Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said there is no unified global consensus on tackling climate change, prompting the state to take independent steps to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

He was speaking after inaugurating the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation’s Seed Ball Project and releasing its Green Budget. Vijayan said both initiatives are model projects that other local bodies can adopt to help the state reach its net-zero target.

Thiruvananthapuram has become the first local body in Kerala to implement a green budget, which outlines how various civic projects contribute to reducing carbon emissions, identifies further measures, and sets expected outcomes.

As part of the seed ball project, 14 lakh seed balls have been planted across the state capital to promote large-scale afforestation.

Referring to the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, Vijayan said no clear guidelines on combating climate change emerged from the summit. “If we keep waiting for decisions from them, things will never happen. So, without waiting, we must act on our own,” he said, listing measures such as promoting electric vehicles, developing green hydrogen hubs, and expanding renewable energy use.

He praised the corporation’s efforts to move towards carbon neutrality and turn the state capital into a solar city, calling them “commendable.”