Some MlAs of the State met and discussed the role of legislators in increasing Uttarakhand’s resilience to climate change and ensuring an environmentally sustainable growth pathway.
The discussion was held at Forest Research Institute as part of a round-table ‘Connecting the Dots’, jointly organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the British Deputy High Commission, North West India. The meeting was organised to coincide with the visit of the Prince of Wales to Dehradun who also met the legislators during his visit to the FRI. The Director of the Prince’s International Sustainability Unit, Justin Mundy, was part of the deliberations and shared his insights on how to tackle climate change.
Addressing the round-table, Uttarakhand Assembly deputy speaker AP Maikhuri said, “Understanding the impact of climate change on development and the impact that development has on climate change is really important for Uttarakhand. As legislators, we have a crucial role to play.” Delivering the keynote address, MlA Nav Prabhat said, “I personally feel that the visit of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall to Uttarakhand is at the most appropriate time when the State is trying to cope with the recent disaster. Himalaya, as the third pole deserves more attention from the world leadership”, he added.
Counsellor, Energy, Climate Change & Growth, British High Commission, Phil Marker said, “This discussion demonstrated the real interest here in Uttarakhand amongst legislators, government and industry to tackle climate change. The British High Commission looks forward to continuing this important discussion”.
Past chairman CII Uttarakhand State Council Dr S Farooq said that the most important aspect of climate change mitigation is grassroots level awareness and engagement as the climate change would impact one and all. A climate change toolkit for policy makers in Uttarakhand was launched on the occasion. The toolkit details the impact of human activities on nature, shares best global and local practices for environment conservation and lays down a roadmap for a greener future.