Jammu: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, Thursday chaired a crucial meeting to review the updated Action Plan on Climate Change for Jammu & Kashmir, calling for a coordinated and time-bound approach to strengthen the climate resilience efforts here.
The meeting besides Additional Chief Secretary, Jal Shakti Department, and Commissioner Secretary, Forests was attended by Chairperson, J&K Pollution Control Committee; Secretary, Science & Technology; Secretary, Health & Medical Education; Secretary, Rural Development Department; Secretary, Transport; Commissioner, JMC/SMC, and senior officers from other concerned departments.
Reviewing the updated action plan Chief Secretary emphasized the importance of prioritizing climate change across all departments in the updated Action Plan, urging each to appoint dedicated officers for integrating climate-responsive measures into their policies and annual work plans. He directed the Forest Department, as the nodal agency, to facilitate inter-departmental consultations to clarify roles, responsibilities, and resource commitments necessary for effective implementation aligned with emission reduction and climate adaptation goals. To enhance transparency and track progress, the Chief Secretary instructed the development of an online portal for departments to regularly update their climate-related interventions. This system aims to support continuous monitoring of vulnerability indicators and risk assessments, enabling data-driven decision-making. ACS Jal Shakti, Shaleen Kabra, highlighted the need for stakeholder consultations to evaluate ongoing projects for alignment with updated climate targets and to identify opportunities for scaling successful initiatives. Commissioner Secretary, Forests, Sheetal Nanda, noted that the revised Action Plan considers Jammu & Kashmir’s ecological sensitivities and financial capacity, incorporating ongoing programs under UT Capex and Centrally Sponsored Schemes. The previous Action Plan, which included 11 missions and 235 proposed actions, was submitted for approval to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) to secure funding. The revision aligns the UT’s climate roadmap with India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) from 2015, necessitating updated vulnerability assessments and enhanced climate modeling. The updated Action Plan provides a comprehensive climate profile for Jammu & Kashmir, detailing historical and projected temperature and precipitation trends, and assessing the varying exposure and risks faced by populations, agriculture, forests, and livestock. A detailed vulnerability and risk assessment categorizes districts into high, medium, or low vulnerability zones based on 42 scientific indicators. The revised plan identifies 55 mitigation strategies projected to reduce approximately 2.6 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions by 2030. These strategies include expanding renewable energy sources, reducing power sector losses, promoting energy-efficient appliances, encouraging electric vehicle adoption, and enhancing sustainable waste management practices. The meeting also addressed the governance structure for implementing the plan, including the establishment of oversight mechanisms and a real-time dashboard to monitor progress across departments.
