India is already feeling the impacts of climate change. Heatwaves are becoming more common and severe; heavy rain events have increased threefold since 1950; and rising sea levels are posing new risks as a third of India’s population live along the coast. Low-income and other marginalised groups are most vulnerable to these hazards. This literature review finds that the economic costs of climate impacts in India are already immense. In 2020, a single event – Cyclone Amphan – affected 13 million people and caused over $13 billion in damage after it made landfall. One study suggests that declining agricultural productivity and rising cereal prices could increase India’s national poverty rate by 3.5% by 2040 compared to a zero-warming scenario; this equates to around 50 million more poor people that year. Lower-carbon development could yield immediate benefits such as cleaner air, greater energy security and rapid job creation. India’s climate targets are considered to be ‘2°C compatible’, i.e. a fair share of global effort. However, pursuing a cleaner, more resource-efficient path could stimulate a faster, fairer economic recovery and secure India’s prosperity and competitiveness in the long term.
[2]
Links:
[1] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/reports-documents/costs-climate-change-india-review-climate-related-risks-facing-india-and-their
[2] http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/file/cost of climate change in india.pdf
[3] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/author/angela-picciariello
[4] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/author/sarah-colenbrander
[5] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/author/amir-bazaz
[6] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/author/rathin-roy
[7] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/publisher/overseas-development-institute-odi
[8] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/climate-change
[9] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/india
[10] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/climate-impacts
[11] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/heat-waves
[12] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/low-carbon-economy