occurring in parts of the country due to factors such as the
declining water table depth.
Several regions in India are global biodiversity hotspots
with numerous endemic species of plants and animals. With
the climate changing more rapidly than the usual pace of
evolutionary adaptability of many species, they may face
increasing threats on account of these changes. Species
specially adapted to narrow environmental conditions are
likely to be affected the most.
The risks posed by climate change can be considerably
magnified when a cascade of climate-related hazards overlap
or follow one another. For instance, a region may experience
an abnormally long or intense summer heat wave followed
by intense monsoon floods that alternate with lengthening
dry spells. Low-lying coastal zones, especially on India’s
east coast, may witness rising sea levels damaging property
and increasing groundwater salinity. A rise in cyclone
intensities will likely result in increasing inundation from the
accompanying storm surges that turn proximate agricultural
lands and lakes saline, and imperil wildlife. Such sequences
of events will become increasingly frequent if anthropogenic
climate change continues unimpeded.
The aggregate result of these impacts according to the
recent IPCC Special Report on the difference in impacts
between 1.5°C versus 2°C warming is that tropical countries
such as India are projected to experience the largest impacts
on economic growth because of climate change.
12.2 Policy-Relevant Messages
Due to the multiplicity of threats posed by climate change, it
is crucial to make vulnerability assessment central to
long-term planning for developing adaptation and mitigation
strategies.
Climate change impacts will differ widely across the
country depending on local context such as geography (e.g.
coastal, inland or mountains) and climate (e.g. arid or wet)
among others. Inclusion of detailed, regional-scale climate
change risk assessments would help develop region and
sector-specific mitigation and adaptation measures to reduce
vulnerability to climate change.
India’s climate change adaptation and mitigation response
is achievable by a greater emphasis on widening observational networks, sustained monitoring, expanding research
on regional changes in climate and their impacts, development of integrated, multiscale models that are capable of
aiding predictions, scenario synthesis and providing information required for vulnerability assessment, and by continued investment in education and outreach programs
including national and international collaborative partnerships. For instance, networks of tide gauges with GPS along
the Indian coastline would help monitor local changes in sea
level, climate models would help project future changes, and
outreach would help inform the requisite adaptation measures in coastal communities and cities. Outreach and
communication of climate change risk to district and
village-level communities would facilitate water-harvesting
and farming decisions needed to adapt to a changing climate.
Additionally, dedicated educational programmes from
school to university would vastly improve awareness about
climate change and its implications for humans and natural
ecosystems. Such programs could encourage young minds to
contribute through individual and collective efforts that are
crucial for climate action.
It is necessary to develop useful to usable (U2U) research
and application agenda that can translate research to
on-ground, effective decision tools for adapting to climatic
change. Cities being uniquely impacted by heat stress and
localized flooding, there is a pressing need for research and
strategies that are directed towards improving resilience in
Indian cities. Specific additional examples such as passive
reduction of indoor temperatures, water conservation and
rainwater harvesting, groundwater regulation, reversing land
degradation, reduction in food and water wastage, waste
segregation and recycling, low impact urban development,
expansion of urban green spaces and urban farming, pollution control, increasing the area under irrigation and
improving the efficiency of agricultural water use, forest
conservation and proactive afforestation, construction of
coastal embankments and mangrove restoration, improvement in disaster response, phasing out fossil fuels and
transition to renewables, electrification, expansion of walking, bicycling and public transport infrastructure, and carbon
taxation, among others, have been successfully implemented
in parts of the country and the world to reduce risk from
climate change.
Equity and social justice are critical to building climate
resilience since the most vulnerable people such as the poor,
the disabled, outdoor labourers and farmers will bear the
brunt of climate change impacts.
12.2.1 Multiple Benefits of Climate Change
Action
Just as climate change impacts cascade into complex
multi-hazards, several of these policy measures are likely to
deliver multiple benefits. For instance, a strategic transition
to renewables would reduce both GHG emissions as well as
water consumption required to cool thermal power plants.
Low impact development and green building infrastructure
can reduce both urban heating and air pollution. A reduction
in air pollution would greatly benefit human and environmental health, improve the efficiency of solar energy generation, and even potentially aid in increasing the quantum
12 Possible Climate Change Impacts and Policy-Relevant Messages
225
declining water table depth.
Several regions in India are global biodiversity hotspots
with numerous endemic species of plants and animals. With
the climate changing more rapidly than the usual pace of
evolutionary adaptability of many species, they may face
increasing threats on account of these changes. Species
specially adapted to narrow environmental conditions are
likely to be affected the most.
The risks posed by climate change can be considerably
magnified when a cascade of climate-related hazards overlap
or follow one another. For instance, a region may experience
an abnormally long or intense summer heat wave followed
by intense monsoon floods that alternate with lengthening
dry spells. Low-lying coastal zones, especially on India’s
east coast, may witness rising sea levels damaging property
and increasing groundwater salinity. A rise in cyclone
intensities will likely result in increasing inundation from the
accompanying storm surges that turn proximate agricultural
lands and lakes saline, and imperil wildlife. Such sequences
of events will become increasingly frequent if anthropogenic
climate change continues unimpeded.
The aggregate result of these impacts according to the
recent IPCC Special Report on the difference in impacts
between 1.5°C versus 2°C warming is that tropical countries
such as India are projected to experience the largest impacts
on economic growth because of climate change.
12.2 Policy-Relevant Messages
Due to the multiplicity of threats posed by climate change, it
is crucial to make vulnerability assessment central to
long-term planning for developing adaptation and mitigation
strategies.
Climate change impacts will differ widely across the
country depending on local context such as geography (e.g.
coastal, inland or mountains) and climate (e.g. arid or wet)
among others. Inclusion of detailed, regional-scale climate
change risk assessments would help develop region and
sector-specific mitigation and adaptation measures to reduce
vulnerability to climate change.
India’s climate change adaptation and mitigation response
is achievable by a greater emphasis on widening observational networks, sustained monitoring, expanding research
on regional changes in climate and their impacts, development of integrated, multiscale models that are capable of
aiding predictions, scenario synthesis and providing information required for vulnerability assessment, and by continued investment in education and outreach programs
including national and international collaborative partnerships. For instance, networks of tide gauges with GPS along
the Indian coastline would help monitor local changes in sea
level, climate models would help project future changes, and
outreach would help inform the requisite adaptation measures in coastal communities and cities. Outreach and
communication of climate change risk to district and
village-level communities would facilitate water-harvesting
and farming decisions needed to adapt to a changing climate.
Additionally, dedicated educational programmes from
school to university would vastly improve awareness about
climate change and its implications for humans and natural
ecosystems. Such programs could encourage young minds to
contribute through individual and collective efforts that are
crucial for climate action.
It is necessary to develop useful to usable (U2U) research
and application agenda that can translate research to
on-ground, effective decision tools for adapting to climatic
change. Cities being uniquely impacted by heat stress and
localized flooding, there is a pressing need for research and
strategies that are directed towards improving resilience in
Indian cities. Specific additional examples such as passive
reduction of indoor temperatures, water conservation and
rainwater harvesting, groundwater regulation, reversing land
degradation, reduction in food and water wastage, waste
segregation and recycling, low impact urban development,
expansion of urban green spaces and urban farming, pollution control, increasing the area under irrigation and
improving the efficiency of agricultural water use, forest
conservation and proactive afforestation, construction of
coastal embankments and mangrove restoration, improvement in disaster response, phasing out fossil fuels and
transition to renewables, electrification, expansion of walking, bicycling and public transport infrastructure, and carbon
taxation, among others, have been successfully implemented
in parts of the country and the world to reduce risk from
climate change.
Equity and social justice are critical to building climate
resilience since the most vulnerable people such as the poor,
the disabled, outdoor labourers and farmers will bear the
brunt of climate change impacts.
12.2.1 Multiple Benefits of Climate Change
Action
Just as climate change impacts cascade into complex
multi-hazards, several of these policy measures are likely to
deliver multiple benefits. For instance, a strategic transition
to renewables would reduce both GHG emissions as well as
water consumption required to cool thermal power plants.
Low impact development and green building infrastructure
can reduce both urban heating and air pollution. A reduction
in air pollution would greatly benefit human and environmental health, improve the efficiency of solar energy generation, and even potentially aid in increasing the quantum
12 Possible Climate Change Impacts and Policy-Relevant Messages
225