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Kolkata Municipal Corporation has launched work on the city’s climate action plan to address the issue of heightened climate risk of the city. With this announcement, Kolkata joins the league of global megacities that has already developed plans for emission cuts and adaptation to climate change.
Kolkata’s Climate Action Plan (KCAP) will be drafted by the Corporation in the next six months, with technical support from a coalition of specialised organisations and experts to be led by Environment Governed Integrated Organisation (EnGIO) and Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA). ORF Kolkata, Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI), Climate Trends, and the Kolkata Press Club are part of the coalition set to work for the plan.
The climate action plan will focus on 15 sectors that will cover key issues ranging from urban flooding to energy. The plan will also focus on building mitigation and adaptation through sustainable development measures across key areas such as waste management, biodiversity, flooding, water conservation, energy efficiency, air quality and sustainable mobility among others.
“We are deeply concerned about the issues like climate change and air pollution in the city. All of us have seen how the city got affected by a series of cyclones in the last few years and hence it is very important that we quickly prepare the Kolkata Climate Action Plan and start implementing those at the earliest. On World Environment Day, we have launched the work of the plan which is to be prepared in association with several experts organisations across the country; and will also involve premier national and international climate experts,” Firhad Hakim, Mayor of Kolkata and Minister for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs said in a press statement.
Vulnerable to climate change
According to senior experts, Kolkata is extremely vulnerable to climate change at global benchmark. City dwellers have already begun to feel the brunt of climate impacts with rising heat waves, cyclones and intense rainfall. Scientific predictions say that the climate risk for Kolkata will further increase in future. “Kolkata faces big threats from flooding, heat risk and extreme weather, the action plan under preparation should provide a roadmap to address such climate challenges and add voices to the vulnerable population living under the threats. A focus on reducing emissions and switching to clean energy will also contribute to the State’s and country’s net-zero goals,” Aarti Khosla, Director, Climate Trends, said in the statement.
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