Climate Change And Our Coastal Infrastructure

India has seen increasingly intense and frequent weather events and climate-induced natural disasters in recent years. The fragile coasts of the country are particularly vulnerable. Its coastal states, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, have been massively devastated by intense cyclones such as the recent Fani, Gaja and Hudhud, as well as severe floods. Many of these coastal states have strengthened their frameworks for disaster preparedness and response, developing reliable early warning systems and well-planned plans for evacuation. These initiatives have helped millions of people travel safely to disaster shelters, protecting the lives of the fragile coastal ecosystem's vulnerable population.

500,000 homes, 6,700 hospital buildings and 100,880 lakh ha of land for agriculture have been destroyed by cyclone Fani in April 2019. Studies and the damage estimate study show that it will take between five to 10 years for the coastal states to rebuild and recover.

 

India is the third worst-affected nation due to natural disasters caused by the environment. In particular, the coastal regions of the country are extremely vulnerable due to rapid urbanization, high population densities and related economic activities, such as agriculture, aquaculture, tourism, industry and trade. Nevertheless, the effects of climate change, including sea level rise, floods, storm surges and cyclones, are threatening growth gains. Increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are projected to worsen the impacts of climate change and the vulnerability of coastal eco-systems, mainly as a result of economic activities.

 

India today is expected to be at 'very high' levels of risk in terms of cyclone severity. The mangrove ecosystem that serves as a natural shield against cyclones and coastal erosion along the coastal regions has been severely degraded and faces even worse degradation due to the combined impacts of climate change.

 

In addition, the sea level rise (SLR) that has been reported at a rate of 2.5 mm per year since the 1950s has already affected India's coastline. By 2050, a predicted 15 and 38 cm rise in sea level along the coast of India is likely to affect 5,763 sq km of coastal states' combined area, resulting in the submergence of coastal areas, flooding and a rise in tropical cyclones and storm surges, threatening infrastructure.

 

The cost of damage from climate-related extreme weather events on infrastructure and housing was INR 3,65,860 crore, or three percent of India's GDP, according to data from the Central Water Commission (CWC). 

 

Planning and investing in climate-resilient infrastructure will yield many benefits for India and its coastal regions. During severe weather events, it will help prevent casualties, unlock growth capacity, and generate economic, social, and environmental co-benefits.

 

Avoiding loss and damage:

More than eight percent of India's land mass is susceptible to floods, according to the World Bank; approximately 5,700 kilo-metre are susceptible to cyclones; and 68 percent of the total territory of the country is susceptible to episodes of drought. India 's annual multi-hazard disaster losses are around US$ 9.8 billion, of which US$ 7.4 billion is lost solely because of floods. India's economic harm and climate change losses are estimated to be about 1.8 percent of its GDP annually by 2050, according to the Asian Development Bank. For a middle-income country like India that faces severe resource constraints, it will dramatically set the country back in terms of growth by incurring tremendous economic losses due to climatic calamities.

Having the infrastructure 'climate-proof' for the most vulnerable coastal regions would enable the use of money for productive health initiatives and economic programmes.

Ensuring growth and development:
The coastal regions of India are of tremendous economic and strategic importance, as approximately 90% of their trade by volume (or 70% in terms of value) is carried out by sea. Protecting coastal areas, cities, business districts or ports with facilities for flood control, for example, would promote economic growth, long-term planning and investment in resources. A boost to entrepreneurship, creativity and profitable investment, in turn, will help the overall growth and development of India.

Targeting coastal regions for resilient infrastructure would provide co-benefits that are not connected to severe weather events. For instance, it would create direct employment opportunities for the coastal communities by building new resilient infrastructure or retrofitting existing ones. Similarly, significant social benefits can also be created by community involvement in the creation and management of climate-resilient infrastructure. The dependence of the local government on information, communications, automobiles, storage facilities and labour communities will reinforce community cohesion, as well as local-state-society relationships, even in non-emergency situations. Therefore, initiatives to create resilience will greatly contribute to social security and inclusiveness.

 

There are a host of challenges facing the coast of India, such as the liberalization of coastal regulations; a lack of scientific evidence and regulatory frameworks; unplanned cities and urbanization; insufficient municipal council capacity; and a lack of funds.

 

Liberalization Of Coastal Regulations Zone:

The Union Cabinet approved the 2018 Notification of the Coastal Regulation Zone, which will lead to enhanced activities in coastal regions, thereby fostering economic development while also upholding the coastal region's conservation values. Environmental activists said that the notification dilutes and opens up India's protective mechanism for fragile ecosystem for large-scale development projects. Since India's coastline is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change such as erosion, cyclones and floods, the vulnerability will be further increased by facilitating infrastructure growth and shoreline construction. By opening up more commercial activities for 6,068 km of mainland coastline, India's own regulation has placed at risk the fragile ecosystem and infrastructure already vulnerable to extreme weather events and the increase in sea level.

Uncertainties in Modeling Future Climate Scenarios:

Policy planners at the coastal region's national and sub-national level will need a definite risk assessment and data on the time, likelihood, occurrence and degree of potential risk to various infrastructures in order to be able to prepare for or retrofit existing new infrastructures. Such tests are either not available to the government or are not available in a accessible format that could guide public policy and decisions.

 

 

Inventory / Database System:
In order to prepare for durable infrastructure, it is important that policymakers and planners have detailed information on the design specifics, age, maximum capacity, and location of the infrastructure. No Indian state, however, maintains up-to-date records of its existing infrastructure. In general, data on infrastructure and facilities in India is distributed through different departments. It will be impossible for decision-makers to use such data to formulate action plans and designs in the absence of a central repository where the information is either stored or preserved.

Lack of integration:
Environmental and sustainability issues have just started to be integrated into coastal cities' master plan and land use planning processes. National government programmes such as the Atal Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation Mission (AMRUT) have been channelling financial resources to the growth of urban infrastructure. It does not, however, emphasized the need to make newly built infrastructure resilient to the environment in coastal cities.

 

Potential misalignments and non-compliance with policies:
The bulk of coastal states' infrastructure planning, such as water, sanitation, telecommunications and highways, lies with different government agencies that do not have a multisectoral planning integration stage. Jurisdiction problems and contradictory government department policies and mandates also conflict with the efficient implementation of resilience-building initiatives in development plans.

 

Gaps in Resilience Financing:
India's economy has experienced a huge US$ 79.5 billion loss over the past 20 years due to climate-related disasters. Climate change impacts are expected to increase the demand for investment needed for infrastructure growth, such as flood defence, water supply and sanitation. Building climate-resilient infrastructure is important for developing countries such as India to see it not as an unnecessary cost but as an opportunity to create mutual value for the economy and society. Developing coastal states' infrastructure plans based on their different needs for climate vulnerability will allow policymakers to gain a strategic perspective and help design investment pathways to address sustainable and resilient growth.

 

 

 

Given India's coastal regions' importance to the country's economy and development, major investments would be needed to develop even the most basic infrastructure. This level of investment offers a window of opportunity to ensure that all new infrastructure, including those triggered by a changing environment, is made immune to future shocks.

As climate variability and extreme weather events are becoming the new standard in an increasingly climate-restricted world, if it is to preserve the development gains it has achieved so far, it is necessary for a developing country like India to invest in making its infrastructure climate-resilient. To prepare coastal states to withstand the impacts of severe events such as hurricanes, cyclones, and storm surges, it is imperative to develop climate-resilient infrastructure and services. Building climate-resilient infrastructure would help to achieve the goals set by the Paris Agreement, as well as the Sendai Mechanism for Disaster Risk Reduction, given the various sustainable development challenges that have already cost India significant amounts of capital.