Lok Sabha Question No. 947 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-22
Subject: Study on Impact of Climate Change
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Manoj Kishorbhai Kotak

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 947

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.11.2019

## Study on Impact of Climate Change

## 947. SHRI MANOJ KOTAK:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any study has been conducted by the Government regarding climate change and unexpected rain and flood situation in the country especially in Maharashtra;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the  details  of  casualties  to  life  and  property  in  different  parts  of  the  country  due  to adverse impact of climate change, floods and rain; and
- (d) the  action  plan  of  the  Government  to  tackle  climate  change  and  unexpected  rain  and floods in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

(a)  and  (b)  India  is  a  Party  to  the  United  Nations  Framework  Convention  on  Climate  Change (UNFCCC).  India  has  submitted  Initial  National  Communication  (INC)  in  2004  and  Second National Communication (SNC) in 2012 to the UNFCCC.  As  part of the National Communications, the Ministry conducted studies on impact of climate change in India which are summarized in the 'Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation' chapters.  For the  SNC, climate change scenarios were analysed using high-resolution regional climate  model. Simulations for 2020s,  2050s  and  2080s  indicate  an  all-round  warming  for  Indian  subcontinent.  Impact  of climate  change  and  climate  variability  on  the  water  resources  are  likely  to  affect  irrigated agriculture, installed power capacity, environmental flows in the dry season and wet season.

(c) There is paucity of data to establish direct correlation of climate change with diseases and deaths. However, reports of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), World Health Organization  (WHO)  and  other  widely  available  literature  indicate  health  impacts  of  various climate  variables  including  extreme  weather  events,  air  pollution,  change  in  precipitation  etc. Various climate model simulation studies also project possible linkages of climate change with frequency and intensity of weather events.

Weather  extremes  in  India  in  the  recent  years  (2014-2017),  as  reported  under  second Biennial  Update  Report  (2018),  is  at Annexure-I .  Apart  from  National  Disaster  Management Authority (NDMA) each State has its own State Disaster Management  Authority to deal with such  events.  NDMA  has  issued  several  disaster  specific  guidelines  for  managing  extreme weather-related disasters such as cyclones, floods and heat wave. National Disaster Management Plan  (NDMP)  has  been  formulated  to  assist  all  stakeholders  including  State  Governments  in disaster risk management of various hazards including hazards related to climate change.

(d) Climate  change  is  a  global  challenge  and  requires  efforts  by  all  nations  based  on  the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibility and Respective Capabilities. Government of India is committed towards combating climate change at the highest level through its several programs and schemes.

The  National  Cyclone  Risk  Mitigation  Project  (NRCMP)  is  under  implementation  in eight  coastal  states  to  mitigate  the  sufferings  of  the  coastal  community.  Cyclone  shelters  and early  warning  system  created  under  this  project  proved  to  be  of  great  help  during  cyclones 'Phailin' in 2013, 'Hud-Hud' in 2014, 'Titli' in 2018 and cyclone 'Fani' in 2019.

Under National Monsoon Mission, the Ministry of Earth Sciences has set up state of the art  dynamical  prediction  systems  for  short,  medium  &  extended  range  forecasts  and  seasonal forecasts. This has helped to upgrade early warning system so that advance warning is available with  concerned  agencies  to  prepare  themselves  for  mitigating  adverse  impacts  of  extreme weather events.

The  Government  is  implementing  National  Action  Plan  on  Climate  Change  (NAPCC) which  comprises  eight  missions  in  specific  areas  of  solar  energy,  energy  efficiency,  water, agriculture, Himalayan ecosystem, sustainable habitat, green India and strategic knowledge on climate change. NAPCC provides an overarching framework for all climate actions. Thirty three States/Union Territories (UTs) have prepared their State Action Plan on Climate Change in line with NAPCC taking into account State's/UT's specific issues relating to climate change. Under the  Paris  Agreement,  India  has  submitted  Nationally  Determined  Contributions  (NDC)  with target to reduce the emissions intensity of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 33 to 35 % by 2030 from 2005 level, to achieve about 40% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030, and to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tones of CO2eq through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.

The  Government  is  also  implementing  the  scheme,  'National  Adaptation  Fund  for Climate  Change'  to  support  adaptation  measures  of  States/UTs  in  areas  that  are  particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change.

## Weather Extreme in India in the recent years (2014-2017)

| Temperatures   | Temperatures   | Temperatures                                                   | Temperatures                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|----------------|----------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Year           | Month          | Event                                                          | Details                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| 2014           | Jan-Dec        | Severe cold wave/cold wave                                     | Cold wave/fog related incidents in northern parts of the country.                                                                                                                                     |
| 2014           | May-Jun        | Heat wave                                                      | Intense heat wave events which prevailed over northeastern, central and peninsular parts of the country.                                                                                              |
| 2015           | May-Jun        | Severe heat wave                                               | Severe heat wave incidences over the south peninsula and eastern parts of the country including the States of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha.                                                   |
| 2016           | Mar-May        | Severe heat wave                                               | Intense heat wave conditions which prevailed over northeaster, Central and peninsular parts of the country.                                                                                           |
| 2017           | Mar-Jun        | Severe heat wave                                               | Severe heat wave conditions which prevailed mainly over peninsular parts of the country including Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.                                                                       |
| Precipitation  | Precipitation  | Precipitation                                                  | Precipitation                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 2014           | Mar            | Hailstorm                                                      | Unprecedented widespread hailstorm in Maharashtra and parts of central India in the first week of March severely affected crops, livestock, animals and birds.                                        |
| 2014           | Sep            | Heavy rainfall resulting in floods                             | Heavy floods in the State of Jammu and Kashmir; Several thousand villages across the state were hit.                                                                                                  |
| 2015           | Apr-Aug        | Nor' wester, Lightening and Heavy rainfall resulting in floods | A severe Nor' wester ravaged 12 districts of Bihar during April. Gujarat State suffered with flood and heavy rains in June. Flood-related incidence also occurred in West Bengal from June to August. |
| 2015           | Nov-Dec        | Heavy rainfall                                                 | Very heavy rainfall during northeast monsoon season in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.                                                                                                                 |
| 2016           | Jul-Sep        | Heavy rainfall resulting floods                                | Heavy rains and floods in State of Maharashtra caused the 'Mahad bridge collapse' incident in                                                                                                         |

|          |          |                                                               | August. Flood-related incidences also occurred in 'State of Bihar from 25the July to 3 rd September. Cloudburst and landslides also occurred in Uttarakhand in July.                                                                                              |
|----------|----------|---------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2017     | May-Oct  | Lightning and Heavy rainfall resulting floods                 | Lightning and rainfall events caused loss of life in various parts of Odisha from May to October; in Bihar from May to July, and; in Maharashtra in June and October.                                                                                             |
| 2017     | Jul-Sep  |                                                               | Flood and heavy rains caused loss of life in Gujarat. Flood-related incidence, a massive landslide caused deaths at Kotrupi, Himachal Pradesh on 13 th August. Floods in Ghaghara, Gomati and Rapti rivers also claimed lives during 4 th to 10 th September.     |
| Cyclones | Cyclones | Cyclones                                                      | Cyclones                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 2014     | Jun      | Cyclonic Storm Nanauk over the Arabian Sea                    | The storm caused heavy rainfall over Lakshadweep, Kerala and coastal Karnataka.                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 2014     | Oct      | Very Severe Cyclonic Strom, Hudhud, over the Bay of Bengal    | Caused human and animal death in north Andhra Pradesh. It caused very heavy rainfall over north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha and strong gale winds leading to large-scale structural damage over north Andhra Pradesh and adjoining districts of south Odisha. |
| 2014     | Oct      | Very severe Cyclonic Storm, Nilofar, over the Arabian sea     | Under the influence of system. Konkan and Goa region experienced widespread rain with heavy rainfall at isolated places.                                                                                                                                          |
| 2015     | Jun      | Cyclonic Storm, Ashobaa, over the Arabian Sea                 | No adverse weather was reported due to this system.                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| 2015     | Jul      | Cyclonic Storm, Komen, over the Bay of Bengal                 | Loss of life due to cyclonic storm, Komen' in West Bengal and Odisha. Landslides also claimed lives in Manipur.                                                                                                                                                   |
| 2015     | Oct      | Extremely severe cyclonic storm, Chapala over the Arabian Sea | No adverse weather over west coast of India was reported due to this system.                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 2015     | Nov      | Extremely severe, cyclonic storm, Megh,                       | No adverse weather over west coast of India was reported due to this system.                                                                                                                                                                                      |

|      |     | over the Arabian Sea                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|------|-----|-----------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2016 | May | Cyclonic Storm, Roanu over the Bay of Bengal              | It caused adverse weather like heavy rain and strong wind all along east coast of Sri Lanka and India ( including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Rayalseema, Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura)                                                        |
|      | Oct | Cyclonic storm Kyant over the Bay of Bengal               | The system caused rainfall at isolated places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and coastal Andhra Pradesh.                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|      | Nov | Cyclonic storm Nada over the Bay of Bengal                | The system caused heavy rainfall at isolated places over Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|      | Dec | Very Severe Cyclonic storm, Vardah over the Bay of Bengal | 'Vardah' caused heavy to very heavy rainfall over Andaman & Nicobar Islands. It also caused extremely heavy rainfall over Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kanchipuram districts of Tamil Nadu. It caused human and animal death in Tamil Nadu.                                                                    |
| 2017 | Apr | Cyclonic storm Maarutha over the Bay of Bengal            | The system caused heavy rainfall over Andaman & Nicobar Islands.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| 2017 | May | Severe cyclonic storm 'Mora' over the Bay of Bengal       | 'Mora' developed in the onset phase of southwest monsoon. The system caused heavy rainfall at isolated places over Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram and Tripura and a few Places over Assam and Meghalaya.                                                                                 |
| 2017 | Nov | Very Severe Cyclonic Storm 'Ockhi' over the Bay of Bengal | It was a rare cyclone with rapid intensification after the genesis stage. It caused isolated heavy rainfall over south Tamil Nadu and over south Kerala. It caused heavy to very heavy rainfall over Lakshadweep and heavy rainfall over north coastal Maharashtra and adjoining south coastal Gujarat. |

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