Lok Sabha Question No. 2269 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-05
Subject: Adverse Effect of Climate Change
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Dileshwar Kamait, Dr. Pradeep Kumar Panigrahy, Dr. Bachhav Shobha Dinesh

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2269

TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.08.2024

## Adverse Effect of Climate Change

2269    Dr. BACHHAV SHOBHA DINESH: SHRI DILESHWAR KAMAIT: Dr. PRADEEP KUMAR PANIGRAHY:

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

- (a) whether the Government has conducted any study regarding the adverse effects of climate change in the country, if so, the details including the outcomes thereof;
- (b) whether the  Government has permitted  other  countries to carry  out  the said  study  with mutual consent keeping in view the spirit of 'Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam', if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the country is witnessing serious climate change, devastating floods and loss of lives, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the details of the loss of life and property during the last three years, State and year-wise;
- (e) whether the country has suffered financial loss due  to climate change, if so, the details thereof;
- (f) the  details  of  remedial  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  tackle  the  adverse  effects  of climate change; and
- (g) the strategies proposed by the Government to combat environmental degradation, promote sustainable  forest  management,  mitigate  climate  change  impacts,  protect  biodiversity, ensure environmental sustainability, and achieve the country's environmental conservation goals in the face of increasing environmental challenges and climate change concerns?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a) to (e) Climate change studies are undertaken by several Ministries and Departments of the Government  of India  and  the  research  organisations  under  them.  India  submitted  its  Third National  Communication  (TNC)  to  the United Nations  Framework  Convention  on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in December 2023. The TNC includes a chapter on 'Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation' based on the outputs of different studies awarded by the Ministry to various expert organisations. The TNC report highlights that extreme precipitation and flooding events have  affected  several  parts  of  India  in  recent  years.  These  floods  were  caused  by  heavy precipitation, as well as events such as glacier breaks and flash floods, and avalanches. These events caused the loss of lives, massive damage to crops, public infrastructure, and private property across several districts in India.

Observations  indicate  that  incidences  of  extreme  weather  conditions  have  increased across the globe including India in the recent decades. However, there is no established study for India providing a quantified contribution of climate change triggering natural disasters. The changes as observed may rise from a number of causes, including the inherent variability in climatic systems that are common in the biosphere and geosphere. 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.

As per the information from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), no centralized data on loss of life and property due to extreme weather conditions in the States/ Union Territories is maintained. Each State has its own State Disaster Management Authority to deal with such events.

(f) and (g) The Government of India has been undertaking number of steps aimed at protecting and conserving the environment  which have a direct/indirect  impact  on combating  climate change.  In  August  2022,  India  updated  its  Nationally  Determined  Contribution  (NDC) demonstrating higher ambition in its climate action, as agreed under the Paris Agreement. As a  part  of  the  updated  NDC,  India  has  introduced  the  concept  of  'LiFE'  (Lifestyle  for Environment) for propagating a healthy and sustainable way of living based on traditions and values of conservation and moderation by focusing on behaviors and attitudes of individuals and  communities.  In  addition,  India's  LT-LEDS  (Long  Term  Low-Carbon  Development Strategy)  submitted  to  the  UNFCCC  in  November,  2022,  highlights  India's  vision  of  low carbon and sustainable development.

Further,  India's  climate  actions  across  different  sectors  are  embedded  in  various programme and schemes implemented by the Government of India. The National Action Plan on  Climate  Change  (NAPCC)  provides  the  overarching  framework  for  all  climate  actions, through  national  missions  in  specific  areas  of  Solar  energy,  Enhanced  energy  efficiency, Sustainable  habitat,  Water,  Sustaining  Himalayan  ecosystems,  Green  India,  Sustainable agriculture, Human health, and Strategic knowledge for climate change. All these Missions focus on strategies to combat the adverse impacts of climate change, and, are institutionalized and implemented by their respective Nodal Ministries/Departments. Further, 34 States/Union Territories (UTs) have prepared their State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCC) in line with  NAPCC  taking  into  account  the  State  specific  issues  relating  to  climate  change.  The responsibility of the implementation of the SAPCCs rest with the respective States.

Under the National Adaptation Fund on Climate Change, projects worth Rs. 847.48 crore have been sanctioned in 27 States / Union Territories. India's Initial Adaptation Communication submitted to UNFCCC in December 2023 indicates that the total adaptation relevant expenditure for the year  2021-22 was  5.6  per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), growing from a share of 3.7 per cent in 2015-16, which shows that the Government has been making consistent efforts to integrate climate resilience and adaptation into development plans and spending a significant amount of resources to tackle the adverse effects of climate change, despite the competing demands especially from the social sector for resources.

The National Afforestation Programme (NAP) is implemented on pan India basis for afforestation in identified degraded forest areas with people's participation and decentralized forest governance. Compensatory afforestation under CAMPA has also been used for taking up plantations on degraded forest lands and carrying out eco-restoration works. In addition, the Green Credit Program has been launched in 2023 under which the Forest Departments of every State and Union Territory have been requested to identify degraded forestland parcels under their control and management which shall be made available for tree plantation for the purpose of  generation  of  green  credit.The  Government  has  launched  Amrit  Dharohar  scheme  to encourage  optimal  use  of  wetlands,  and  enhance  bio-diversity,  carbon  stock,  eco-tourism opportunities and income generation for local communities. Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) is being undertaken for protection of the shoreline and as a climate mitigation and adaptation measure. The Government of India has taken several initiatives for Biodiversity conservation. The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 is implemented through a three-tiered institutional mechanism, namely National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) at the national level, State Biodiversity Boards at the State level, and Biodiversity Management Committees at the local body level.

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