Britain, KMC launch climate change toolkit for civic councillors

Kolkata, Feb 17 (IANS) In a tie up with the British government, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Tuesday launched a first-of-its-kind sensitisation toolkit on climate change for its councillors here.

The toolkit was launched by Baroness D'Souza, the lord speaker of the House of Lords, and city Mayor Sovan Chatterjee, as part of a continuing British engagement with KMC which aims to make Kolkata a climate smart city.

Britain is working with municipalities, urban local bodies and other agencies across India towards low carbon and climate resilient development of cities, a British Deputy High commission release said.

The initiative is part of the multi-sectoral programme under the memorandum of understanding on low carbon and climate resilient Kolkata signed between Britan and KMC November 2013 during Prime Minister David Cameron's visit to the city.

The British government is providing technical assistance of up to pounds 1 million (Rs. 95,615,483.25) to implement the MoU.

The toolkit consists of a graphic booklet on climate change meant to sensitise councillors on climate smart cities; a compendium of case studies of climate-friendly community outreach initiatives from across India, including examples from Kolkata; and a manifesto towards a greener city.

The toolkit will be part of 15 Borough level workshops which will be conducted by climate change experts and consultants from June-December this year.

The workshops will be organised to help deepen the knowledge of climate change and sustainable city development of the councillors, and help them engage with the wider community to address climate change and other ward-specific environmental issues

The two-year project, expected to end in December, has strong replicability potential and has been built on past and existing initiatives in the state by the British government towards sustainable development of West Bengal, such as low carbon street lighting, and fiscal instruments for climate-friendly development of the state.

The initiatives with the KMC will help Kolkata reduce greenhouse gas emissions, respond to the impacts of a changing climate, and generate new sustainable economic opportunities while contributing towards green growth of the city.