BENGALURU: Bengaluru has now given its commitment to the Paris Agreement to keep rise in global average temperatures within 2°C of pre-industrial levels, and to pursue efforts to limit temperature rises even further to only 1.50 degrees Celsius.The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. BBMP Commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad recently wrote to Mayor Garcetti, the 42nd Mayor of Los Angeles, giving his commitment. The Agreement aims to strengthen the ability of countries to deal with unavoidable impacts of climate change through adaptation. This is set in the context of sustainable development and on the basis of inclusivity for all communities.
Research by C40 and partners shows concrete action is necessary to achieve the ambition of the Paris Agreement.The plan provides a roadmap outlining the pace, scale and prioritization of action needed by C40 member cities, and identifies these cities’ share of the remaining global carbon budgets to 2100 that would keep us on a climate safe path.
“To support the implementation of the Paris Agreement, I commit the City of Bengaluru to develop and begin implementing a climate action plan (or series of plans) that will deliver action consistent with the ambitions of the Paris Agreement, and addresses both the need to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change,” Prasad said in the letter, a copy of which is with TNIE.
Prasad said he has committed that Bengaluru will deliver a GHG emissions neutral and climate resilient city by 2050, and set an interim target for 2030. It will demonstrate how the city will adapt and improve resilience to climate hazards that may impact the city.Rajendra Cholan, BBMP Special Commissioner, Health, said talks with stakeholders and government departments like the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, transport and energy departments were being held.