Maharashtra joins ‘Under2 Coalition’ Fight Climate Change – Burning Issues – Free PDF

Maharashtra joins Under2 Coalition of states to fight climate change

• Maharashtra has joined the 200-odd global states and regions fighting climate change in collaboration with Under2 Coalition, an international non-profit organization working in climate mitigation to ensure its climate action plan is aligned with the Paris Agreement.
• The Under2 Coalition is backed by the United Nations environmental programme.
• Aaditya Thackeray, state minister for Environment, announced Maharashtra’s entry and its future efforts towards becoming a climate-resilient state.
• Being the second-most populous state in the country and having large-scale weather varied conditions, vast coast-line and drought-prone areas, Maharashtra is at a higher risk of facing the effects of climate change in future.
• State’s climate action policy entails detailed plans on climate change mitigation and considers the threats associated with sea-level rise for coastal areas.
• From saving the Aarey forest to protecting 9,800 hectares of mangrove lands across the state, Maharashtra has been at the forefront of adaptation and mitigation efforts.
• By joining the world’s most prominent coalition of states and regions on climate action, Maharashtra has demonstrated the subnational climate leadership the country needs. I
• t serves as a call to action for other Indian states that are especially vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters

• Formed in 2015, The Under2 Coalition comprises 230 governments representing more than 1.3 billion (130 crore) people and 43 percent of the global economy. After West Bengal, Telangana, Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra is the latest to join the Under2 coalition.
• The Under2 Coalition has previously supported West Bengal in the revamping of its state climate action plan by allocating money from its Future Fund for a feasibility study on e-ferries in the city of Kolkata, as well as Chhattisgarh, where it organised capacity-building workshops for officials concerned on how to track greenhouse gas emissions and build emissions inventories that comply with international standards.

Goal of U2C:

• Under2 Coalition members commit to keeping global temperature rises to well below 2°C with efforts to reach 1.5°C during the climate decade (2020 to 2030) being taken worldwide. It is mobilising global state and regional leadership on net-zero ambition through the Net Zero Futures project.
• As part of the UN’s Race to Zero campaign, 29 states and regions in the Coalition have committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 or earlier.

The Climate Group

• The Climate Group (TCG) is the secretariat to the Under2 Coalition and works with governments to accelerate climate action through three workstreams: pathways, policy action and transparency.
• TCG is an international non-profit body founded in 2003, with offices in London, New York and New Delhi.
• The Under2 Coalition supports states and regions worldwide through capacity-building; setting net-zero targets and facilitating funding in the global south to strengthen climate activities.
• In terms of pathways, it provides technical support and resources to members. Under policy action, it shares policy innovation and successes. In transparency, it helps increase accountability.
• The Under2 Coalition includes over 300 multinational businesses in 140 markets worldwide. Its work is focused on systems with the highest emissions and where its networks have the greatest opportunity to drive change. They include energy, transport, built environment and industry.
• Under2 Coalition is soon launching the #Regions2 #whatsatstate campaign to amplify the voices of regional governments ahead of the crucial COP26 summit in Glasgow in November 2021.
• They will demonstrate what each state or region stands to lose if countries do not keep to the Paris Agreement targets and take urgent action.

Latest Burning Issues | Free PDF

Sharing is caring!