Workshop Held in Gaya on Bihar’s Climate Resilient and Low Carbon Development Pathway

Chirag Gupta

Gaya: A divisional-level workshop was organized in Gaya as part of the Capacity Development Program to implement Bihar’s Climate Resilient and Low Carbon Development Pathway. The event aimed to promote the state’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2070. Dr. Prem Kumar, Bihar’s Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister, inaugurated the program virtually, stressing the importance of addressing climate change for future generations.

Manoranjan Kumar Singh, Regional Officer of the Bihar State Pollution Control Board in Gaya, provided an overview of the workshop, highlighting Bihar’s vulnerability to climate change and the need for strategies to address its challenges. Neeraj Narayan, Member Secretary of the Bihar State Pollution Control Board, noted that achieving the carbon neutrality goal would require coordination across multiple state departments, including Energy, Agriculture, and Transport.

Gaya Municipal Commissioner Kumar Anurag emphasized the need for climate adaptation strategies to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters like floods and droughts in Bihar. HHe mentioned the progress made under the Climate Resilient and Low Carbon Development Pathway for Bihar.

Dr. Shashidhar Kumar, Senior Program Manager at WRI India, provided insights into Bihar’s carbon emissions, which currently stand at 9.7 crore tons, about 3% of India’s total. He warned that emissions could rise with the state’s development but noted that adopting a net-zero strategy could mitigate these increases and the effects of climate change.

The workshop concluded with discussions on regional renewable energy initiatives and energy-efficient systems aimed at empowering rural communities and ensuring environmental sustainability. SDC Gaya official Tony Kumari expressed gratitude to all participants.