Gujarat Forest Department signs MoUs worth Rs 2,217 Cr 

Gandhinagar : The Gujarat Forest Department has signed three MoUs worth Rs 2,217 crore in carbon financing through mangrove plantations by involving communities.

Sanjeev Kumar, principal secretary, department of forest and environment, on December 2 said here that this is the first of its kind in the country.

Apart from this, MoUs in the field of carbon financing through agroforestry are also being signed. He also said that the department has also done more than 50+ MoUs in the field of knowledge sharing in the field of plantations, nature education camp resource persons and wildlife rescues.

Sanjeev Kumar said that Gujarat is also exploring the carbon sequestration potential in wetlands and is conducting carbon studies on four Ramsar Sites — Nalsarovar, Thol, Khijadiya and Wadhvana — through the GEER Foundation.

He said that during the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024, the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change will host a seminar themed “Towards Net Zero” on January 12.

The seminar is inspired by the National commitment to combating the global issue of climate change. Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Global Climate meet in Glasgow in the COP 26 Conference had proposed to achieve climate goals of India through five nectar- elements – The Panchamrit i.e. 500 GW non-fossil energy capacity in India by 2030, 50 percent of India’s energy requirement from renewable energy by 2030, reduction of total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes from now to 2030, reducing the carbon intensity of the economy below 45 percent by 2030, from 2005 levels, and achieving net zero emissions by 2070.

Sanjeev Kumar said that the seminar will bring together global and national leaders to share their insights on Net Zero, decarbonisation of the economy and carbon trading.

Union minister for environment, forest and climate change Bhupendra Yadav will remain present.

The plenary sessions are designed to hear the perspectives of the leaders and experts on their challenges, upcoming opportunities, success stories and way forward.