Boosting climate resilience in coastal communities

India took an important step toward its goals for low-carbon, climate-resilient development today with the approval of a US$43 million grant from the Green Climate Fund, supporting climate resilience of millions of people living in the coastal states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha.

The new project will be supported through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and is an essential step for India in reaching its goals outlined in the Paris Agreement and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These global compacts call on every nation to end poverty and hunger by 2030, and to take strong action to ensure no one is left behind in protecting vulnerable people from the extreme impacts of climate change.

Over 1.7 million people are expected to directly benefit from livelihoods support, with another 10 million indirectly benefitting from improved shoreline protection. In reach­ing the Sustainable Development Goals for gender equality and reduced inequalities, the project is focused on providing tangible benefits for women, female-headed households, young people and the elderly, and members of Scheduled Castes and Tribes.

Over 3.5 million tonnes of CO2 will be sequestered through restored ecosystems over the next 30 years.