Bihar pursuing to achieve net zero carbon emission by 2040
Category : Climate Change |
Location : Bihar | Posted on 2022-07-13 22:22:10
PATNA: The Bihar government is actively pursuing the target of net zero carbon level — a balance between emitting carbon and absorbing carbon from the atmosphere — by the year 2040. Significant progress has been made so far in this direction through field visits, data collection and assessment, the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) chairman Ashok Kumar Ghosh said.
A final report comprising policy-level recommendations for achieving the desired results will be submitted to the state government by March next year.
The BSPCB chairman made such claims on Wednesday on the sidelines of a mid-term review of the steps taken for formulating the policy-level recommendation for carbon neutrality in the state. The BSPCB had entered into a MoU with the United Nations Environment Programme-India in February, 2021 for climate resilience and low carbon development strategy formulation. Later, several other agencies working in the environment conservation sector, including Shakti Foundation, WRI-India and CEEW were also associated with the project as partner organisations.
A mid-term review of the progress made in the project by all the stakeholders was done here on Wednesday through a comprehensive stakeholders’ consultation meet on the topic ‘Climate Resilient and Low Carbon Development Pathways’. Officials from different departments of the state government, including energy, disaster management, industries, agriculture, water resources, transport, health and buildings construction among others attended the consultation meet.
Speaking on the occasion, principal secretary (environment, forests and climate change) Arvind Kumar Chaudhary said this is a visionary exercise being carried out by the Bihar government which requires inter-sectoral actions and coordination among the multiple departments.
“We have organised this meet with the vision to bring all the stakeholders’ department under the same roof to get their strategic guidance and inputs on the analysis so far conducted by the partner organisations,” the BSPCB chairman said.
BSPCB member secretary S Chandrashekhar said, “We will be working on a strict timeline to prepare the strategy for Bihar government on time to mitigate and adapt the climate change.”
The environment, forest and climate change department’s principal chief conservator of forests (climate change and wetland) N Jawahar Babu emphasised on the need for the convergence among policies to mitigate and adapt the impacts of climate change.
“Bihar government is pioneering the work through initiatives like climate resilient agriculture and there is a vision at the highest level to build climate resilience for the people of the state,” Nand Kishor, director (horticulture), agriculture department said.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/bihar-pursuing-to-achieve-net-zero-carbon-emission-by-2040/articleshowprint/92860031.cms
