Lok Sabha Question No. 2799 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-12
Subject: Rise in Natural Disasters due to Climate Change
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, Prataprao Govindrao  Patil Chikhalikar, Pushpendra Singh Chandel

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2799

TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.03.2021

## Rise in Natural Disasters due to Climate Change

2799.  SHRIMATI MALA RAJYA LAXMI SHAH: SHRI PRATAPRAO PATIL CHIKHLIKAR: SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGHCHANDEL:

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

- (a) whether there has been rise in natural disasterslike drought, breaking of glaciers etc. due to climatechange;
- (b) if  so,  the  details thereof along with the actionbeing taken by the Government to check the saidincidents;
- (c) the  number  of  persons  killed  and  injured  andfinancial  losses  caused  by  such disasters during the lastfive years, State-wise including Uttarakhand andBundelkhand region; and
- (d) the other steps taken by the Government for thewelfare of the affected persons?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  and  (b) The  Government  is  seized  of  the  matter.  There  is  no  established  study  for India  providing  a  quantified  contribution  of  climate  change  triggering  either  natural disasters  or  fatalities  thereto.  While  many  studies  monitor  disasters  such  as  drought, floods and breaking of glaciers, the science of attribution of these changes particularly to climate change is far more complex and currently an evolving subject. Such changes as observed may also arise from a number of causes, including the inherent variability in the climate systems that are common in the biosphere and the geosphere.Most studies so far have relied on mathematical modelling of climate change impacts but these are yet to be empirically verified.

Notwithstanding,  the  monitoring  of  glaciers  is  pursued  by  the  Indian  Space  Research Organization, Geological Survey of India, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Defence Geoinformatics  Research  Establishment,  and  Central  Water  Commission.  Further,  the National Disaster Management Authority has issued guidelines titled 'Management of

Glacial LakeOutburst Floods' in October 2020, which inter-alia includes a discussion on Early Warning Systems.

(c)and  (d) Do  not  arise  because  it  is  not  established  that  such  natural  disasters  are triggered  due  to  climate  change.  However,  relief,  recovery,  and  rehabilitation  are governed inter alia by the relevant provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and the guidelines, directives, and orders of the National Disaster Management Authority and the State Disaster Management Authorities. The constitutional, legal and administrative provisions relevant to disaster management and disaster risk reduction adequately address the management of disasters in the country.

The  government  stands  committed  to  combating  climate  change  through  its  several programs  and  schemes.  This  includes  implementation  of  the  National  Action  Plan  on Climate Change (NAPCC), which comprises missions in specific areas of solar energy, energy  efficiency,  water,  agriculture,  Himalayan  ecosystem,  sustainable  habitat,  green India, and strategic knowledge on climate change. The NAPCC provides an overarching framework for all climate actions. Thirty-three States /Union Territories have prepared their  State  Action  Plan  on  Climate  Change  (SAPCC)  in  line  with  NAPCC  taking  into account  the  State  specific  issues  relating  to  climate  change.  These  SAPCCs  outline sector-specific and cross-sectoral priority actions, including adaptation.

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