India has a leading role in the global fight against climate change: Simon Petrie

Dr Neelima Jerath, Executive Director, Punjab State Council for Sciences and Technology, while giving a presentation on the state of Punjab, shared that due to climate change, 83 per cent of agricultural area will be affected and essential food crops such as wheat will possibly witness a drastic fall in production.

She also added that while many regions will witness a decline in food productivity, higher temperatures are expected to decrease rice fields as a result of shorter growing periods.

Meanwhile, Simon Petrie, the first secretary of low carbon growth, energy, climate and growth unit, British High Commission, said, “India has a huge opportunity to play a leading role in the global fight against climate change. Like all countries, India will feel the effects of climate change. There are millions of vulnerable people who will be affected by changing monsoons, rising sea levels and drought.”

“But India will also be part of the solution. India has taken impressive action already, with proposals in the budget to create an adaptation fund, improving farmers’ resilience to the impacts of climate change, flagship policies for industrial energy efficiency, and a huge ambition to scale up solar power,” Petrie added.

Talking about the action taken in the UK, he said, “We are working at home and abroad to promote low-carbon economic growth, cut emissions and improve resilience. In 2008, the UK put in place a landmark Climate Change Act that binds us to reduce carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050. It is the world’s first and most ambitious legally-binding emissions reduction commitment.”

While discussing about India, they stated that UK is working with a range of outstanding partners at the state and national levels to help tackle the causes and impacts of climate change.

Also, UK is working together to put in place the policy and institutional framework for offshore wind, helping states to develop solar rooftop policies, and testing business models for off-grid clean energy.