CL John and others during the two-day National Adaptation
Plan workshop held in Dimapur.
- DIMAPUR — The
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in collaboration with the
Government of Nagaland and GIZ as the technical partner, successfully organised
a two-day regional workshop on the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) on climate
change on April 15 and 16 in Dimapur.
- According to an update, the workshop brought together key
stakeholders from eight northeastern states—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur,
Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura.
- During the event, technical experts, think tanks, and
development partners deliberated on regional vulnerabilities, sector-specific
priorities, and plausible adaptation solutions in the context of climate
change. The consultations served as an important platform to gather actionable
insights for the formulation of India’s forthcoming National Adaptation Plan.
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- Inaugurating the workshop, the Minister of Environment,
Forest and Climate Change, Nagaland, CL John, emphasised the urgent need for
region-specific and community-driven adaptation strategies, especially
considering the northeastern region’s high exposure to climate-induced risks
such as floods, landslides, and biodiversity loss.
- He underscored the importance of integrating traditional
knowledge systems and community-led practices into climate adaptation planning.
- Delivering the welcome address, Ruchika Drall, Deputy
Secretary from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change,
highlighted that the NAP is being designed as an inclusive, participatory, and
forward-looking document aligned with global commitments under the Paris
Agreement. She noted that regional consultations are essential for grounding
national plans in local realities and ensuring effective implementation.
- The inaugural session also saw the release of two important
documents: 'Sectoral Vulnerability Assessment to Climate Change for the State
of Nagaland—A Summary' and 'State Action Plan on Climate Change and Human
Health'.
- Across the five thematic sessions, participants and experts
deliberated on a wide range of issues, covering state-specific adaptation
priorities, disaster resilience, infrastructure planning, health risks,
traditional livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, and adaptation financing.
- Some key highlights from the sessions included:
- Recognition of unique regional vulnerabilities and extreme
weather events, compounded by the region’s fragile mountain ecosystems and
heavy dependence on agriculture and forest-based livelihoods.
- The need for state-level climate vulnerability assessments
to be updated regularly and linked to district-level planning and local
governance frameworks for effective implementation.
- Emphasis on integrating disaster resilience into
infrastructure development and ensuring public health systems are
climate-proofed to respond to emerging risks like vector-borne diseases and
mental health impacts triggered by extreme events.
- Recommendations to enhance community engagement and
capacity-building initiatives while actively involving women, indigenous
communities, and youth in adaptation planning and implementation.
- Stress on leveraging climate finance mechanisms and
converging existing state and central schemes to mobilise resources for
adaptation projects, alongside calls for building institutional capacities at
the local level.
- In the closing session, participants reiterated the need for
sustained regional collaboration, enhanced knowledge exchange platforms, and
stronger institutional linkages between state governments, central ministries,
research institutions, and civil society organisations.
