The GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation) held a stakeholder consultation meeting to develop the Climate Resilient City Action Plan (CRCAP) and the Local Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (LBSAP) for Hyderabad. The purpose of the meeting was to ensure that the city incorporates climate-sensitive measures in its planning, development, infrastructure, and service delivery due to its rapid growth.
The stakeholders were consulted on the development of the LBSAP and the CRCAP-Towards a Net-zero Future. The CRCAP aims to achieve a balance between the amount of greenhouse gas produced and removed from the atmosphere. ICLEI (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) -Local Governments for Sustainability, South Asia is providing technical assistance for these initiatives.
During the meeting, representatives from GHMC departments and other stakeholders discussed various aspects of climate action and biodiversity strategies. They provided valuable inputs to prioritize focus areas and potential strategies.
The CRCAP-Towards a Net-zero Future will help GHMC reduce vulnerability and risk to its population, infrastructure, and economy. It will also identify targets and strategies to move towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, supporting India’s goal of net-zero by 2070.
Recently developed guidelines by ICLEI for the State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and Local Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan have been accepted by the Secretariat of Convention on Biological Diversity. These guidelines aim to develop the LBSAP in a scientifically informed and participatory manner.
The Telangana government is focused on protecting and enhancing biodiversity in Hyderabad through nature-based solutions. The Ku Haritha Haram Program, which includes massive plantations in the city, has improved the green cover by 147% in the last decade according to the FSI-2021 report. Hyderabad is also the only city in India to have calculated the City Biodiversity Index twice. The city has received awards such as Tree City of World and World Green City for its efforts in biodiversity conservation.
