June 5th 2024 | Symphony Hall, Mascot Hotel, Thiruvananthapuram
Kerala’s GHG Inventory and the Kerala GHG Portal developed by Vasudha Foundation, in collaboration with the Directorate of Environment and Climate Change (DoECC), Government of Kerala, was launched by the Honourable Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri Pinarayi Vijayan in a state level event celebrating the World Environment Day.
The event commenced with an introductory address from Sri. Suneel Pamidi (Director, DoECC), Sri. G.P Unnikrishnan (Director, Kerala- Legislative Assembly Media and Parliamentary Studies) and Dr. Mahendra Rajaram (DRR Officer- UNICEF). This was followed by a detailed presentation from team Vasudha, showcasing the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Profile for Kerala, covering trends and contributions of 31 categories, cutting across all sectors, and accounting for all major GHGs emitted in Kerala. The inventory was developed using a robust methodology and thorough consultation process with all line departments, sectoral experts and stakeholders.
During the forenoon session, team Vasudha also presented the draft “Kerala Carbon Neutral 2050 Pathways and 100% RE by 2040 Scenarios” in a stakeholder consultation session chaired by Mr. Srinivas Krishnaswamy (CEO, Vasudha Foundation), Dr. Lakshmi P.M (Environmental scientist, DoECC) and Dr. Jikku Kurien (State Scientific Coordinator, SAPCC 2.0).
In the afternoon session, the Kerala GHG Inventory Report and the Web Portal housing the GHG emissions estimates of the state was launched by the Honourable Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri Pinarayi Vijayan. The Chief Minister addressed the gathering on the World Environment Day’s theme “Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience” and presented a memento to Vasudha Foundation in recognition of its efforts in preparation of the GHG Inventory of the state, amongst other felicitations extended during the event. Shri V. Venu, Chief Secretary, Government of Kerala, extensively praised Vasudha Foundation, and its endeavours in developing the GHG inventory. Team Vasudha also had an opportunity to be introduced to the Chief Minister and interact with senior bureaucrats after the event.
The Kerala GHG portal can be accessed using the following link: https://climatechange.envt.kerala.gov.in/. While the portal currently houses GHG emissions estimates of Kerala from 2005 to 2021, the exercise will be an ongoing one, ensuring continuous updation of the inventory on a regular basis. Following up on the event, team Vasudha also had an opportunity to present the draft “Kerala Carbon Neutral 2050 Pathways and 100% RE by 2040 Scenarios” in a meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary and attended by all principal secretaries.