The next generation should be made a part of the climate change mitigation activities at the local level to ensure long-term continuity, Additional Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan has said. She was delivering the keynote address on Friday at a workshop and exhibition of the Local Action Plan on Climate Change (LAPCC) prepared by 217 local self-government bodies located along the Pampa river basin in the Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Idukki districts, organised by the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA).
“The unprecedented floods of 2018 showed us the role of local bodies as the first responders in disaster management. It made us realise the role of those who know the local priorities clearly in quick response. Local bodies, which have necessary financial resources, can harness the community as well as various departments. Although many local bodies conducted detailed studies on flood-prone areas and vulnerable communities immediately after the floods, these were not reflected in the projects made afterwards. Most of the projects were limited to constituting an emergency response team. The disaster and climate action tracker being prepared now is aimed at addressing this lacuna. It would also enable the local bodies to recognise whether there are any adverse climate-related impacts due to planned development activity,” she said.
Model of hope
She said that the local bodies have come up with such plans at a time when the window of opportunity for climate action is slowly closing. It is a model of hope and resistance against climate change. Even globally, such plans are a first, according to World Bank officials, she said.
The plans were prepared as a participatory exercise with the support of the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority and the KILA. The action plan takes into account the recorded changes in the temperature of the region, the annual rainfall and its pattern as well as the forecast of changes. Each local body constituted a core team of experts to collect and record the details. Focus group discussions on disaster risks and climate change factors were organised and inputs collected from local communities before finalising the action plan.
KILA Director General Joy Elamon said that the action plans can be a model for other local bodies and districts in Kerala and outside.
