Jammu and Kashmir's Climate Response: A Governance Priority

Jammu and Kashmir's Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, announced on Thursday that addressing climate change has become an imperative for the Union Territory. He stressed the necessity of a structured and institutional approach to tackle the issue head-on.

Reflecting on last year's extreme weather events, Abdullah underscored the pressing need for a specific department dedicated to studying climate change impacts in the region. He also supported the idea of introducing a separate climate budget, a notion advocated by CPI(M) legislator M Y Tarigami.

Abdullah called for the responsibility of climate change to be assigned to a specific department. He believes that once a thorough assessment is conducted and responsibilities are clearly defined, the government can proceed with appropriately allocating resources and budgetary measures to strengthen climate resilience across sectors.