Being one of the most urbanised States in the country, Tamil Nadu is vulnerable to the effects of extreme weather events, said Deepak Bilgi, Director, Department of Environment and Climate Change, at an event by the Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group (CAG) on Monday.
The CAG concluded “Climate Action Month”, a four-week-long campaign to accelerate awareness on the need for climate action, with a valedictory event at Stella Maris College along with the institution’s sociology department. Throughout the month, schools, colleges, and private companies were engaged in biodiversity walks, visits to areas vulnerable to climate change such as Pulicat and Agaramthen wetland, music events, and stand up comedy sessions at public parks.
The CAG has partnered with the State’s Environment Department on its climate literacy programme launched as part of the Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission. “From surveys conducted to assess the climate literacy of students, teachers, and administrators in colleges, we got to know that most of them know about the concept but don’t know how to contribute to climate action,” said Mr. Bilgi, stressing that making lifestyle changes would be a good start.
V. Thiruuppugazh, Head, Advisory Committee for Mitigation of Floods in Chennai, said extreme events such as floods in Chennai were not just due to climate change but also because of rapid construction on wetland, encroachments and felling of trees. Cautioning against consumer culture, Mr. Thiruppugazh told students to imbibe the concept of “reduce and refuse”.
