Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said that climate change is a fundamental issue of justice and equity, not just an environmental challenge, during the Climate Investments Coalition for the Global South in New Delhi. Highlighting the disproportionate impact on those contributing the least to climate change, Sangma called for global platforms to address the realities of the Global South. He stressed the importance of traditional conservation knowledge in tackling the crisis. “Our communities’ deep-rooted conservation practices are being promoted for sustainable solutions,” he said.
Discussing erratic monsoons and extreme weather in Meghalaya, Sangma pointed to agriculture and livelihoods being severely impacted. He underlined the state’s initiatives, such as the “Green Meghalaya” program, which promotes community-led forest conservation and water source rejuvenation. The CM also spoke of regional cooperation to tackle climate-related challenges in the northeast. “A severe weather event in Arunachal Pradesh can affect Assam, and rising Brahmaputra levels can cause flooding in western Meghalaya,” he noted, urging northeastern states to collaborate.
Sangma highlighted the state’s investments in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and climate-resilient infrastructure and called for partnerships through BIMSTEC to strengthen South-South.
