NEW DELHI: Experts have long demanded a separate body to address the complex issue climate change. States have suggested setting up an ‘environmental council’ similar to the GST council to implement India’s climate action at all levels.
The Centre has an apex board that includes 13 members from key ministries to coordinate actions towards achieving India’s climate goals under the Paris Agreement. However, a suggestion to create a separate council was made during the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS). This was where ministers and state representatives suggested having a more focused body to help them.
They noted that implementation of climate action, including adaptation, mitigation, and resilience, falls often on state governments. Therefore, there should be a dedicated body made up of representatives from both the Centre and all states/Union Territories.
According to the GST Council, if there are the environment and forest ministers from all states and the Union minister for environment in a council I believe that is where we can set goals and policies at the national and state levels.
Thackeray, who was participating in a ministerial meeting on sub-national leadership to Inclusive green Growth at WSDS (organized by The Energy and Resources Institute TERI), suggested Thursday the publication of an annual environment reports. He suggested that an ease-of-living report could be used to list environmental targets and steps, as well as what can be done to combat climate change such adaptation, mitigation, and resilience.
Ministers spoke out at the session, which was moderated Vibha Dawan, director general of TERI. They stressed the need to develop new measures and yardsticks for assessing and addressing climate change related impacts. James K Sangma (environment and forest minister of Meghalaya), stressed the importance of sub-national governance in tackling climate change.
Sangma pointed out that Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh are the largest carbon sinks, which is crucial for India to honor the Paris Agreement commitments. He also emphasized the need for the north-eastern area to be a unique green lab. He said that Meghalaya wants to be a leader in the creation of a green bloc coalition to solve fast-depleting natural resources.
Palanivel Thiagarajan from Tamil Nadu, the finance minister, agreed with Thackerays suggestion.
Thiagarajan noted that there is a lot of diversity among states and that their needs and capabilities are vast. He said that India must achieve net-zero by 2070. A state like Tamil Nadu must reach that goal no later than 2050. This is because Tamil Nadu is far ahead of India in terms of per capita income and education.
The Centre has an apex board that includes 13 members from key ministries to coordinate actions towards achieving India’s climate goals under the Paris Agreement. However, a suggestion to create a separate council was made during the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS). This was where ministers and state representatives suggested having a more focused body to help them.
They noted that implementation of climate action, including adaptation, mitigation, and resilience, falls often on state governments. Therefore, there should be a dedicated body made up of representatives from both the Centre and all states/Union Territories.
According to the GST Council, if there are the environment and forest ministers from all states and the Union minister for environment in a council I believe that is where we can set goals and policies at the national and state levels.
Thackeray, who was participating in a ministerial meeting on sub-national leadership to Inclusive green Growth at WSDS (organized by The Energy and Resources Institute TERI), suggested Thursday the publication of an annual environment reports. He suggested that an ease-of-living report could be used to list environmental targets and steps, as well as what can be done to combat climate change such adaptation, mitigation, and resilience.
Ministers spoke out at the session, which was moderated Vibha Dawan, director general of TERI. They stressed the need to develop new measures and yardsticks for assessing and addressing climate change related impacts. James K Sangma (environment and forest minister of Meghalaya), stressed the importance of sub-national governance in tackling climate change.
Sangma pointed out that Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh are the largest carbon sinks, which is crucial for India to honor the Paris Agreement commitments. He also emphasized the need for the north-eastern area to be a unique green lab. He said that Meghalaya wants to be a leader in the creation of a green bloc coalition to solve fast-depleting natural resources.
Palanivel Thiagarajan from Tamil Nadu, the finance minister, agreed with Thackerays suggestion.
Thiagarajan noted that there is a lot of diversity among states and that their needs and capabilities are vast. He said that India must achieve net-zero by 2070. A state like Tamil Nadu must reach that goal no later than 2050. This is because Tamil Nadu is far ahead of India in terms of per capita income and education.
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