The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report has reiterated what we have all feared — that human-induced climate change is gathering pace. The Lancet Countdown report on health and climate change estimates that India lost 118.3 billion work hours and 111.2 work hours per person to extreme heat in 2019, the highest for any country. Similarly, investing in industrial energy efficiency measures, switching corporate fleets to electric vehicles and optimising supply chains for energy use and resources will be necessary steps forward. As Mumbai and Maharashtra build city and State action plans respectively, to tackle climate change, it’s imperative that they take along members of industries that form the backbone of the city and State’s economy. As industries recognise the threat of climate change and build back from the impact of the pandemic, it’s high time that the Central and State governments give green recovery a push and promote every incentive that fuels the growth of a sustainable, climate friendly economy.

Source: The Hindu October 23, 2021 00:51 UTC