Mapping India’s Climate Vulnerability – A District Level Assessment

According to the report, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Bihar are the five most climate vulnerable states in India. It also finds that 80 per cent of the country’s population resides in districts with high vulnerability to hydro-meteorological disasters – floods, droughts and cyclones.

As many as 27 of the 35 states and union territories in India are highly vulnerable to hydro-met disasters, the report states. Drought-like conditions occur more often in the western and central zones of the country whereas the northern and northeastern zones are more vulnerable to extreme floods and related events.

The eastern and southern parts of India, on the other hand, are most vulnerable to cyclonic events. Additionally, the eastern and western coastlines of the country are at risk from all hydro-meteorological disasters.

The report also observes a change in the pattern of occurrence of extreme events in India. More than 40 per cent of districts show a ‘swapping’ trend wherein areas traditionally experiencing one kind of climate risks (for example, floods) now experience frequent and intense instances of a different risk (for example, drought).

As per the report, since 2005, the frequency and intensity of extreme events in the country has almost doubled. Some studies have also suggested that the coastal belt of India has witnessed an annual 2.5 mm rise in sea levels since 1950, the report notes.

 Catastrophic disasters like floods, droughts, and cyclones are known to frequent 75 per cent of Indian districts, making them extreme-event hotspots. Among coastal districts, this figure rises to more than 95 per cent.

Districts most exposed to floods and cyclones are Chennai, Mumbai, Imphal East, Jagatsinghpur, Gajapati and Paschim Medinipur. The ones most exposed to droughts and cyclones are Junagadh, Jalor, Tiruchirappalli, Rohtas and Sivaganga.

Of all the districts surveyed, the five most exposed to extreme flood events include: Darbhanga, Madhubani, Samastipur, Nayagarh, and Puri.

 Rajkot, Anantapur, Aurangabad, Barmer and Churu were the districts most vulnerable to droughts.

The districts facing highest vulnerability to cyclonic events were Nayagarh, Puri, Khordha, Chennai and Baleshwar.

The report indicates that approximately 46 per cent of districts identified as drought hotspots experienced notable changes in land use and land cover between 2005 and 2019. These changes have played a role in amplifying dry periods and exacerbating drought conditions.

The report recommends the development of a ‘climate risk atlas’ to map and analyse climate-related risks including heat and water stress, crop loss, vector-borne diseases and biodiversity collapse.

The report suggests taking steps towards the restoration of landscapes and natural ecosystems. It also emphasises that infrastructure planning needs to take climate risks into consideration to maximise adaptation capabilities.

Focus and Factoids by Sainka Walia.