Hardeep Singh Puri launches Leaders In Climate Change Management Program

In conjunction with the World Environment Day that was observed on June 5, the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and World Resources Institute (WRI) India, jointly announced ‘Leaders in Climate Change Management’ (LCCM), a practice-based learning program today. It aims at building capacity among urban professionals to lead climate action across sectors and geographies in India. To facilitate this face-to-face learning program, the Administrative Training Institute (ATI), Mysuru, also singed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NIUA and WRI India, becoming the first delivery partner of the LCCM program.

LCCM envisions capacitating 5,000 professionals, including mid to junior-level government officials and frontline workers, and preparing them to champion climate change adaptation and mitigation solutions towards a coordinated effort to achieve India’s climate commitments. The launch also marked the achievements of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs towards India’s urban climate goals.

The Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, launched the learning program and a half-day workshop today to build capacities among climate leaders in Indian cities.

In his keynote address, he said, “It is most appropriate and fitting that we are launching the (LCCM) program today immediately after the celebration of World Environment Day yesterday. This program is another initiative in a long line of government interventions to not only combat climate change but also to build a new path of sustainable development that fulfils our economic conditions.”

The launch event was followed by a half-day workshop addressed by Mr Hitesh Vaidya, director, NIUA, who spoke about the role of the institution in anchoring capacity building training in the urban sector. A panel discussion on the Capacities for Climate Leadership in Indian Cities was joined by industry experts including Dr B R Mamatha, Jt Director-General, ATI, Mysuru; Mr Hitesh Vaidya, Director, NIUA; Mr Atul Bagai, Country Head, United Nations Environment Program, India; Mr Anshu Bharadwaj, CEO, Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation; Dr Sanjeev Chadha, Professor and Head, Urban Development Center and Leadership Development Center, Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration; and Ms Rejeet Mathews, Program Director, Urban Development, WRI India.