CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday said Tamil Nadu has been at the forefront in devising innovative programmes to cope with the impact of climate change and has so far launched many initiatives, including Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company, Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission, Green Tamil Nadu Mission, Tamil Nadu Wetlands Mission, Tamil Nadu Coastal Restoration Mission.
Addressing the second meeting of the Tamil Nadu Governing Council on Climate Change at the secretariat, Stalin said no other state has launched such initiatives for facing climate change so far. The Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission guides the state to achieve Net Zero Emissions by 2070. Through the Green Tamil Nadu Mission, 8.3 crore saplings have been planted to ensure biodiversity and to increase carbon sink.
Stalin said Tamil Nadu is the third state in renewable energy production. It also generates 11,900 million units of electricity per year from wind power. By 2030, Tamil Nadu aims to get 50% of its energy from ‘renewable energy’. ‘Rural water conservation’ is a key aspect of Tamil Nadu’s climate plan.
Economist Montek SinghAhluwalia hailed the state ’s efforts to devise the Tamil Nadu’s Action Plan for Climate Change. Erik Solheim, former Under Secretary General of United Nations Environment Programme, spoke about the need for Tamil Nadu to pay attention to the carbon market and about studying the possibilities for increasing wind power generation on the coast of the state. Dr Soumya Swaminathan, former chief scientist, WHO, referred to the benefits of cool roofing. Nandan M Nilekani, co-founder and chairman of Infosys Board, and other members also expressed their views.