Adaptation and Risk Analysis

Power infrastructure, which includes assets for generation, transmission, and distribution of power, is vulnerable to manifestations of climate change. Data from the International Disasters Database shows that during 1998–2017, India experienced an average of 16 extreme weather events resulting in a total economic loss of USD 45 billion, compared to an average of 10 events during 1978–97 with USD 20 billion in losses. Extreme weather events in the last two decades have resulted in loss of lives, decreased agricultural productivity, and infrastructure damage.

Riding on its vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat, the government of India recently announced a slew of projects in the budget to reboot the economy, which went slack because of COVID. These projects, including the National Infrastructure Pipeline to 7,400 projects, the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), and Smart Cities Mission, offer an opportunity to mainstream climate risks and nature-based solutions (NbS) into infrastructure.

In 2018, a group of academic institutions initiated a project to build capacities of the 12 Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) states through robust assessments of climate change vulnerability, adaptation planning, and implementation. A standardised assessment of vulnerability allows stakeholders to compare vulnerability across states, probe what has caused their vulnerability, and investigate how they might address these vulnerabilities.

Traditional agroforestry systems across South Asia have historically supported millions of smallholding farmers. Since, 2007 agroforestry has received attention in global climate discussions for its carbon sink potential. Agroforestry plays a defining role in offsetting greenhouse gases, providing sustainable livelihoods, localizing Sustainable Development Goals and achieving biodiversity targets. The review explores evidence of agroforestry systems for human well-being along with its climate adaptation and mitigation potential for South Asia.

India has been witnessing variable monsoon for the past few years. The last year was marked by surplus rain in June, deficit rain in July, and surplus rain in August and September, as reported by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. This inconsistency in the monsoon rainfall pattern is an indication that extreme weather events might become the norm, rather than the exception, in the coming years. The Global Climate Risk Index 2020, released recently, puts India seventh in the list of countries worst hit by extreme events.

Climate change increases strain on agriculture systems through changes in the magnitude, distribution, and timing of rainfall; rise in temperature; and an increase in the frequency of extreme weather events. In Karnataka, agriculture is the key contributing sector for the state’s economy. Despite its importance, agriculture in the state is limited by the availability of irrigation (only 31.2%) and uncertainty in rainfall distribution. These factors greatly hamper the agricultural productivity of the state.

Variability in the leaf phenology of tropical trees impacts their growth. How phenology of tree species responds over rainfall gradient is relevant to study in the light of current climatic changes. Airborne visible and infrared imaging spectrometer-next generation (AVIRIS-NG) spectral datasets have been considered for this study as they not only provide wider area of coverage, but also high spatial and spectrally resolved output.

The Union Budget 2021-22 is clearly a plan to bolster the nation's financial stability that has been down in the doldrums due to the pandemic. But, can the recovery plan, announced on the heels of India being ranked seventh on the Global Climate Risk Index 2021, lead to a resilient and regenerative economy? 

The Union Budget 2021–22 is a clear plan to bring the economy back on track. But the current pandemic should have paved the way for a new approach to economic development — one that prioritised environment, ecosystems, and green infrastructure.