change Adaptation-Rural Adaptation in India included: i) Target state specific strategy, methodology and mode for delivering trainings ii) Inventory of background documents (concept notes, agenda, case studies etc.) for each training programme.

Climate Change Adaptation in Rural Areas of India (CCA-RAI) intended to develop new concepts to leverage funds from National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) for newer adaptation projects. The overall objective of this initiative was to analyse the ongoing NAFCC projects and to develop concepts/projects for innovative ideas on adaptation (linking different states, sectors and stakeholders). IORA conducted a detailed analysis of the 27 NAFCC projects and identified key areas of possible reforms. Further, 6 innovative concepts (Building Climate Resilient Value Chains of India specific Medicinal Plants, Brahmaputra Basin, Urban Infrastructure in Coastal Cities, Agriculture Infrastructure, Cauvery Basin and Health Sector) were developed for funding.

IORA developed the National Adaptation Plan of India, which enlisted specific adaptation strategies for Water resources, Agriculture, Forest and Biodiversity, Himalayan and mountainous ecosystems, Coastal Zones, Energy and Disaster risk reduction. The plan was developed after critically assessing the vulnerabilities and impacts. Financial resources for budget requirements were also identified.

IORA developed disaster preparedness and response plans at Panchayat Samiti level and to strengthen response capacity in 30 Panchayat Samitis across Himachal Pradesh. We prepared individual plans consisting of training manuals and SOPs, that outlined roles of Panchayat members for each village. IORA also carried out Disaster Response Mock drills in all Panchayat Samitis to assess the effectiveness of their disaster preparedness and response plans.

IORA assessed the trends of floods and erosion in Majuli under this project. We also evaluated climate change impacts on these Hazards, ascertained escalated hazard risks on communities through FGDs (64 villages across 20 Gram Panchayats in Majuli); determined community adaptive capacities; and designed climate resilient adaptation actions with budgets and probable source of funding to ensure long term preparedness.

IORA conceptualized and designed a carbon neutrality roadmap for Majuli. Majuli aims to be India’s first Carbon neutral district. We identified 19 interventions in key sectors, such as energy, water, transportation, agriculture, waste management and carbon sequestration, and proposed a tentative budget (~1200 Cr over a period of 3 years), as well as mapped the sources for financing the suggested actions.

GIZ India aims to improve the knowledge and management capacities of state and local stakeholders for the conservation of aquatic species across Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Manipur, and support their sustainable and climate-friendly management. To achieve this, GIZ India has engaged Iora to carry out the training needs assessment and develop an updated curriculum in the North Eastern Himalayan Region of India (NERAQ) project states. We will also support the development of the Training of Trainer (ToT) toolkit and devise a Standard Operating Procedure in local languages for easy dissemination of the training modules.

As per the directives of MoEFCC, the initial SAPCCs need to be strengthened with latest scientific assessments and projections. In this context, Maharashtra government engaged IORA to revise Maharashtra SAPCC 1.0 in line with the guidance provided in the Common Framework for Revision of SAPCCs. The updation process includes latest climate analytics (IPCC AR5) and ensures that the identified action plans are aligned with India’s national and international commitments (NDCs and SDGs) and state priorities (state’s SDG targets, Maji Vasundhara). The existing SAPCC will be reviewed to highlight the current gaps and accordingly provide recommendations to address them. IORA is also developing elaborate implementation, finance and M&E plans towards achieving the targets effectively and execution of the overall revised SAPCC.

IORA is currently engaged by the Assam Climate Change Management Society to update and review the current SAPCC and prepare a Vulnerability Action Plan for 6 Agro-Climatic Zones of Assam. We endeavor to review the ASAPCC document and align it with the SDGs, NDCs, missions and national, international commitments of India, keeping in view the state government’s priorities to boost up the climate resilience of Assam. A brief report on gaps and recommendations along with Table of Contents of the revised SAPPC will be shared by IORA. The revised SAPCC will also involve incorporation of inputs form Nodal Department, State Steering Committee and MoEFCC. A Vulnerability Assessment report will also be submitted, along with listing of available and best suited climate projection for Assam, selected indicators for the study, vulnerability indices for the 6 zones and drivers of vulnerability for adaptation planning.

IORA developed a concept note and project proposal for better soil and water management in the arid areas of Telangana. We assessed the scope, cost and sustainability of prioritized interventions, suggested by state department in the State Action Plan for Climate Change (SAPCC), under this project.

IORA assisted the Governments of Mizoram and Sikkim in developing their respective State Water Policies. The policies were drafted after reviewing the existing state policies and the National Water Policy’2012. The policies incorporate state specific water management needs, based on salient features of the National Water Policy and best practices of other state policies. They also align with the broad objectives of the National Water Mission. The new policies incorporate socio-economic considerations including gender aspects. They provide advisory on managing water efficiently, while ensuring equitable access.

IORA was commissioned by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) to formulate a national policy on Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA). CSA is an integrated approach that aims to sustainably increase agricultural productivity, farmer incomes and food security. It aims to build climate resilience in agriculture and reduce GHG emissions from the sector. IORA developed the national policy’s corresponding operational guidelines that enable relevant targeted convergence of ‘packages of practices’ at village cluster level in the most vulnerable districts of India, as defined by Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA).

IORA worked with Korea Carbon Finance (KCF) to evaluate and design the first ever Monitoring Reporting Verification (MRV) framework for Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA) in India. The evaluation and designing were carried out in the transportation and building sectors, which have been grossly under-represented in the existing CDM regime. IORA assessed the viability of the designed systems in line with existing institutional frameworks for data gathering in the country and proposed a C-NAMA which included CDM requirements, lessons for implementation and a gap analysis.

IORA (in partnership with Korea Carbon Finance (KCF) and Korea Energy Management Corporation (KEMCO) designed one of the first pilot projects – Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) in India for the Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) scheme. We also engaged extensively with the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) and India Energy Exchange (IEX) to design this pilot project. The findings of this study were published in a report titled “NAMA Crediting – From its concept to MRV options” by KEMCO during the Conference of Parties (COP) – 19, 2013 meeting in Warsaw.

Commissioned by the World Bank, IORA is generating an evidence-base for Nepal’s policymakers, development partners, and private sector to prioritize key climate transition areas and accelerate action in these areas. The team will conduct a quick meta data analysis and review the basic economic structure and climate change adaptation & mitigation approaches adopted by the country. Based on mapping and critical analysis of the country’s climate commitments and existing sectoral policy actions, IORA will reflect on the state-of-play of the institutional arrangements, policy reform process, planning systems and program implementation status towards identification of barriers which are hindering Nepal’s transition to a climate resilient and green future nation.

Commissioned by the World Bank, IORA is conducting an extensive country-specific review of existing information and gap identification at a national, sub-national and sectoral level for the intended transitions across development and climate change. This Climate Finance readiness review will provide an analysis of overall investment and spending goals, climate investment potentials, implications of tax revenue and climate finance deployment. IORA also aims to generate evidence to build a strong justification for India’s policymakers and private sector to accelerate the country’s transition towards decarbonization and climate adaptation, through this project. We will further identify the critical barriers and existing perverse policy incentives across sectors, which hinder India’s transition to a climate resilient and a green future nation.

IORA, in partnership with World Bank, conducted a Climate Public Expenditure Review for Sikkim. We reviewed the state’s existing budget plans to address challenges to climate change. The project also identified and prioritised areas of actions in policy, investment opportunities, knowledge building and institutional capacity. The study builds on IORA’s previous work on “Mainstreaming Climate Action and Disaster Risk Management in Sikkim”. CPEIR provides a systematic qualitative and quantitative analysis for planning and budgeting of public expenditures concerning climate change in the state.

With assistance from GIZ India, IORA supported the Haryana Forest Department in preparing project proposal for accessing climate finance from the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC). The proposed project enhanced the adaptive capacity of urban and peri-urban landscapes in NCR through conservation & restoration of critical rainwater catchments & water bodies in the Gurugram Aravalli landscape. The project focused on water resource augmentation, bioremediation and enhancement of urban ecosystem services. IORA conducted field surveys, meetings with government officials and also prioritised interventions, while assessing their feasibility.

IORA (in partnership with GIZ India) developed a project concept note and a detailed Project Design Document (PDD) for the State Government of Gujarat for “Climate Change Adaptation for Natural Resource (NR) dependent communities for Kachchh district, Gujarat” project. The project proposed to develop climate resilience through livelihood security and ecosystem restoration. The PDD was used to access funds from NAFCC. The project was implemented by Forest Department in Gujarat in partnership with GEER Foundation and Gujarat Institute on Desert Ecology (GUIDE).

Climate Change Adaptation in Rural Areas of India (CCA-RAI) intended to develop new concepts to leverage funds from National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) for newer adaptation projects. The overall objective of this initiative was to analyse the ongoing NAFCC projects and to develop concepts/projects for innovative ideas on adaptation (linking different states, sectors and stakeholders). IORA conducted a detailed analysis of the 27 NAFCC projects and identified key areas of possible reforms. Further, 6 innovative concepts (Building Climate Resilient Value Chains of India specific Medicinal Plants, Brahmaputra Basin, Urban Infrastructure in Coastal Cities, Agriculture Infrastructure, Cauvery Basin and Health Sector) were developed for funding.

Commissioned by Shakti Sustainable Foundation, IORA is assessing the adaptation financing needs for the identified key sectors- Water, Agriculture and allied sectors, Land use and Forest and Health till the year 2040. The work involves a detailed literature review for identification of priority areas of adaptation in each key sector, stakeholders’ mapping, engaging policy makers, industry players, experts, and other stakeholders towards technology gap identification & prioritisation of appropriate technologies, along with policy and financial assessment for implementation of identified technologies.