Create separate climate change ministry: Experts

By Sribala Vadlpatala
HYDERABAD: With the next edition of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report set to be released on Monday, experts advocate for a separate climate change ministry at the national and state level to adopt plans of climate mitigation.
According to them, the report’s findings might be cause for concern. Despite the fact that many developed countries have separate ministries, India has included it as one of the wings in the forest, environment, and climate change ministry.
“India has a division in the ministry along with seven others. A separate ministry or body is more appropriate ” Anjal Prakash, research director and adjunct associate professor, Bharti Institute of Public Policy, Indian School of Business (ISB), said
Nepal and a few other countries have already set up separate ministries. In 2009, the Himalayan country had established Climate Change Council, and it is the main political body responsible for guiding climate change policies. It is chaired by the prime minister and comprises members from key national, local and sectoral ministries.
Pakistan has a separate ministry of climate change, while Sri Lanka a climate change secretariat. Though India did not any make any such move, two states have climate change wings. Maharashtra has formed a council and even demanded that a separate climate change council, on the lines of the GST council, be formed with the participation of all states.
Tamil Nadu formed a state climate change cell in 2014. “The pros and cons of having a separate wing can be debated, but what is clear is the need for dedicated capacity building on long-term planning for climate change “ Chandini Singh, senior researcher, Indian Institute of Human Settlements (IIHS), said.