Indo-German Cooperation Project to Assess Role of Indian MSMEs in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation

NEW DELHI, India, October 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

On behalf of the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has launched a project jointly with the Indian Ministry of MSME to assess the impact of climate change on competitiveness, innovation and business potential for Indian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

GIZ kicked off the process by recently hosting a stakeholder consultation workshop. The discussion among civil society, academics and MSMEs focused on the risks of climate change on the sector and the role of innovation and creation of new business opportunities through climate change adaptation. Views from the consultation will be integrated into the development process of an E-learning programme on climate change and complementary research studies on the associated business risks and opportunities, in order to generate large scale awareness for MSMEs on the issue.

The project seeks to fill the knowledge gap about the impact of climate change on MSMEs and strategies for mitigation and adaptation and therewith contributes to the National Action Plan on Climate Change of Government of India. It will identify and document innovative ways MSMEs are dealing with the direct and indirect impacts of climate change and assess the market potential of the adaptation techniques.  

 "MSMEs play a vital role in the Indian economy and can contribute greatly to combating climate change through using their characteristic small size to swiftly innovate around new products and process that support the transition to a low carbon economy," said Manfred Haebig, Programme Director- Private Sector Development, at GIZ in India.

While MSMEs are small in nature, in addition to their well documented contribution to the economy and labour market, they collectively contribute significantly to India's energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The industrial sector is the second-largest consumer of energy, with MSMEs accounting for 45% of manufacturing output.

About GIZ

As a federal enterprise, GIZ supports the German Government in achieving its objectives in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development. The company is also engaged in international education work around the globe and currently operates in more than 130 countries worldwide.

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