Developing a global baseline to enhance transparency and investor confidence is a crucial measure in enhancing adaptation readiness, said Leena Nandan, Secretary Ministry of Environment Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) underscoring the imperative need for finance for adaptation.

Nandan delivered her special remarks at a session on ‘Long Term Strategy on Adaptation and Adaptation Readiness in India’, organised by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) at the India Pavilion at COP27 today.

Noting that adaptation must be at the forefront of development interventions, Ms Nandan said, “The institutional arrangement, the action plan, and resource mobilization, all have to walk hand-in-hand and see the macro picture through the same lens.”

During her address, the Secretary strongly emphasized on the need for information dissemination to strengthen communities for adaptation.

When we talk about PPP, we need to redefine it as Pro Planet People, a clarion call given by Prime Minister, she said.

“We should be able to move in the right direction in a planned and integrated manner. We are cognizant of the challenges that confront us, now is the time for action,” she concluded.

Observing that 90 percent of disasters are related to weather and climate change, Kamal Kishore, Member Secretary, NDMA, and Indian Co-Chair, CDRI Executive Committee, emphasized that disaster risk reduction can inform adaptation work.

Kishore observed that along with better forecast systems, a deeper engagement with the communities has been the key to disaster risk reduction.

He also emphasized the need to update risk assessments.

Emphasising on the need to assess risks sensibly and robustly, Dipa Bagai, Head India Office, NRDC, said, “We need the heat action plans to be implemented with much more alacrity, sensitivity, and resources in all the states. Making a good plan is only part of the solution. The important part is that we can exercise that solution.”

Taking part in the discussion, Mardi McBrien, Director of Strategic Alliances, International Sustainability Standard Board (ISSB) said that the board is set out to create one global standard, a global baseline for a global standard of sustainability to develop investors’ confidence and for reporting material, climate, and sustainability information to capital markets.

Noting that the extreme weather events witnessed in the past couple of years have been an eye-opener to the deadly impacts of climate change and the urgent need for adaptation, Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI, in her welcome address, said, “When it comes to adaptation it is necessary to look into all sectors including food production.”