The State Government on Saturday renamed its Forest & Environment Department as ‘Forest, Environment & Climate Change Department’.

The department would now give focus on climate change along with forest and environment protection and conservation, The department would be the nodal agency of the State for Climate Change Actions.

Development of State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) along with other plan, policy, programme, project on climate actions and implementation plan in line with the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), 2015 as per the State perspective in close coordination with the line departments would be its responsibility.

Identifying key vulnerabilities of the State to climate change and assessing the need for adaptation to future climate change and the scope for incorporating these in relevant programmes, including watershed management, coastal zone planning and regulation, fisheries and animal resources development, forestry management, agricultural technologies and practices, transport and health programmes would be its key concern. The department would take a lead role for reduction of Green House Gas Emission (GHG) through conservation and enhancement of energy efficiency, coordination with line departments and organisations in the sectors of energy, PWD, transport, agriculture, urban development, industries and mining, etc.

It would focus on formulation of policies for promotion of non- conventional alternative sources of power like solar and wind energy and publicity to encourage use of such resources. Mobilisation of finance from various national, international, multilateral, bilateral and other sources, including private partners, would be its lookout.

The capacity enhancement of Government departments, institutions and organisations (both Government and non-Government) to deal with emerging climate change issues in the State along with promotion of awareness on climate change and its impact would also be within its jurisdiction.

The development of Climate Change Impact Assessment in selected regions and sectors of the State, development of mechanisms for inter-departmental coordination so as to have periodic interactions with the stakeholder departments, different regulatory authorities, R&D institutions, etc., including interaction with international institutions for exchange of information on climate change issues, monitoring and impact evaluation of Climate Change Actions (adaptation, mitigation and capacity building) at  State level would also be priorities of the department. This amendment has been notified by General Administration Department and published in Odisha Gazette.