Rising temperature: Anbumani urges to drop thermal power projects

CHENNAI: Pointing out that the earth in the year 2013 has recorded the highest annual temperature in the past one lakh years, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss urged the Tamil Nadu government to do its part in mitigating climate change by closing thermal power plants, petrochemical projects and others.

"Governments in the world should take measures to implement decisions taken in UN climate change conferences. Tamil Nadu should drop thermal power projects, hydrocarbon and petrochemical projects. People should start living with nature and the government should frame rules," he urged in a statement.

He added that the average temperature in 2023 was 1.48 degree Celsius higher than that of per-industrialization era. The United Nations has conducted 28 international conferences in 31 years. Several measures like cutting the usage of fossil fuels, moving towards renewable energy are being proposed, but the countries, especially the developed countries are not coming forward.

"Despite a decision to cut carbon emission was taken in recently held COP28 in Dubai, methodology and projects have not been finalized. Tamil Nadu has started experiencing the ill-effects of climate change. Reason for heavy rains in Chennai and south districts was the climate change. Extreme temperature, extreme rainfall, drought and food shortage will affect us," he warned.