Karnataka Requires Rs 52 Lakh Crore Regarding Climate Change Mitigation Projects

Karnataka believes that climate change adaptation and mitigation initiatives will require a budget investment of Rs 20,88,041.23 crore by 2025 and Rs 52,82,744.32 crore by 2030.

The projection is based on the second edition of the Karnataka State Action Plan on Climate Change - Version-2, that was developed by the Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute in 2015. (EMPRI). The report has been submitted to the Central Government for review and confirmation for its approval.

This version was created using 15 climate models, according to EMPRI Director-General Jagmohan Sharma. The Centre for Environment and Education has begun evaluating the progress made and the activities completed in response to the 2015 report's recommendations. He further stated that the Bangalore Climate Change Initiative-Karnataka had a discussion on lCOP-26 Glasgow, Climate Change Recommendations and Impact on Karnataka.

According to the new study, it is revealed that summer and winter temperatures are expected to fluctuate by 0.5 to 2.5 degrees Celsius, and rain days will rise, affecting Rabi and Kharif crops.

Dr HN Ravindranath, a member of the UN Committee on Climate Change adviced that climate change must be handled from all perspectives, particularly at the grassroots level, as people on the ground are the first to experience the direct effects of climate change. It impacted assessments and mitigation strategies should be set up at the panchayat level. Karnataka and India should begin planning climate change initiatives now that the World Bank has declared that financing will be allocated for such projects. He added that it will developed-country monies go to developing-country governments to address the environmental effect.

Meanwhile, he mentioned that Karnataka has led the way in solar energy, few people are aware that 80 percent of the panels are manufactured in China. The dynamics will shift once they are manufactured in India. While experts say that while India pledged to assist island countries at COP-26, soil erosion which is certainly occurring on 94 islands and coastal areas in Karnataka, that is not getting addressed.