The recent devastation in Uttarakhand due to flash floods has brought into focus the need for climate change action plan by the states to mitigate impacts on environment.
Odisha has been in the forefront for formulating and implementing its State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC). The state has adopted a multi-faceted approach, which has evolved through different phases. The key aspects of its implementation framework can be summarised as follows:
1. Strategic Framework and Governance
State Action Plan: Odisha was one of the first states to create a comprehensive climate change action plan, with phases for 2010-2015, 2018-2023, and the current plan for 2021-2030. This demonstrates a long-term commitment to addressing climate change impacts in the state.
Alignment with National Policy: SAPCC is an extension of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), tailoring national strategies to address Odisha’s specific regional challenges, such as its long and vulnerable coastline, and its susceptibility to frequent cyclones, droughts, and heatwaves.
Inter-Departmental Approach: The plan involves strategic approaches across 11 key departments, such as Agriculture, Revenue & Disaster Management, Energy, Fisheries & Animal Resources, Forest, Environment & Climate Change, Health, Industries, Mining, Transport, Urban Development, and Water Resources. This envisages a coordinated government response.
Institutional Structures: The government has established a High-Level Coordination Committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, to steer the preparation and implementation of SAPCC. It also has a Climate Change Action Plan Cell to monitor and evaluate the plan’s provisions from time to time.
2. Key Implementation Initiatives
Climate Budget Tagging (CBT): Odisha is the first state in the country to implement Climate Budget Tagging (CBT). This transformative approach integrates climate-related expenditures directly into the government’s budgeting process. It ensures that financial resources are strategically allocated to combat climate change, strengthening the effectiveness and accountability of climate finance.
Adaptation and Resilience: Given its high vulnerability to climate change impacts, the state emphasises adaptation measures. This includes:
a) Disaster Management: The state has pioneering disaster management initiatives through the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), earning global recognition due to its zero-casualty approach.
b) Agriculture: The Odisha Integrated Irrigation Project for Climate Change Resilient Agriculture (OIIPCRA) is a significant initiative. The state is also partnering with organisations like ICRISAT to pilot farmer-centric carbon markets and promote regenerative agricultural practices.
c) Water Resources: Initiatives are in place for the sustainable harnessing of groundwater and managing water resources efficiently and effectively.
d) Mitigation Actions: While prioritising adaptation, the state is also taking significant mitigative steps, such as — strengthening its renewable energy policy and increasing the share of non-fossil fuel-based energy resources; undertaking reforestation and afforestation activities, including the ‘Ama Jangal Yojna’ and National Mission for a Green India (GIM); implementing climate-sensitive urban development measures to improve land use, transport, and energy efficiencies; a dedicated ‘State Action Plan for Climate Change and Human Health (SAPCCHH)’ has been prepared to address the health-related aspects of climate change, such as climate-sensitive illnesses and the impacts of heatwaves.
Partnerships and Funding: Odisha government has forged collaborations with institutions like IIT-Bhubaneswar, the World Food Programme (WFP), and the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) to develop a net-zero roadmap, restore coastal ecosystems, and strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities. The state has also successfully secured funding, including a project approved by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for groundwater recharge and solar micro-irrigation.
In essence, the implementation of Odisha’s climate change action plan is characterised by a strategic, multi-sectoral, and proactive approach that integrates climate considerations into its core governance, budgeting, and developmental policies.
This multidimensional approach will definitely benefit the state in strategically implementing the climate change agenda on a long-term basis and effectively mitigate climate change impacts on the state.
