140
4 Climate Mitigation and India’s Commitment to Global Community
4.7 Climate Vulnerability
India’s rapid population, economic and industrial growth has created enormous pressures on its resources. Out of the total geographical area of 3.28 million square km,
about 0.27 million hectares is prone to cyclones and 40 million hectares is prone
to floods. The coastal areas are most vulnerable to natural disasters as well. The
entire east coast of India, the Gujarat coast along the west coast, and the islands of
Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar face frequent cyclonic conditions which
sometimes cause large-scale destruction of life and property. The super cyclone of
1999 caused massive destruction along the coast of Orissa and its impact was felt
several kilometers inland. The tsunami on December 26, 2004 was one of the most
serious and unexpected natural catastrophes that impacted life and property located
along the coast of Andaman and Nicobar, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, and Kerala.
State-wise details of damage due to unnatural events such as cyclonic storms, heavy
rains, floods, landslides, and earthquakes during the years 2013–2014 to 2017–2018
are provided in Figs. 4.12, 4.13, 4.14, and 4.15.
Extreme conditions and frequent disasters have greatly eroded developmental
gains and caused heavy loss of human lives mainly due to fast and unplanned
economic development. As compared to inland areas, coastal region is subjected
to ecological stress and environmental conflicts due to erosion, overexploitation of
natural resources, loss of biological cover, increased salinity, ground water depletion,
and pollution. With continuously increasing population pressure in the coastal states
(Fig. 4.16), the vulnerability to frequent and intense natural and manmade hazards is
on the rise. Analysis of cyclones on the east and west coasts of India between 1981
and 1990 shows that nearly 262 cyclones occurred in a 50 km wide strip causing
massive destruction of life and property.
942
1425
755
259 125
431
574
683
202
797
193
365
99
642
235 88 49
345
45 51
3815
547
86 13 1 25 44 5 20 0
3
West Bengal
Bihar
Uttar Pradesh
Andhra Pr.
Odisha
Assam
Madhya Pr.
Gujarat
Rajasthan
Maharashtra
Karnataka
J & K
Punjab
Tamil Nadu
Arunachal Pr.
Chhattisgarh
Telangana
Himachal Pr.
Manipur
Nagaland
Uttarakhand
Kerala
Meghalaya
Mizoram
Goa
Sikkim
Tripura
Puducherry
Jharkhand
Lakshadweep
Haryana
Fig. 4.12 Human lives lost (No.) between 2013–14 and 2017–18. (Source Sabha, Lok. “Lok Sabha
Question 624” (2018))
4 Climate Mitigation and India’s Commitment to Global Community
4.7 Climate Vulnerability
India’s rapid population, economic and industrial growth has created enormous pressures on its resources. Out of the total geographical area of 3.28 million square km,
about 0.27 million hectares is prone to cyclones and 40 million hectares is prone
to floods. The coastal areas are most vulnerable to natural disasters as well. The
entire east coast of India, the Gujarat coast along the west coast, and the islands of
Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar face frequent cyclonic conditions which
sometimes cause large-scale destruction of life and property. The super cyclone of
1999 caused massive destruction along the coast of Orissa and its impact was felt
several kilometers inland. The tsunami on December 26, 2004 was one of the most
serious and unexpected natural catastrophes that impacted life and property located
along the coast of Andaman and Nicobar, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, and Kerala.
State-wise details of damage due to unnatural events such as cyclonic storms, heavy
rains, floods, landslides, and earthquakes during the years 2013–2014 to 2017–2018
are provided in Figs. 4.12, 4.13, 4.14, and 4.15.
Extreme conditions and frequent disasters have greatly eroded developmental
gains and caused heavy loss of human lives mainly due to fast and unplanned
economic development. As compared to inland areas, coastal region is subjected
to ecological stress and environmental conflicts due to erosion, overexploitation of
natural resources, loss of biological cover, increased salinity, ground water depletion,
and pollution. With continuously increasing population pressure in the coastal states
(Fig. 4.16), the vulnerability to frequent and intense natural and manmade hazards is
on the rise. Analysis of cyclones on the east and west coasts of India between 1981
and 1990 shows that nearly 262 cyclones occurred in a 50 km wide strip causing
massive destruction of life and property.
942
1425
755
259 125
431
574
683
202
797
193
365
99
642
235 88 49
345
45 51
3815
547
86 13 1 25 44 5 20 0
3
West Bengal
Bihar
Uttar Pradesh
Andhra Pr.
Odisha
Assam
Madhya Pr.
Gujarat
Rajasthan
Maharashtra
Karnataka
J & K
Punjab
Tamil Nadu
Arunachal Pr.
Chhattisgarh
Telangana
Himachal Pr.
Manipur
Nagaland
Uttarakhand
Kerala
Meghalaya
Mizoram
Goa
Sikkim
Tripura
Puducherry
Jharkhand
Lakshadweep
Haryana
Fig. 4.12 Human lives lost (No.) between 2013–14 and 2017–18. (Source Sabha, Lok. “Lok Sabha
Question 624” (2018))