Climate adaptation must now go hand-in-hand with climate mitigation in today’s world where global temperatures are on the rise and extreme weather events become more frequent. According to the United Nations, the 1.5°C global temperature limit can be exceeded in the next 15 years and that will pose significant risks to countries like India. In a scenario where little international climate finance is available for India, the country stands to make a difference by creating innovative solution visions that also integrate adaptation and mitigation.
| GS Paper | GS Paper I, GS Paper II, GS Paper III |
| Topics for UPSC Prelims | Climate Adaptation, PM Surya Ghar Yojana, Greenhouse gases, Climate-related losses, World Economic Forum, World Migration Report 2024, National Action Plan on Climate Change, Budget 2024-25, National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, Atal Bhujal Yojana, Smart Cities Mission, AMRUT 2.0, Renewable energy program, Sovereign Green Bonds |
| Topics for UPSC Mains | Importance of Climate Adaptation, India’s Progress Towards Climate Adaptation, Major Challenges for India in Climate Adaptation |
This editorial is based on “Why climate adaptation can’t wait any longer” published in Hindustan Times on 01/11/2024. It discusses the urgent need for climate adaptation and India’s role in leading with innovative strategies.
Climate adaptation is a must-understand subject for UPSC students since it forms a part of the GS Paper 3 syllabus, which discusses environmental pollution and degradation. Understanding the efforts and challenges of India in adapting to climate would help the students answer questions concerning environmental policies and sustainable development. It also develops analytical skills, necessary for both Prelims and Mains.
Climate adaptation is the very topic in the light of COP in Baku wherein India has the opportunity to showcase its leadership through PM Surya Ghar Yojana, just like some of the UPSC questions asked earlier were on climate-smart agriculture and adaptation, so highly relevant in the current discussions on the global climate.
Adaptation and mitigation are the two strategies that fight against climate change. Adaptation refers to the alteration made to reduce vulnerability caused by the effect of climatic change, whereas mitigation reduces the output of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere in a bid to control global warming.
Climate change impacts should be tackled through adaptation, an essential activity that societies have to engage in to minimize impacts. Adaptation refers to a change in social, economic, and environmental activities aimed at mitigating damage. This entails flood defense development, planting of drought-resistant crops, modern system management of water, and early warning of natural calamities for higher resilience toward adverse climate change effects.
Climate mitigation directly deals with the cause of climate change by decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. These include the adoption of solar and wind power and other forms of renewable energy, adopting energy-efficient appliances, taking part in reforestation activities, and reducing fossil fuel dependence to minimize global warming and its negative effects on the planet.
Since mitigation is important, adaptation is equally important because some impacts may be inevitable. As global temperatures rise, urgent strategies in adaptation to ensure the safeguarding of communities and ecosystems against immediate threats should be fashioned towards resilience and sustainability of living under change.
Global warming, at present a rise of 1.1°C, is fraught with threats, especially for the vulnerable. The United Nations has cautioned that climate change-induced losses and poverty risks will climb to alarming levels, and immediate adaptation strategies are necessary to counter this. As seen recently, high temperatures in 2023 increase poverty risks for millions, and such high risks necessitate the adoption of urgent adaptive measures.
Delaying adaptation has a huge economic cost, especially in disaster response and infrastructure. On the other hand, investment in climate adaptation, such as early warning systems and climate-resilient infrastructure, promises significant returns. A global investment of USD 1.8 trillion could yield USD 7.1 trillion in benefits, showing the economic advantage of proactive adaptation.
These disruptions in agricultural patterns and water availability due to climate change have intensified global concerns. The projected decline in major crop yields under high warming scenarios by 2050 is about 17%. Thus, there is a strong need for adaptation measures in agriculture and water management to ensure future food and water security.
Urban adaptation is urgent since the enhanced risks of changing climate are faced very strongly in urban areas through flooding and heat waves. The costs are huge for urban adaptation since the population in cities, particularly in developing countries, is increasing with every passing year, taking the cost to USD 295 billion annually by 2050. To overcome these challenges, climate resilience should be integrated into urban planning.
The ecosystems and biodiversity, though under strict stress from climate change, are very important to preserve through climate adaptation. Mitigation alone will not be sufficient. Strategies for biodiversity protection are needed because one million species are threatened with extinction. The economic value of nature, at $44 trillion, is a reason for adaptive measures to keep ecosystem services.
As climate change exacerbates health challenges, it is natural that the health system needs to be responsive. The WHO projects that by the 2030s climate change may be causing up to 250,000 additional deaths a year. Vulnerable populations are disproportionately harmed, and hence, for social equity and resilience, a response health system must be achieved.
India is moving a step forward, hence, to adapt through structured approaches and initiatives. This ranges from policy frameworks, agricultural improvements, water resource management, urban resilience, coastal protection, renewable energy, health sector adaptation, and financial mechanisms showing India’s commitment to building up climate resilience.
India adopts a climate change adaptation approach through the National Action Plan on Climate Change with eight national missions by reinforcing a long-term low-carbon development strategy or LT-LEDS. As of the last update, there have been 30 funded adaptation projects approved.
India supports climate-smart agriculture through schemes like NICRA and PMKSY, focusing on drought-tolerant crops and efficient irrigation. More than 200 crop varieties have been demonstrated in Climate Resilient Villages that have helped vulnerable districts. Millions of farmers benefit from the PM-KISAN scheme by adopting climate adaptation practices.
Similar attempts by the Jal Shakti Ministry, such as the Jal Jeevan Mission and Atal Bhujal Yojana, enhance water resource management, considering conservation and groundwater recharge. By 2024, Jal Jeevan Mission will have increased rural tap water connections that represent an improvement in adaptations of water resource strategies.
It has been supported by missions such as Smart Cities Mission and AMRUT 2.0, which have included climate resilience in planning urbanization itself. With a large amount of projects getting completed under these missions, India is committed to enhancing the resilience of its cities against climate impacts.
India has also improved its coastal resilience. The National Coastal Mission and state initiatives are such improvements. Some of the major elements include mangrove restoration, setting up sea walls, and improving early warning systems.
India has initiated renewable energy programs, like PM-KUSUM and PM Surya Ghar Yojana, that provide both mitigation and adaptation benefits. Renewable energy capacity has significantly increased up to 2024, as the country is increasingly opting for cleaner sources of energy and providing vulnerable communities with climate adaptation.
India’s health sector adaptation is further supplemented through the National Action Plan on Climate Change and Human Health. The Health and Wellness Centers and the adoption of Green & Climate Resilient Hospitals standard form responses to climate-related health impacts.
India innovates financial mechanisms to adapt to climate through green bonds, climate budgeting, and international collaborations. A few initiatives on financing climate adaptation projects undertaken by India include the issuance of Sovereign Green Bonds and NABARD’s adaptation fund management.
Even though much has been accomplished, there are still several areas in which India faces issues with implementing adaptation measures against climate change. These challenges include financial constraints, data lack, pressures of urbanization, vulnerability of the agricultural sectors, water stress, coastal risks, and climate-related migration, and therefore, strategic interventions in all these areas are called for.
The financial constraints in India are a hindrance to its climate adaptation. The gap of adaptation needs is bridged by competing priorities and higher upfront costs. Innovative funding mechanisms and more international support for the country will help resolve this.
Adequate climate data and monitoring systems are lacking in India, affecting adaptation planning. Few regional vulnerability assessments and weak monitoring infrastructure weaken evidence-based decision-making, with a need for more data collection and project evaluation strengthening.
The fast pace of urbanization strains the infrastructure of the city and increases vulnerability, thus demanding climate-resilient planning. A fast-growing urban population requires infrastructure development, which is tough to integrate climate resilience while planning and constructing the same.
The fast pace of urbanization strains the infrastructure of the city and increases vulnerability, thus demanding climate-resilient planning. A fast-growing urban population requires infrastructure development, which is tough to integrate climate resilience while planning and constructing the same.
Irregular monsoons and groundwater depletion make managing water resources an uphill task. Water stress is acute in India and calls for effective water management strategies to ensure the sustainable use and availability of water resources for adaptation.
India’s coastline faces risks from sea-level rise, cyclones, and erosion, impacting coastal communities. Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive coastal management strategies to protect residents and ecosystems from climate impacts.
Climate change migration is one of the problems India is facing, and by 2050, massive displacements will be projected. It is pertinent that managing this migration or generally providing adaptation support to the affected communities requires well-targeted interventions and resources to address it.
India would have to enhance mechanisms of finance, strengthen localized planning with an accent on technologies, and pay greater attention to resilience in agriculture, water, urban, and coastal areas for quicker adaptation to climate change, in addition to encouraging the private sector and ensuring research and inter-state coordination.
Improving finance for adaptation should include restructuring the National Climate Adaptation Fund and establishing state-level green bonds. Blended mechanisms of public and private investment sources could prove instrumental in building financial capacity for adaptation projects.
Community-level resilience is achieved through localized adaptation planning. The setting up of climate adaptation cells in districts, the integration of traditional knowledge, and the development of strategies tailored to specific contexts enhance local preparedness and response to climate impacts.
Technology is very imperative in climate monitoring. A national digital platform could be established and IoT sensors could be installed and satellite monitoring introduced to enhance an early warning system and enable the local communities to collect such data and even begin reporting on the same.
Building resilience in agriculture and water management requires scaling up of climate-smart practices; promoting drought-resistant crops and optimizing irrigation systems, all practices that help reduce the impact of climate change on agriculture and water resources.
Coasts need integrated management strategies: coastal zone management, resilient port infrastructure, and protection of mangroves. Enhanced early warning systems can better prepare communities against climate-related events.
Investing in skill-building enhances the capacity for climate adaptation. Developing skills in climate adaptation and launching education centers to create consciousness and promote practical adaptation behaviors in different areas.
Involving the private sector is essential in scaling adaptation investments. Tax incentives, climate risk disclosure, and support for resilient business models are some of the incentives offered to private sector involvement in adaptation efforts.
Research and innovation are the keys to developing adaptation solutions. Therefore, innovation hubs and research consortia should be created to strengthen collaboration and advance adaptation strategies and technology for effective handling of climate change challenges.
Coordinated activity between states improves the adaptive response. Regional Climate Adaptation Councils can be designed with cross-state projects to ensure harmony in policies. This would help in tackling issues of resource management resulting in regional climate change effects.
Mainstreaming adaptation ensures long-term resilience through mainstreaming adaptation into development planning. Integration of adaptation considerations, and assessment of infrastructure through the development of adaptation. Indicators that enhance monitoring and evaluation for continuous improvement in efforts to adapt.
| Political: India’s commitment to climate adaptation and resilience is reflected in initiatives like the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and PM Surya Ghar Yojana. These policies emphasize integrating climate resilience into development plans, with support for sustainable agriculture, water management, and renewable energy. Continued political support, policy stability, and effective coordination with states are vital to scaling adaptation efforts nationwide. Economic: Investing in climate resilience can be economically advantageous, as proactive adaptation reduces disaster response costs. India’s climate-smart agriculture, water conservation, and green finance initiatives, such as green bonds, showcase economic strategies for adaptation. However, financial constraints, limited resources, and high adaptation costs pose significant barriers, particularly for vulnerable communities that lack access to sufficient funds for climate-resilient infrastructure. Social: Climate resilience measures are critical for addressing social vulnerabilities, as climate impacts disproportionately affect marginalized communities. Initiatives that focus on food security, water management, and health infrastructure aim to reduce climate-related risks for rural and urban populations alike. However, the success of these efforts relies on increasing public awareness, strengthening local capacities, and involving communities in adaptation planning to enhance resilience across all social groups. Technological: Technological advancements play a crucial role in India’s climate adaptation. Digital tools, IoT, and data platforms enhance climate monitoring, enabling better resource management and rapid response to climate events. Drought-resistant crops and coastal monitoring technologies further strengthen resilience. However, technological adoption is limited by the need for infrastructure development and capacity-building, particularly in remote and under-resourced areas where climate impacts are severe. Environmental: India’s adaptation initiatives emphasize sustainable practices, such as water conservation and renewable energy, which mitigate climate impacts while preserving ecosystems. Programs like PM-KUSUM promote clean energy, reducing dependency on fossil fuels and supporting environmental health. However, balancing rapid adaptation with environmental sustainability remains challenging, as new infrastructure for resilience must avoid unintended ecological impacts. |
India’s proactive climate adaptations are commendable, but there is much to be done. To take the country forward, financial mechanisms need to be strengthened, and localized planning of adaptation needs to be done. Better use of technologies needs to be made, and enhanced agriculture, water, urban, and coastal resilience needs to be built.
| UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs) Mains Q. The increasing frequency of natural disasters in recent years has highlighted the urgent need for climate adaptation measures. Discuss India’s policy initiatives and the institutional mechanisms in place to address the challenges of climate adaptation. (UPSC Mains 2022, GS Paper III) Q. Explain the importance of climate adaptation for a rapidly developing and vulnerable country like India. How can initiatives like the PM Surya Ghar Yojana and National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture strengthen India’s resilience against climate-related challenges? |
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