Aafrin Kidwai 
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has released the new Mumbai Climate Action Plan (MCAP) towards the goal of building a climate-resilient city. MCAP is a policy document to adopt an evidence-based planning approach and mobilize resources to move from action planning to strategic projects for Mumbai. The action plan 2022 is titled ‘Towards a Climate Resilient Mumbai’. Mumbai is eyeing to achieve net-zero carbon emission by 2050.
MCAP is based on a vulnerability assessment, greenhouse gas (GHG) and natural green cover inventory over the last six months led by the BMC with technical support from the World Resources Institute (WRI) India and the C40 Cities network. MCAP focuses on six sectors to provide sector-specific mitigation and adaptation strategies. These include energy and buildings, mobility, SWM, urban greening and mobility, air quality, urban flooding and water resource management.
As per the report, the waste sector is responsible for approximately eight percent of GHG emissions, half of these owing to improper SWM:
“Waste is responsible for 1.93 million tonnes of CO2e, of which solid waste disposal is responsible for 0.96 million tonnes, or 50%. This is mainly due to CH4 emissions from landfills, with the city landfilling 75% of its dry waste and 90% of wet. The biological treatment of waste in the city is responsible for 0.04 million tonnes of CO2e, mainly due to composting, with 9% of the total wet waste being composted. Wastewater is responsible for 0.92 million tonnes of CO2e. This is because 53% of wastewater is treated using facultative methods without biogas capture and 47% is released without treatment.“
Based on this, the MCAP recommends adopting a decentralized and zero landfill waste management strategy (see chart taken from report below).
Significantly, the State’s existing Department of Environment will be expanded and renamed as the Department of Environment and Climate Change. A proposed budget of Rs 10 million has also been set aside to create the CAC and identify projects for implementation over the next financial year. “This includes BMC’s budget; funds under Majhi Vasundhara, other state and centrally sponsored schemes and programs such as Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban, AMRUT, FAME II and NCAP; sector-specific agency budgets such as MEDA, which is the state designated agency (SDA) to improve RE, EE and ECBC in Maharashtra; green bonds; funds from 15th Finance Commission; international developmental funds such as GCF; CSR funds; and multilateral financial institutions,” the report states. For SWM, Rs 2610 has been earmarked by the BMC in FY 2021-22, which is over 87 percent of the BMC’s revenue expenditure.
