Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Kirti Vardhan Singh, provided a comprehensive update on India’s climate change situation and adaptation efforts in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
According to the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, human activities have unequivocally caused global warming, with temperatures rising 1.1°C above 1850-1900 levels in the decade of 2011-2020. The report warns of widespread impacts on ecosystems, water and food security, infrastructure, health, and economies worldwide.
India’s Third National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), submitted in 2023, confirms that the country is experiencing a full range of climate change impacts. These include floods, droughts, heatwaves, and glacier melt, affecting various sectors such as biodiversity, agriculture, human health, and urban infrastructure.
In response, India has implemented a multi-pronged approach to climate action. The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) provides an overarching framework, with missions covering areas such as solar energy, energy efficiency, sustainable habitat, and agriculture. Additionally, 34 states and union territories have prepared their own climate action plans aligned with the NAPCC.
Significantly, India’s adaptation efforts have seen a substantial increase in funding. The National Adaptation Fund on Climate Change has sanctioned projects worth Rs. 847.48 crore across 27 states and Union territories. Moreover, India’s Initial Adaptation Communication to the UNFCCC reveals that adaptation-related expenditure has grown from 3.7% of GDP in 2015-16 to 5.6% in 2021-22.
“This demonstrates the government’s consistent efforts to integrate climate resilience and adaptation into development plans,” Singh said, highlighting the significant resource allocation despite competing demands from other sectors.