As part of steps to tackle challenges posed by climate change, the district administration has embarked on a mission to plant one crore saplings in the district, according to Collector M. Pradeep Kumar.
Inaugurating a one-day workshop on climate change and its impact organised by the Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission here on Tuesday, he said climate change had emerged as a serious challenge to human existence. Over the past two decades, the effects of climate change had been increasingly manifest. As the phenomenon was constantly evolving and changing, response to mitigation and adaptation must be dynamic, scalable, and in line with emerging scenarios. It was with the aim of mitigating the challenges that the Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission was launched with the district-level bodies in all districts.
Mr. Kumar said it was important that people have a basic understanding of the threats of climate change and its impact. Increasing green cover was one of the methods to bring down its impact. Taking this into account, it had been decided to raise at least one crore trees with the participation of the District Rural Development Agency, Agriculture and Forest departments. Similarly, renewable energy should be given importance as part of the mitigation plan.
G. Kiran, District Forest Officer, said the Forest Department would plant 3.1 lakh saplings in 2022-23 and 20 lakh saplings in 2023-24 in the district. It would support other departments to raise plants by raising nurseries.
L. Sowmiya, Deputy Director, Department of Environment and Climate Change, and R. Saravanakumar, Assistant Conservator of Forests, spoke.
