East India Climate Change Conclave on 24th June in Bihar

Climate Change is most affecting the Farmers. In India, farmers are mostly doing rain-fed farming. For irrigation, the water is an important element. But the Climate and their effects also to be known. Bihar the state is very much eager to welcome the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Harsh Vardhan, who will be visiting  Bihar for the East India Climate Change Conclave to be held in Patna from June 24.

Bihar, Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Assam are taking part in the two-day event organized by the Bihar environment and forests department in association with Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI) and Action on Climate Today.

While ADRI works on policy research and issues concerning the economy, health, climate change among other issues, Action on Climate Today, funded by the UK Department of international development, is working to mitigate the effects of climate change in South Asia.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is likely to inaugurate the conclave and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi is expected to attend the first-of-its-kind conclave being held in Bihar.

Agriculture and related activities are still the mainstay of the economy in the Eastern Region, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests D.K. Shukla said, adding that poverty was rampant in the region and climate change adversely hit the people in large numbers.

"The conclave will not only help assess the problem in a better manner with the participation of six states but also develop a holistic approach towards mitigating the impact of climate change and suggest ways to protect the interests of the people," he added.

The conclave has been divided in four sessions and apart from environment ministers and secretaries of the participating states, environment experts associated with the United Nations have also been invited to deliberate.

Some of the key issues that would be discussed at the event will deal with adaptability in the wake of climate change, developing resilience in the face of challenges being thrown up because of climate change, and also effective monitoring so that corrective steps can be taken in time.

The interests of farmers too would be deliberated on, as they suffer the most for climate change. "The experts will deliberate on developing a strategy for protecting the interests of farmers so that their well-being is insulated from fluctuations in production and productivity and corresponding fluctuations in prices of farm products," forests officer Shukla said.

He added that based on the deliberations, a detailed report would be prepared and the document will be circulated among the participating states for them to accordingly formulate action plans.