KOCHI: To address the problems associated with climate change in the state, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has decided to support a project that would assist the state become more resilient to environmental change, with a particular focus on the state’s coastal areas. According to a top official of ADB, discussions are on with the government of Kerala to study the issues and implement the project soon.
“The aim is to make the coastline of Kerala more resilient to climate change. The state has huge potential with smart and educated people. But the state is vulnerable to climate change, and this is something that we need to change. So that the state can expand the potential,” Mio Oka, country director, India Resident Mission of the Asian Development Bank, told TNIE. She was in Kochi to attend the two-day Invest Kerala Global Summit.
In the initial phase, hotspots along the coastline will be identified. “We are not looking at a wide area. We are in discussion to identify the top priority locations and hotspots. In these places, we will start working with the support of ADB. We are closely working with the government,” she said, adding they would be in a better position to do other projects once Kerala becomes a more sustainable and resilient state.
ADB had earlier designed a Climate-Resilient Coastal Protection and Management Project in India for Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The bank approved a $170 million loan to support the modernisation of water supply services in Kochi. “For the urban project, we tried to have a 24x7 water supply in Kochi. We are waiting for the signing of the urban water supply project. It will also come up very soon. We can do many other projects because the land is much safer and more resilient,” Oka said.