Pune: Environmental experts from the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Indian Network on Ethics and Climate Change (INECC), TERRE Policy Centre, Clean Energy Access Network (CLEAN), and BAIF Development Research Foundation on Thursday urged standing candidates in the 2024 state assembly elections to include climate change action in their political manifestos. In light of the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties, commonly known as COP29 , the experts noted the need to increase climate finance in Maharashtra in the areas of food, water, and energy security. The group of experts included Dr Gurudas Nulkar, director of the Centre for Sustainable Development, GIPE; Dr Vinita Apte, founder director, TERRE Policy Centre; Dr Priyadarshini Karve, CEO of CLEAN; and Dr Myron Mendes, national facilitator of INECC.
"We want the parties to make it a part of their manifesto. Meanwhile, we will be providing inputs to the state climate action cell for the first state climate action plan in Maharashtra as well. Once the elections are over, we will coordinate with the elected representatives for these additions," said Nulkar.
They emphasised that the state must urgently focus on climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction to address the local impacts of climate change, including extreme weather events, food and water insecurity, and challenges of energy access for the state's most vulnerable communities. Mendes said, "Maharashtra must urgently.
