Hyderabad: Chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Wednesday urged the need for a comprehensive national strategy to confront escalating climate emergencies, while outlining Telangana’s plan to combine rapid economic growth with environmental sustainability.He said the state aims to transform Hyderabad into a net zero city and position it as a model for climate-resilient urban development. Addressing a session titled ‘Accelerating Sub-National Climate Action: Key to Advancing Sub-National Economic Growth’ at the Mumbai Climate Conference held at the Jio World Convention Centre, Revanth Reddy said major metros such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad are facing severe climate pressures, making coordinated policy action urgent. Changing weatherHighlighting changing weather patterns, he said Hyderabad has witnessed a sharp rise in extreme rainfall events after the Covid-19 pandemic. “Post-Covid, rainfall in Hyderabad had increased drastically. The average rainfall recorded in Hyderabad stood at 2 cm in 24 hours till 2020, but the city has been recording 40 cm of rainfall in a two-hour period since 2020,” he said. Revanth said Telangana is aggressively promoting renewable energy across urban and rural sectors. Hyderabad, he said, is targeted to become a net zero city by 2034 and the first in India to undertake a comprehensive carbon footprint audit as part of its development strategy. He also indicated that industrial activity in the core urban region economy would be minimal over the next five years in line with sustainable planning.According to him, governance priorities have shifted after the pandemic, with manufacturing, environmental protection and sustainability now central to development. Telangana aims to expand its economy from about $200 billion at present to $1 trillion by 2034 and $3 trillion by 2047, he said.Tax reliefs for EVsStressing that development must go hand in hand with ecological protection, he listed initiatives such as tax exemptions for electric vehicles, large-scale EV adoption in Hyderabad, retrofitting over two lakh autorickshaws, conversion of more than 3,500 RTC buses to electric, and expansion of the Hyderabad Metro Rail network from 71 km to over 200 km. Environmental restoration plans include rejuvenation of Musi river, conservation of lakes and ponds, and creation of a dedicated environmental protection force, HYDRAA. These measures, he said, are aimed at reducing climate risks and ensuring sustainable urban growth. Explaining regional development plans, he said the govt intends to build the peri-urban region economy zone into the country’s largest green energy-based manufacturing hub, positioning Telangana as an alternative destination under the global ‘China Plus One’ strategy. ‘Energy is backbone of growth’Revanth emphasised that energy is the backbone of economic growth. “Telangana currently consumes an average of 16,610 megawatts per day, with peak demand recorded last year at 17,162 megawatts, expected to exceed 19,000 megawatts this year and projected to cross 34,000 megawatts by 2034,” he said.He further said, “Nearly one quarter of the state’s energy, about 25%, is sourced from green power, and that global investors, especially in data centres and advanced industries, are increasingly seeking green energy, with Telangana aligning its growth accordingly.”
