Eshwar Khandre, Karnataka’s Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment, laid bare the environmental challenges threatening the state’s future, while highlighting its progress in sustainability initiatives. In his keynote address, titled “Green Karnataka: Balancing Ecology in High Growth State,” at India Today Environment Conclave 2025 in Bengaluru, he emphasised on developing and implementing comprehensive climate mitigation strategies in the state.
“Global warming, greenhouse effect and climate change is the harsh reality of our times. It cannot be wished away as just any other occurrence. It needs to be mitigated with tailored solutions for our collective survival as a whole on this planet of ours,” Khandre said.
The state’s vulnerability stems from its unique demographic makeup, as Khandre explained: “A huge chunk of the demography is reliant for its sustenance or economic growth on climate-intensive sectors such as agriculture, horticulture, forestry, animal husbandry, fisheries, etc.”
This vulnerability is already manifesting in various regions. In Bidar, the northernmost district, the impact has been severe. “Almost all the sectors in the district have been adversely impacted because of that. though we are trying our best to help improve the situation it will take a while before we are able to effectively counter the impacts on the grassroot level and build resilience amongst our population,” he stated.
The state capital Bengaluru, despite its technological prowess, faces its own environmental challenges. “People from all over the country have moved to our city… which led to a massive surge in the demand for more living spaces leading to severe depletion of green cover across the city along with putting a severe strain on the water resources pushing it to precarious positions,” he said. “The change in the rainfall pattern due to the vagaries of climate change didn’t help the situation either,” the minister added.
Despite these challenges, Karnataka has emerged as a leader in sustainability, achieving a notable Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) score of 75 for 2023-24. “Our state achieving the SDG score it has achieved, is no coincidence as various organisations have been working in tandem with governmental institutions. While industrial growth is vital for the development of a nation, we must approach it with a sense of responsibility,” Khandre said.
He highlighted how the state has implemented the Karnataka State Action Plan on Climate Change, incorporating a comprehensive sustainability model that addresses climate change mitigation, natural resource conservation, and eco-friendly practices. A monitoring system tracks the effectiveness of these measures, as the state strives to balance environmental protection with economic growth.
He ended his keynote address by saying that the government has already begun its process of removing encroachment of forests and illegal conversions. He said the government intended to increase the green cover in the state, which currently stands at 22 per cent of the state’s land area.