This campaign stems from two roundtable discussions held in Kerala between September 2016 and January 2017. Thanal, Climate Action Network South Asia, Phia, and UNICEF’s climate change and disaster risk reduction programme organised these events.
The roundtables brought together state actors, government departments, universities, civil society organisations, and media. Their goal was to strengthen Kerala’s State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC). Recommendations drew on learnings and best practices gathered since 2014.
The process was started by Thanal by circulating a concept note (see Annexure1) to key officials and policy makers of the State Government and invited their participation for a dialogue on building a Climate Resilient Kerala (CRK). Following enthusiastic response from key state department officials, 2 roundtables were conducted to discuss climate change impacts on Kerala and how best to prepare future adaptation, mitigation and disaster risk reduction plans for integration with state planning process at all levels of governance.
Both the roundtables were graced by the presence of Hon. Ministers for Finance, Women and Children, Disaster Management and Risk Reduction, Health, Solid Waste Management, Agriculture and Panchayath Raj Institutions. The gathering was also attended by Heads of State-level Missions, Secretaries to the Departments, representatives of NABARD. These discussions highlighted women and children as a key focus area for the SAPCC. This aligns with the spirit of the newly formed department dedicated to their welfare.
The process sparked a larger debate on the SAPCC’s implementation and effectiveness. In response, the Directorate of Climate Change decided to hold wider consultations. These took place in the last quarter of 2016 to strengthen the SAPCC.
The CRK roundtables firmly conclude that women and children face heightened vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters. They need a special focus in the revised Kerala SAPCC. This includes dedicated programmes, policies, and budgetary allocations.
The campaign also aims at providing resources, build capacity and network for expanding collective intelligence on climate resilient. These initiatives support climate resilience by helping communities adapt to extreme weather, protect vulnerable populations, and improve disaster preparedness across Kerala.
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