Can keep global warming under 2 degrees Celsius: German diplomat

Climate change poses massive risks to global prosperity and security, but if people act now, global warming can be kept under two degrees Celsius, German Consul General Jorn Rhode said here on Tuesday.

"Climate change is a question of international responsibility and solidarity. We need to use the tools of diplomacy to raise ambition in partner countries, to forge alliances and build the necessary political momentum," the consul general said at a panel discussion on "Sustainable Cities and Climate Change".

He said this was why the German Consulate General in Bengaluru engages in discussions on climate change with local politics, academia, NGOs and the interested public.

The discussion focused on municipal solid waste management, deteriorating air quality and clean water with an ambition to formulate strategies which will be cost conscious as well as environment and economic friendly.

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) director Pronab Dasgupta said efficient mix of the energy options to optimise use of energy, rationalising the distribution and usage of water, and totally cutting out wasteful and dangerous disposal of waste were the three priority areas for a metropolis like Bengaluru.

With a public private partnership (PPP) model of working and appropriately empowered local bodies, it should be entirely possible, added Dasgupta.

The event featured presentations on public health in megacities and international best practices on smart cities.