TERI keen to partner on climate change: Pachauri

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) has suggested that the Orissa government needs to prepare a detailed estimate on the impact of climate change in the state and the institute is keen to partner the state government for such an endeavor.

“The Orissa government needs to carry out a detailed assessment of the impact of climate change in the state and TERI is willing to offer its expertise for this initiative. Orissa has witnessed visible impacts of climate change in the past few years in the form of disastrous cyclones and floods”, said Rajendra K Pachauri, director general, TERI and chairman, Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Pachauri pointed out that TERI was spending Rs 70-75 crore on research and development every year on a vast array of topics pertaining to environment and climate change.

Asked if the upcoming low cost cars pose a threat to the environment, he said, we need to bank more on public transport for cutting greenhouse emissions, adding “The greenhouse emissions have grown by about 80 per cent form 1970-2004 and India is projected to be the third largest emitter of carbon dioxide by 2025.”

He was talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Foundation Day lecture programme of National Aluminium Company (Nalco) in the city.

“The issue of achieving sustainable growth is a greater challenge for India compared to other countries. There is an immense potential for growth in the country, especially in Orissa which is richly endowed with natural resources and the state needs to achieve growth with balanced and optimum use of these natural resources”, he said. Talking on the impact of global warming on agricultural productivity, Pachauri said, “The crop yield is expected to drop by 30 per cent in Central and South Asia by 2050 and up to 50 per cent in some African countries by 2020. In India, the yield of wheat could decrease by 5-10 per cent for ever one degree rise in temperature.”

He pointed out that the key policy interventions needed to tackle the problem of climate change include improving scientific understanding of the issues at stake, promoting research and development as well as technology transfer, mainstreaming environmental policies in decision making and internalising the environmental costs of economic activities. Speaking on the occasion, Ajit Tripathy, Chief Secretary, Orissa government lauded the efforts made by Nalco for its CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives in the state. CR Pradhan, chairman and managing director, Nalco also addressed the gathering on the occasion.