Government to revise 2019 Climate Action Plan
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 21
Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday chaired a roundtable conference to address the climate crisis in the Capital, focusing on seven critical sectors —electricity, water, waste, green cover, transport, health and agriculture. Over 40 departments, experts and officials participated in the meeting, aimed at overhauling the existing 2019 climate policy, underscoring the urgent need for action as the city grapples with unprecedented heatwaves and record rainfall.
He also released a draft of a new environmental policy, which includes the creation of an “environment health cell” to address diseases linked to climate change, the expansion of solar-power generation and plans for waste-to-energy plants.
The draft action plan will be submitted to the Centre in the next two weeks, highlighting a vulnerability assessment showing that North East Delhi, East Delhi and South Delhi have high vulnerability, while New Delhi, Central Delhi and North Delhi have a low-vulnerability index and the installation of smart meters.
Rai emphasised the global consequences of unchecked development, stating, “The way nature has been tampered with in the blind race of development has led to climate change worldwide, and it is now having a direct impact on people’s lives.” He also noted that Delhi is battling air pollution, with the government working tirelessly to reduce it.
“In 2019, Delhi formulated a climate change policy. However, given the accelerating pace of climate change since then, the Delhi Government began revising this policy two years ago,” Rai explained. A core group was formed, involving various departments and stakeholders, and several meetings were held to draft the new policy.
A steering committee, chaired by the Chief Secretary, was established to finalise the proposal.
The Government of India is collaborating with the German Technical Cooperation Group to develop this policy nationwide. This group also assisted in preparing Delhi’s draft policy, with participation from 40 institutions, including IIT-Delhi, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), along with various departments from the Delhi and Central Governments.
Rai highlighted that a proposal has been made to identify the sources of climate change across different sectors and develop a comprehensive policy. “The government will focus on garbage management to ensure 100 per cent disposal across Delhi,” he added.
He also noted that the government aims to achieve a 100 per cent electric vehicle fleet in the city’s transport system. The revised Delhi State Action Plan on Climate Change includes mitigation and adaptation measures, along with a detailed implementation strategy and financing roadmap for Delhi up to 2030 to combat climate change.
