Kolkata Municipal Corp to join 72 global cities on fossil fuel vow

19 Sep 2022 CW Team

Kolkata has become the first Indian city to join the network of 72 global cities with its endorsement of a 'fossil fuel-free and climate-resilient future' through a set of short-term and long-term goals. Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim signed the fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty propagated by Climate Action Network of South Asia (CANSA) to join the league of cities attempting to dramatically reduce carbon emission.

By signing the treaty, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) requires to phase out fossil fuels by applying equity principles, paving the path for a smooth energy transition. Kolkata joins Paris, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Lima and 60 other civic bodies and become the largest city to support the international initiative to phase out oil, gas, and coal production responsible for more than 80 per cent of CO2 emissions in the last decade.

Kolkata, home to more than 14 million people, is among the top 10 cities worldwide that face the most dangerous multi-hazard risks like cyclones, floods, droughts, earthquakes and landslides. It is most vulnerable to disaster-related mortality. Its rapid urbanization and near-complete dependence on fossil fuels make the city's air quality extremely poor. At the same time, the international scientific consensus is clear: to protect human and planetary health, we need a rapid, equitable phase out of fossil fuels globally.

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