Climate Vulnerability Map of India

News:Government is planning to develop a pan India climate vulnerability assessment map.

Facts:

Why Climate Vulnerability map?

• The map is being developed to prepare communities and people to meet the challenges arising out of climate.
• The information specific to a state or even district is needed to meet the challenges of climate change.
• Such climate vulnerability atlas has already been developed for 12 states in the Indian Himalayan Region, using a common framework.

Who will be developing the map?

• The map is being developed under a joint project of the Department of Science and Technology(DST) under the Union Ministry of Science and Technology and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation(SDC).
• This research programme of DST is being implemented as part of the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem(NMSHE) and National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC).
• The atlas is expected to be ready by the middle of 2020.

Mapping method:

• The map for the Himalayan region was developed in consultation with states.It has details up to the district level.
• The national map will also do the same as vulnerability within a state may differ from one region or district to another.
• A common set of indicators will be used for vulnerability profile and ranking of 650 districts all over the country.
• Among the priority areas identified for research are glaciology, climate modeling, urban climate, extreme events and Himalayan ecosystem studies among others.

Significance of the map:

• Climate risk is interplay of hazard, exposure and vulnerability.There is a rise in climate-sensitive livelihood of people.Hence a methodology for assessing vulnerability is critical for comparison and for planning adaptation strategies.
• The map can also help reduce risk to climate change.It also helps in identifying what makes a state or district vulnerable to climate change.
• Further, the vulnerability assessments will also be useful for officials, decision makers, funding agencies and experts to have a common understanding on vulnerability and enable them to plan for adaptation