Kerala to become carbon-neutral state by 2050

Kerala State government has been formulating a plan to make it a zero-emission state by the year 2050. While inaugurating a seminar on Carbon Neutral Kerala organised as part of the Nava Keralam Mission, Kerala state minister for Local Self Government MV Govindan said.

The modern consumer culture was among the many factors contributing to global warming, he said.

“It is possible to cut greenhouse gas emissions in a phased manner through a coordinated project involving awareness programmes and popularisation of alternative systems as well as exploring means to capture and store carbon dioxide,” he said.

The two-day seminar seeks to come up with an action plan for the programme aimed at achieving carbon-neutral status. The action plan will form the basis of a participatory campaign involving local bodies, government departments, and agencies and the public.

Former Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac delivered the keynote address. T.N. Seema, coordinator, Nava Keralam Mission, presided over the function.

Experts from the India Meteorology Department, National Centre for Earth Science Studies, Centre for Water Resources Development and Management, Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Kerala Forest Research Institute, Kerala State Biodiversity Board, Energy Management Centre, government departments, and various engineering colleges are among those attending the seminar.