German GIZ rolls out national climate change programme from Gujarat

German GIZ, along with its national partner for Climate change programme – Gujarat institute of Competitiveness (GIC) rolls out the national climate change programme from Gujarat with Indextb as a sponsor. 

Gujarat Institute of Competitiveness (GIC) is focused on the aspect of competitiveness. GIC engages with companies, MSMEs, NGOs and academia to enhance their competitiveness. GIC offers advisory, training, capacity building and institutional development services to significant constituents of society.

In January 2014 India reported 233 deaths in the first 10 days of the year; caused by temperatures up to 4-5 degree lower than the normal seasonal average. Extreme weather events like these have drastically increased in the last years, threatening societies, economies and the eco-system as a whole. The Government of India has realised that they should not only take initiative in mitigating the risks but should be actively promoting adaption to the impacts that are bound to happen.

Businesses, especially SMEs are majorly affected by the impacts of a changing climate. Unexpected heavy weather events can cause major damages to their premises and processes, eventually throwing them out of business. However, awareness about these risks among businesses still remains low.

Service providers such as consultants to industry, business development service providers, educational and training institutions can play an important role in promoting awareness among MSMEs on the impacts climate change can have on their businesses. Against this background, GIZ had conducted a roadshow cum training of trainers in 2013 that capacitates multipliers to conduct trainings on their own. In continuation of these efforts, GIZ had called for proposals from all over India for NEW IDEAS to conduct a new series of roadshows & trainings on climate change adaptation for MSMEs or multipliers. Eligible organisations were to submit innovative business models and ideas on how to conduct this workshop series and create awareness on climate change in MSME’s. A National level competition was launched & results were declared in Feb 2014.

Gujarat Institute of Competitiveness was declared the winner of the national level competition and were awarded the project.