Hyderabad: In a strong push for climate action, Telangana governor Jishnu Dev Varma has called for a focused three-pronged strategy to tackle climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs). The governor emphasised that such an approach would deliver significant benefits to the economy, the environment, and society at large.Echoing the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has united the global community on climate action and continues to lead efforts both domestically and internationally, the governor stressed the urgent need for coordinated action across key sectors.Jishnu Dev Varma underscored the importance of involving all relevant departments, including energy, transport, buildings, rural and urban development, industry, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in advancing renewable energy and accelerating energy efficiency initiatives. “Energy efficiency alone can contribute over 40% in mitigating climate change impacts,” he noted.As part of this climate roadmap, the governor proposed an ambitious afforestation drive by the forest and environment department, with a long-term goal of increasing Telangana’s green cover to 50% by 2047. He also called for mass awareness campaigns involving all stakeholders, both public and private, with a particular focus on women and students, to be conducted through schools, colleges, and universities. These campaigns would promote energy conservation and sustainable practices.He further emphasised the need for institutional initiatives to drive policy and grassroots implementation of energy-efficient technologies.The governor also commended the concerted efforts of the ministry of power, particularly through the bureau of energy efficiency (BEE) and energy efficiency services (EESL), as well as the ministry of environment and climate change, for their ongoing support to state govts in deploying global best practices and clean technologies. He specifically praised Telangana’s initiatives to engage women in the adoption of solar energy.As part of ongoing outreach efforts, A Chandra Sekhara Reddy, southern regional media adviser to the BEE, along with senior officers from EESL, briefed the governor on key developments in the field of energy efficiency.The standards & labelling (S&L) programme, which accounts for 60% of India’s energy efficiency-related CO₂ reductions, is a vital component of India’s commitment to cut one billion tonnes of emissions by 2030.Recognising the importance of institutional energy leadership, the governor recommended that EESL conduct a comprehensive energy audit at Raj Bhavan and Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU), Hyderabad, to assess the feasibility of transforming them into model energy-efficient campuses. He urged close coordination with the energy development agency for effective implementation.
