State government sets ambitious plan for climate action, biodiversity conservation and disaster preparedness in Kerala
In his policy address to the assembly on Tuesday, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said the government will formulate a path to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and launch an online climate literacy platform this year. As part of its environmental commitments, the state will also propose four additional wetlands for designation under the Ramsar Convention.
In addition, the Climate Change Adaptation Mission will launch a World Bank-supported climate dialogue series and support the Every Child a Scientist and an Artist program to promote scientific temper and creativity among students.
As part of steps to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts and expand green cover, the government will introduce landscape-level macro plans and panchayat-level micro plans in conflict-prone areas in 2026-27. To support this effort, the government plans to mobilize decentralized resources from commercial users of biological resources in cooperation with local government institutions.
Library Board
The government also plans to increase access to forest-related knowledge through partnerships with the Library Board and the Historical Research Council.
The governor added that an alternative emergency operations center is being set up in Thiruvananthapuram along with the adoption of advanced risk modeling for the Pampa and Chaliyar river basins. Future preparedness measures include (Internet of Things) landslide monitoring systems at Pathanamthitta and setting up specialized crowd management systems at major pilgrimage centers.
Published – 20 Jan 2026 20:20 IST
