Odisha Govt Signs Landmark Agreements to Boost Climate Resilience and Sustainability

Bhubaneswar: In a major step toward strengthening climate resilience and promoting sustainable development, the Forest, Environment, and Climate Change (FE&CC) Department of Odisha has signed three significant agreements with leading institutions. These collaborations aim to address climate change challenges, enhance biodiversity, and support sustainable livelihoods across the state.

Under the Enhancing Climate Resilience of India’s Coastal Communities (ECRICC) project, the department signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT Bhubaneswar. The partnership will focus on restoring critical coastal ecosystems, including sea grass beds and salt marshes, which are essential for biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and coastal protection. Designated as the Technical Support Agency (TSA) for these efforts, the department will work closely with IIT Bhubaneswar to ensure the sustainable management of Odisha’s coastal ecosystems.

Another key agreement, a Letter of Understanding (LoU) with the World Food Programme (WFP), will focus on the regional adaptation project Adaptation for Resilience (ADAT4R). This five-year initiative aims to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable farming communities, particularly women farmers, in Nuapada district, against the increasing impacts of climate change.

The third agreement, an MoU with the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW), will support the development of a Net-Zero Roadmap for Odisha. The roadmap will outline decarbonization strategies for key sectors, including industry, power, transport, and agriculture, advancing the state’s commitment to achieving climate goals.

Minister of FE&CC, Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, highlighted that the collaboration with IIT Bhubaneswar would enhance research opportunities and foster community-driven sustainable coastal management practices. Satyabrata Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, emphasized the importance of integrating people-centric climate-resilient practices to protect ecosystems and sustain livelihoods.

The agreements were signed by Prem Kumar Jha, Director of Environment, Government of Odisha; Prof. Dinakar Pasla, Dean of Sponsored Research & Industrial Consultancy, IIT Bhubaneswar; Dr. Vaibhav Chaturvedi, from CEEW; and Nozomi Hashimoto, Deputy Country Director for WFP in India.

Prominent attendees included Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar, Director of IIT Bhubaneswar; Dr. Amrit Kumar Mishra, Senior Scientist at James Cook University, Australia; and Pradnya Paithankar, Head of Climate Change & DRR Unit.