The Maharashtra government announced plans on Sunday, 13 March, to eliminate carbon emissions in Mumbai by 2050, making it the first city in South Asia to have such a timeline.
According to the plan, several changes will be initiated in the management of energy, air, water, green spaces, waste, and transport in the city.
"We don't have the luxury of time," Maharashtra Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray said, since by the year 2050, sea levels are expected to rise to such an extent that several areas inhabited by the poor in Mumbai, such as slums and fishing villages, will come under water.
Changes To Be Made in Six Areas
The plan recommends changes in six areas, including electrification of public transport, creation of walkable roads, water conservation, provision of clean water, and spreading the use of solar power.
Speaking about plans to fund the project, Saurabh Punamiya, an advisor to the Maharashtra government, said efforts will be made to raise money through green bonds, apart from receiving funding from the state.
"The policies are actually opening the doors for such investments to come in," Thackeray said.
In 2019, Maharashtra's total greenhouse gas emissions were at 23.42 million tons.
The government has laid out plans to reduce these emissions, saying that most of the money will be required in the energy sector, as the sector accounts for around 72 percent of the total emissions. The remaining 28 percent comes from waste and vehicular emissions.
In short term, the government has planned to purchase 2,100 electric buses by 2023. Efforts will also be made to retrofit poor households with sustainable electric equipment.
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