Bengaluru launches climate action plan; aims to make city carbon neutral

BENGALURU, Karnataka: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has launched the Bengaluru Climate Action and Resilience Plan (BCAP) intending to achieve net zero by 2050. This initiative aims to make Bengaluru the third city in India to have a global standard climate action plan and create a roadmap for a safer, healthier, and more equitable city.

The BBMP has prepared a data-driven inclusive and collaborative climate action plan with a focus on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and building healthy, equitable, and resilient communities as part of the city’s C40 cities commitment. The BCAP, prepared by BBMP and the Karnataka government in collaboration with C40 Cities and research organisation World Resources India (WRI) as knowledge partner, takes into consideration in-depth consultations with all stakeholder groups including Bengaluru’s different government departments, practitioners, civil society members, and community-based organisations.

The BCAP marks the preparation of the city’s first-ever GHG inventory analysing all the major sectors and sources that emit GHGs into the atmosphere. This inventory will allow Bengaluru to build evidence-based mitigation strategies and policies, and to measure progress on the actions taken.

BBMP has also announced two priority initiatives that will be taken up immediately, including the creation of a Climate Action Cell at BBMP to facilitate efficient implementation of the BCAP. The civic body has also launched a campaign #BluGreenUru, a call for action by every citizen and stakeholder of Bengaluru to participate, contribute, and collaborate in conserving, restoring, and integrating the city’s natural infrastructure to enhance Bengaluru’s resilience against climate change.

The BCAP’s pathways scenario establishes evidence based on which Bengaluru can set its mitigation (potential to reduce GHG emissions) targets. A Climate Change Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (CCRAVA) was done to understand Bengaluru’s major climate risks and the key areas of focus under adaptation and resilience (capability to absorb shocks from climate hazards). The actions are aligned to seven major sectors: energy and buildings, transportation, solid waste management, water, wastewater and stormwater, air quality, urban planning, greening and biodiversity, and disaster and management.

This is particularly significant in the backdrop of the ongoing Conference of Parties (COP28) as Bengaluru endeavours to make the city more climate resilient, especially for the vulnerable, the civic body stated.

In addition to the BCAP summary report, a BCAP full report and a supporting Climate CCRAVA for Bengaluru will also be shortly published on the BBMP website. These reports will give a deeper understanding of the assessments done which led to the identification of actions, stated by the civic body.