Lok Sabha Question No. 4369 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-19
Subject: Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Areas
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Adoor Prakash, Dean Kuriakose

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4369

TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2019

## Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Areas

4369.  ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH: ADV. DEAN KURIAKOSE:

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

- (a) whether any study has been conducted by the Government to assess the impact of climate change on coastal areas of the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) if not, whether the Government will consider conducting a country wide study to assess the impact on geographical as well as traditional communities living in coastal areas;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to increase awareness among the people regarding the effects of climate change?

## ANSWER

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

- (a)&(e) With the objective of assessment of impact of climate change on the coastal areas of the  country,  the  National  Centre  for  Coastal  Research  (NCCR),  Ministry  of  Earth Sciences  is  carrying  out  work  on  developing  a  decision  support  system  for  climate change impact assessment on geographical areas and socio economic impact in the coastal areas. NCCR has also prepared shoreline change maps for the period 19902018.  The Ministry of Earth Science also monitors the shoreline changes along the Indian coast on an annual basis. Studies indicate various patterns namely, advancement  of  the  sea  landwards  (erosion),  advancement  of  the  land  towards  sea (accretion)  and  stable  shoreline  respectively.  Such  shoreline  changes  have  been observed for  Southern Indian Coastal States, which  have impacted the local habitations.

A national strategy for coastal protection along with guidelines for coastal protection measures  have  been  framed  for  all  Coastal  States  and  Union  territories  by  the Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  &  Climate  Change.The  Ministry  of  Environment, Forest  &  Climate  Change,  under  the  Integrated  Coastal  Zone  Management  Project (ICZMP)  have  undertaken  delineating  and  demarcating  the  hazard  line  along  the entire  coastal  belt  of  the  country,  including  the  inter-tidal  areas.  The  hazard  line  is indicative of the shoreline changes, including the sea level rise due to climate change and is a projection of impact due to sea level rise, and shoreline changes over a long period of time viz. over 100 years. This line is required to be used by the Coastal State agencies concerned as a tool for Disaster Management for the coastal environment, including planning of adaptive and mitigation measures. The hazard line for the entire coast  of  the  country  has  been  mapped  and  is  featured  in  the  new  Coastal  Zone Management Plans of the coastal States / Union territoriesapproved by the Ministry.

The  ICZMPalso  envisages  large-scale  assessment  of  the  risks  associated  with shoreline changes and preparation of a framework for development of management solutions  to  combat  these  risks.    Under  the  Phase-I  of  the  project,  shoreline management plans are prepared for five (05) identified coastal stretches  in Gujarat, Odisha and West Bengal, on a pilot basis.

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