The Gujarat forest department has signed three MoUs worth Rs 2,217 crore for carbon credit through the plantation of mangrove trees involving communities as part of the upcoming 10th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, a senior official said.

Agreements have also been signed in the area of carbon credit through agro-forestry, he said.

"In a first in the country, Gujarat forest department has signed three MoUs worth Rs 2,217 crore for carbon credit through plantation of mangrove trees involving communities." 

Principal Secretary (Forest and Environment) Sanjeev Kumar told reporters.

Separately, 50 MoUs were signed in the areas of tree plantations, nature education camps, resource persons, and knowledge sharing in the field of wildlife conservation.

The state forest and environment department will organise a seminar on the theme of "Towards Net Zero" on January 12 as part of the Summit to discuss the country's national commitment to fight the global issue of climate change, he said.

The seminar will be inaugurated by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav.

Apart from the MoUs, the state government is also exploring the potential of carbon sequestration in wetlands, and the Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation, an autonomous body of the department, is conducting a carbon study at four Ramsar sites: Nal Sarovar, Thol, Khijdia, and Vadwana.
 
Speaking on the upcoming seminar, Kumar said the aim is to bring global and national leaders together to share their views on net zero, decarbonisation of the economy, and carbon trading.
 
Separately, a one-day conclave will be organised to discuss greenfield smart city Dholera as a destination for smart business and its potential to develop into a global hub for semiconductor industries from January 10 to 12, said Dholera Industrial City Development Ltd. MD Supreet Singh Gulati.

This event will showcase the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to develop Dholera as a world-class smart industrial city and one of the most favourable investment destinations, he said.

"Discussions will also be held on the aspects of greenfield smart cities as the future of urbanisation," Gulati added.

The topic of urbanisation will be discussed in a panel discussion on 'Greenfield Smart Cities: The Future of Urbanisation,' providing the opportunity for experts, policymakers, government, and industry leaders to explore innovative solutions to establish more eco-friendly and planned cities, he said.

The panel discussion will be followed by a session on "Dholera: India's First Semicon City in the Making," which will explore the potential to develop it as a global hub for the Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) industry and foster the development of a robust ecosystem for semiconductor and display manufacturing.

ref: Planet Outlook