Mumbai: MMRDA to prepare a Climate Action Plan to tackle climate change

Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will put together a Climate Action Plan for the region.

“Climate change possesses a significant risk threatening the present and future.Building resilience requires planning ahead and putting in place measures that reduce the climate risk while accelerating development,” said a senior MMRDA official.

The MMR, home to over 2.36 people and thriving on a diverse economy, is increasingly vulnerable to climate change. Rising temperatures, depleting natural green cover, and flood conditions cause severe loss tothe region’s economy and its people. The recent increase in tropical cyclones along the coast and future risks from sea level rise projected over the next few decades, pose critical challenges to MMR’s future.

The region is spread out on 6,328sqkm of which Mumbai occupies 437sqkm. The MMR includes Greater Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivali, Ulhasnagar, Navi Mumbai, Bhiwandi-Nizampur, Vasai-Virar, Mira-Bhayandar, Panvel, Ambarnath, Badlapur, Matheran, Khopoli, Karjat, Uran, Pen, Alibaug and Palghar.

The MMR-Climate Action Plan or MCAP will be prepared and implemented along withthe United Nations Environment Programme. Currently, the MMRDA is scouting for a private agency to prepare the plan which will study the geography, geology, hydrology, land cover, low-lying areas, flood prone areas, hills, factors influencing the macro and micro climate of the region, study of various ecosystems, vulnerability assessment, etc.

The plan will also identify the factors within the MMR contributing directly or indirectly to climate change such as effluent discharge, emissions, reduction in green areas, etc. and accordingly suggest mitigation and adoption strategies. The recommendations will be implemented while planning and executing infrastructure and transport projects.

Mumbai civic body’s MCAP document, released earlier this year, showed that the emissions will be reduced by 72% by the year 2050, yet miss out on the net zero emission target.