Construction Industry News
The Government of Tamil Nadu worked with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to launch a range of eco-friendly initiatives. The Department of State Environment, Climate Change and Forests introduced these initiatives at a special event in Kalaivanar Arangam. The launch was graced by the presence of Inger Anderson, UNEP's Executive Director, along with Tamil Nadu's Environment and Climate Change Minister, Siva V Meyyanathan, Danish Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy, Dan Jannik Jorgensen, and TN Additional Chief Secretary, Supriya Sahu.
Earlier this year in March, UNEP and the Government of Tamil Nadu signed a three-year agreement to support the state in implementing clean, efficient and equitable cooling measures, in preparation for the challenges of rising extreme heat.
Under the agreement, UNEP and the Government of Tamil Nadu will work together on several key issues, including sustainable refrigeration, effective management of plastic waste and promoting environmental education.
As part of these efforts, about 25 schools have been chosen to adopt various green practices, such as incorporating solar lighting and solar pumps to improve energy efficiency, setting up solar drilling, applying rainwater harvesting, composting, creating vegetable and medicinal plant gardens, and planting fruit-bearing trees. In addition, they will work on reducing water consumption, recycling wastewater and creating a plastic-free environment. The hope is that these schools will serve as an inspiring example for other educational institutions. In addition, they will be ranked on the basis of a green index to compile a repository of information on environmentally friendly initiatives. The government has earmarked Rs 0.5 million for this scheme.
Two major initiatives, Tamil Nadu's "Meendum Majappai" movement for plastic waste management and UNEP's Tide Turner's Plastic Challenge, will collectively contribute to raising awareness within the community and encouraging behavioral changes regarding single-use plastic, as stated in an official release.
