TN signs MoU with UNEP for implementing urban cooling programme in the State

The Tamil Nadu government has signed an MoU with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) to implement the urban cooling program in the state to meet the objectives under the Tamil Nadu State Action Plan on Climate Change.

The MoU was signed on Wednesday 1 March between Atul Bagai, Country Head, UNEP and the state government represented by Environment Secretary Supriya Sahu, a release said.

The collaboration between the state government and UNEP will aim to meet the rapidly growing demand for cooling in cities while supporting the implementation of initiatives to adapt and combat rising heat.

UNEP will work with the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Forests, the Department of Municipal Administration and Water Supply and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to prepare a comprehensive action plan, including better urban design, increasing green cover in cities, building efficiency measures, extreme heat planning and district cooling. , the release said.

The MoU will facilitate capacity building and awareness raising for a wide range of stakeholders in Tamil Nadu on sustainable cooling including technical, financial, policy and institutional solutions. It will also enhance South-South cooperation through training and raising awareness in India and other countries on activities and lessons from the program of work in Tamil Nadu.

It will facilitate comprehensive city and state-level planning for plastic waste management through scientific assessment and decision support system, expanded producers’ responsibility implementation framework, enforcement of single-use plastic bags, capacity building and awareness generation.

The special purpose vehicle was the first of its kind in India to drive climate action in the state of Tamil Nadu. The company guides three flagship missions of the government, the Green Tamil Nadu Mission, the Tamil Nadu Wetland Mission and the Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission.

The state government is also setting up the Tamil Nadu Green Climate Fund with a fund size of ₹1,000 crore. It had also announced setting up of climate change missions in all 38 districts, the release said.