NEWS – Bengaluru Climate Action Cell, led by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), has begun creating an ecosystem and fostering a community to execute the strategies outlined in the Bengaluru Climate Action Plan (BCAP)

HIGHLIGHTS

Establishment and Mission

• Formation: Established six months ago by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
• Objective: To execute strategies outlined in the Bengaluru Climate Action Plan (BCAP).

Community and Organizational Involvement

• Collaborations: Partnered with knowledge organizations and NGOs for plan implementation and outreach.
• Engagement Programs: Initiated “Friends of the Climate Action Cell” for citizens, RWAs, and civil society groups to interact and contribute.

Key Initiatives

• Tech-Driven Projects:
  • Mapathon: Identifies green spaces.
  • Survey: Locates open wells to enhance greenery and groundwater levels.
• Fellowship Program: Planned to empower young professionals in BCAP implementation.

Recognition and Awards

• BluGreenUru Awards: To acknowledge and celebrate efforts aligning with BCAP’s climate action goals.

Historical Context

• BCAP Adoption: Bengaluru adopted BCAP in November 2023, becoming the first Indian city with a climate action plan.
• Climate Action Cell Creation: Established in January 2024 with officials from various departments to implement the plan.

BENGALURU CLIMATE ACTION PLAN

• Aim: Achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
• Implementing Body: Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is responsible for 143 out of 269 actions.

Key Components

• Climate and Environmental Hazards:
  • Urban heat
  • Urban flooding
  • Droughts
  • Thunderstorms
  • Lightning
  • Air pollution
• C40 Cities Network:
  • Bengaluru is a co-lead of the Global Air Quality Network.
  • Other Indian cities in the network: Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad.
  • C40 is a global coalition of nearly 100 cities addressing climate change.

Commitments

• Carbon Emission Reduction:
  • Target: Reduction by 2030.
  • Goal: Carbon neutrality by 2050.
• Collaborative Efforts:
  • Participation in global seminars and initiatives, e.g., 2017 Air Quality Network seminar in Bengaluru.

Consultancy and Planning

• Global Consultant: World Resources Institute (WRI) appointed in August 2021 to draft the plan.
• Stakeholder Consultation:
  • Over 25 stakeholders consulted, including:
    • BBMP
    • Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM)
    • Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC)
    • Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL)
    • Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB)
    • Transport Department
    • Disaster Management
    • Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB)
    • Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT)
    • Bangalore Development Authority (BDA)

Priority Sectors for Climate Strategies

• Stationary energy and buildings
• Transportation
• Solid waste management
• Air quality
• Water management
• Wastewater management
• Stormwater management
• Urban planning
• Greening and biodiversity
• Disaster management