By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 2: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Friday laid thrust on leveraging technology to have stronger models of predictability and analysing climate trends and monitoring mechanisms.
Addressing the inaugural function of a workshop for forest officials on “Forest Survey & Mapping for Meghalaya Using Hybrid System to Analyse Carbon Financing and Phyto-diversity Heat Map & Provisions of the BD Act (Amendment)” here, he spoke at length on the importance of the use of technology for data collection and usage, mapping and synchronizing the data collected.
“Using the data (collected) from different departments and observing the trends will allow government to make the right policies,” Sangma said, adding that effective interventions will have a larger impact.
He said the implementation of the Biological Diversity Act and its 2023 amendment are important for Meghalaya, a state renowned for its rich biodiversity and traditional knowledge.
“The provisions of the Act will enable us to protect our biological resources and associated traditional knowledge from exploitation and ensure that local communities benefit from the sustainable use of these resources,” he added.
Sangma further stated that the goal of implementing the provisions of the Act in Meghalaya is to foster a sustainable relationship with nature where conservation and development go hand in hand.
He expressed satisfaction over the results of a recent survey of the state’s reserve forests, conducted using advanced aerial LiDAR and Hyperspectral imaging technologies.
“These cutting-edge methods have enabled an in-depth analysis of Meghalaya’s reserve forest biodiversity, health and environmental challenges,” the CM said.
He said Meghalaya’s new framework involves creating an inventory of its natural assets and assessing the economic value of its ecosystem services. The idea is to develop innovative financial tools and secure funding for conservation efforts.
“We aim to establish a new revenue model around nature conservation and climate action, ranging from carbon farming and regenerative agriculture to monetising ecosystem services of our forests,” Sangma said.
He released the final report on “Forest Survey & Mapping for Meghalaya Using Hybrid System to Analyse Carbon Financing and Phyto-diversity Heat Map”.
RS Gill, PCCF & HoFF; Dr Arun Kumar Sarma, DG, NECTAR; and Pravin Bakshi, Commissioner & Secretary, Forest & Environment and Chairman of Meghalaya Biodiversity Board were among dignitaries present.
