CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday announced that Tamil Nadu will formulate State Determined Contributions (SDCs) to establish measurable carbon-reduction targets across departments by 2030, positioning the state on a par with India’s Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement.
Inaugurating the two-day Tamil Nadu Climate Summit 4.0 in Chennai, Stalin said future state budgets would integrate climate action and align departmental schemes with emission reduction goals. The summit, organised under the aegis of the Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission, brought together policymakers, multilateral agencies and subject experts to deliberate on the state’s climate roadmap.
During the event, the chief minister launched TN-SHORE (Tamil Nadu Sustainably Harnessing Ocean Resources and Blue Economy) and distributed revolving fund-based micro-loans of Rs 5 lakh each to the Killai–MGR Nagar and Killai–Kalaignar Nagar Mangrove Protection Groups. Officials said similar assistance would be extended to 32 other mangrove protection groups to bolster coastal livelihoods.
He also laid the foundation stone for a Sea Cow (Dugong) Protection Centre at Thanjavur Manora. An MoU was exchanged between the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, the United Nations Environment Programme and the Tamil Nadu Green Climate Fund to establish a Circular Economy Centre at IIT-M.
Separately, the SEBI-registered Tamil Nadu Green Climate Fund started its first round of investments. With a target corpus of Rs 1,000 crore and a green shoe option of another Rs 1,000 crore, the fund announced an initial deployment of Rs 70 crore across Kannapiran Polymers, electric mobility operator Oor Cabs and EV charging firm ESYGO.
Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Forests and Climate Change, said the fund would be managed by Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund Management Corporation Ltd. The state has committed Rs 100 crore, with the remaining Rs 900 crore to be mobilised through private finance for green ventures. Centre for Science and Environment Director General Sunita Narain underscored the widening global climate finance gap and called for innovative sub-national financing mechanisms.
Stalin added that the summit was conducted sustainably, with 1,100 saplings planted in Krishnagiri to offset its carbon footprint.
CM MK Stalin also distributed revolving fund-based micro-loans of Rs 5 lakh each to the Killai–MGR Nagar and Killai–Kalaignar Nagar Mangrove Protection Groups. Similar assistance would be extended to 32 other groups