The Rs.5-crore project also involves the establishment of automatic weather stations.
Kerala is gearing up for the war against climate change. Battered by the increasing number of extreme events like high intensity rainfall, floods, drought, accelerated coastal erosion and forest fires and their impact on human life and biodiversity, the State is preparing to take up a slew of mitigation and adaptation projects in key sectors.
With the Centre clearing the State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC), preparations are on to strengthen the mechanisms to build resilience and reduce the risks to the population. Director, Department of Environment and Climate Change (DoECC) C.S. Yelakki said efforts were on to tap the National Adaptation Fund for climate change to implement the SAPCC.
The government has initiated efforts to strengthen the Institute for Climate Change Studies (ICCS) at Kottayam and equip it to take up world-class research. The institute has been allotted funds to study the paleo-climate records in the high ranges of Kerala and to train functionaries of local bodies in climate change disaster risk reduction. A proposal to set up a mobile laboratory to monitor greenhouse gas emissions and research projects on the urban heat islands in Thiruvananthapuram and the link between climate change and vector-borne diseases are in the pipeline.
The ICCS is seeking Central assistance to establish a greenhouse gas monitoring station in the Western Ghats.
The Rs.5-crore project also involves the establishment of automatic weather stations for long-term monitoring of the climate and other environment indicators in the mountain regions, midlands and coastal lowlands. Director, ICCS, Keshav Mohan said the project would be taken up under the National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change. The proposed greenhouse gas monitoring station will be set up at Munnar or Wagamon. The entire network covering Kottayam, Palakkad, Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Thrissur districts is expected to provide data for scientists to assess the impact of climate change .
Source: The Hindu, 3 August 2015