CB BureauAt a seminar on ‘Combating Environmental Degradation’, in Ahmedabad,
all experts insisted that there were many ideas to combat climate
change and the need was to convert them into collaborative action. The event also
emphasised the need for a hands-on approach to combat climate change.
Speaking at the plenary session on ‘Global Climate Change
and Environmental Degradation and its impact on Indian society – economic and
social’, YK Alagh, a noted economist and former union minister, said, ‘Being
a development-oriented state with lots of industry houses and educational
institutes, Gujarat has capacity to launch certain initiatives to combat
climate change. Knowledge-based products are one of the major tools for the
purpose.’
Gujarat Ecology Commission, which
was recently lauded by environment minister Jairam Ramesh for its mangrove
restoration, chose the World Mangrove Day to host the seminar. Deliberations
and discussions, which will take place during the two-day national seminar (July 26-27), are
expected to be the cornerstone of the future roadmap to be developed for
combating climate change.
Speaking at the inaugural, SK Nanda, principal secretary, department of forest and environment, said, ‘It is now time for
all intellectuals to convert the ideas into action for the protection of the
environment. Tree plantation on large scale is one of the major tools for the
purpose, but the real challenge is to develop several revenue-based models to
combat climate change. Promotion to bio-degradable paper industry and
setting up a number of nurseries can be one of such solutions and all the
experts, who are present here, should do brainstorming exercise in this
direction.’
Picture: Environmentalchristian