Union Minister Highlights Challenges in Climate Change Efforts at ASSOCHAM Conference

Union minister Kirti Vardhan Singh emphasized the challenges of implementing climate change initiatives in a democratic country at the ASSOCHAM Environment and Carbon Conference. He pointed out practical difficulties in policy enforcement, especially with public and electoral pressures, and stressed the need for advanced technology and industry collaboration for sustainable solutions.

Union minister Kirti Vardhan Singh has emphasized the difficulties in implementing climate change initiatives within a democratic framework. Speaking at the ASSOCHAM Environment and Carbon Conference, Singh highlighted the challenge of balancing strict environmental policies with public and electoral assistance, citing the example of a Karnataka chief minister who was ousted for taxing farmers' water usage.

Singh mentioned the situation in Uttar Pradesh, where unregulated water use by farmers is both politically popular and environmentally damaging. The minister underlined the contradiction of celebrating irrigation resources while ignoring the waste of water.

Singh called for multi-faceted approaches to achieve net-zero emissions and stressed the role of industries in preventing resource exploitation. He noted that India's current technology for producing green hydrogen is not efficient long-term and advocated for more industry-supported research in greener technologies.

(With inputs from agencies.)