NMSKCC

Tamil Nadu State Climate Change Knowledge Management Cell is an efficient and dedicated chamber of climate change knowledge management under the project Establishing/Strengthening the State Climate Change Centre/Cell under NMSKCC (SCCC-NMSKCC) in the State of Tamil Nadu. Knowledge Management Cell is committed to serve the stakeholders and community to disseminate the information on state’s climate change, sectoral impacts and vulnerability on agriculture, water, coastal, forestry and biodiversity, health, energy and sustainable habitat. The following progressive initiatives are under headway

1. Climate Knowledge Portal Website development work is completed for launching. This portal helps users to
• Visualize the temporal and spatial patterns of current vulnerability among districts and changes under future climate scenarios for different sector.
• Understand current vulnerability
• Identify the factors that render some regions more vulnerable than others
• Identify the districts which are vulnerable to climate change and need special attention towards adaptation
• Derive suitable adaptation strategies and practices
• Assist in the decision-making process

After launching the portal, the workshop will be conducted to stakeholders to use the portal and access district level sectoral climate information.

2. Introducing Climate Change Science to different sectors/ Training Programmes for Stakeholders

A ‘Brainstorming meeting on Updating TNSAPCC Strategies: Knowledge Management Sector’ was held on 20th February 2018 at Anna University to discuss about the organizational framework for setting up the knowledge management cell and explaining its objectives with the key stakeholders. 31 officers from TNSAPCC’s nodal and line departments such as agriculture, horticulture, sericulture, forest, energy, health, IWS, IMD, TWAD were participated in the meeting. The need for knowledge management cell on climate change, upcoming web portal and its significance were discussed with stakeholders.

3. Public Awareness for Community

Climate awareness and outreach programs are part of the NMSKCC project which aims provide an improved understanding on changing climate among community especially students. Climate Change Quiz 2019 was conducted to create awareness on climate change among college students. The quiz was conducted based on the broad topic ‘Climate Change and Sustainable Planet’. 42 Under Graduate students from Arts, Science and Engineering Colleges from Greater Chennai were participated in the competition. Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Chennai won the 1st prize - A cash award Rs. 5000/- and a winner trophy. Loyola College, Chennai won the 2nd prize - A cash award Rs. 3000/- and a trophy. Jeppiaar Maamallan Engineering College, Chennai won 3rd prize - A cash award of Rs. 2000/- and a trophy.

4. Periodical Quarterly newsletter on Global Climate news, recent reports on Climate change and its implies related to Tamil Nadu State, climate related Projects and the events by the Nodal and line departments. The first issue of the newsletter is ready
5. District wise observed climate change (temperature, rainfall and its extremities) during the past decades 1951-2015. IMD gridded data were used to depict the observed monthly, seasonal, annual temperature, rainfall and its extremities
6. Assessing district wise climate change vulnerability for all identified sectors of TNSAPCC viz., agriculture, forestry and biodiversity, coastal, energy, suitable habitat and water.
• District wise socio economic vulnerability to current climate change was assessed to understand how the socio-economic conditions of the districts influence climate vulnerability. The districts which are high exposure to climate variabilities and extremities, the districts which are highly sensitive due to its socio economic status are identified and vulnerability maps are prepared.
• District wise Agriculture Vulnerability to climate change is under progress using Decision Support System for Agriculture Technology (DSSAT) model. The crop yield changes for paddy, maize, sorghum, groundnut and pulses will be assessed under future RCP 4.5 climate scenarios
• Coastal Inundation mapping using SRTM 30m for projecting sea level rise for the coast of Tamil Nadu at 1 m, 1.5m and identified Sea Surface Temperature (SST) changes in the coastal Tamil Nadu using global SST
• Forest and Biodiversity Vulnerability Assessment, indicators identification work progress based on the existing literature review. Forest Impact Model identification work also progress and mail communication forwarded to impact model developers
7. Collecting Knowledge Resources i.e scientific reports and publications related to State’s climate change and its implies on different sectors
8. The Inception and Methodology workshop on Vulnerability Assessment is proposed in June 2019 to discuss the common methodology and framework approach which suits exclusive for Tamil Nadu State. The national experts and stakeholders from the State will be invited to participate in the inception workshop.