Kerala to Run 100% On Renewable Energy by 2040, Says Chief Minister Vijayan

The threat of the vagaries of climate change have forced the government of Kerala to come out with a revised climate action plan. The role and scope of renewable has been expanded within this plan. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has now said that Kerala aspires to become a state that will run 100 per cent on renewable energy by 2040. Vijayan was delivering a speech at India Climate and Development Partners’ Meet, where he mentioned that the state aspires to achieve net carbon neutrality by 2050.

The event was hosted by the World Bank and Kerala Government  where Kerala State Action Plan on Climate Change 2023-2030 (Kerala SAPCC 2.0) was released.

The Chief Minister said that Kerala State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) is an ‘inclusive and sustainable’ formulation that focuses mainly on climate change adaptation in important sectors like agriculture, coastal fisheries, water resources, health, forests, biodiversity etc. Vijayan also said that the new plan is aimed at increasing the resilience of vulnerable groups against hazards caused by climate change.

Kerala is highly vulnerable to climate-induced disasters; all credit to its geographical location. Pinarayi said that climate change is fast becoming a big and real threat to humans and the natural environment; hence, it is imperative for all the stakeholders to come together and find a solution to it.

Hydrogen Hope

Kerala also looks bullish on green hydrogen for energy transition. The Chief Minister informed, ‘‘The production of green hydrogen is expected to be instrumental in the state’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.’‘

Vijayan said that Kerala has taken many path-breaking initiatives towards an ‘inclusive and sustainable development strategy’ to deal with climate change. The state is first in the country that has included hydrogen-powered mobility in its zero emissions mobility policy.

The state government also created ‘Kerala Hydrogen Economy Mission’ to transform the southern state into a green hydrogen hub. As per reports, this will be done through strategic inputs from the Mission and efforts to facilitate partnerships and collaborations.

The Chief Minister added that Kerala will come up with a new Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) focused industrial policy. The new policy will formulate incentives for industries that will help with responsible and sustainable production in the state.

EUR 100 Mn for climate change resilience

Kerala has also signed an agreement with the AFD – French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement) that offers a performance-based loan of EUR 100 million (₹866 crore) to the state. The new financing is expected to step up Kerala’s resilience against the vagaries of changing climate.