Climate crisis will jeopardise India's economic development: Study

The climate emergency will have a catastrophic human and economic impact in India Different threats will interact to devastating effect as exemplified by cyclones Tauktae and Yaas during the second wave of the Covid19 pandemic A new review by the global think tank ODI the costs of climate change in India released on Tuesday laid out how rising temperatures will jeopardise Indias economic development through different channels including falling agriculture productivity impact to public health reduced labour productivity and sea level rise The study is a firstever literature review on the economic costs of climate inaction in India At one degree Celsius of global warming the country is already experiencing damages Flooding in India over the last decade caused 3 billion in economic damage accounting for 10 per cent of global economic losses from flooding The evidence clearly demonstrates that the human and economic costs of climate change will only increase in the coming years particularly without urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions One study finds that Indias GDP in the year 2100 will be reduced by 90 per cent if the world reaches three degrees Celsius of warming Angela Picciariello Senior Research Officer at ODI said India is already feeling the costs of climate change with many cities reporting temperatures above 48 degrees in 2020 and a billion people facing severe water scarcity for at least a month of the year If action is not taken to cut emissions enough to limit the global temperature rise to 15 degrees Celsius the human and economic toll will rise even higher The total cost of heatwaves flooding water scarcity cyclones sealevel rise and other climaterelated hazards will be determined by the direction and level of economic development the choices made in spatial planning and infrastructure investment and the way different hazards intersect Amir Bazaz senior leadpractice at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements said As we are seeing now with Cyclones Tauktae and Yaas lowincome and other marginalised groups are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change They often live in dense settlements that lack basic services and infrastructure that could reduce risk Many households also live on hazardous sites such as steep slopes and floodplains It is therefore crucial to bring climate and development goals together The study found that Indias GDP would be around 25 per cent higher today were it not for the current costs of global warming Looking forward the numbers are even more grim Researchers have assessed different mechanisms through which climate change will affect Indias economy and predict that GDP in 2100 could be reduced by 10 per cent at three degrees Celsius of global warming due to declining agricultural productivity sealevel rise and increased health expenditure They say up to 134 per cent at over four degrees Celsius of global warming due to declining labour productivity from temperature and precipitation changes Rathin Roy managing director Research and Policy at ODI said Pursuing a cleaner more resourceefficient path to development could stimulate a faster fairer economic recovery for India and help secure Indias prosperity and competitiveness in the long term Lowercarbon options are more efficient and less polluting producing immediate benefits such as cleaner air greater energy security and rapid job creationMuch depends on Indias policy investment and diplomatic choices over the next decadeAs the only country in the G20 that currently has a two degrees Celsius compatible Nationally Determined Contribution NDC India is alreadydoing its fair share for climate mitigationHowever pursuing a more carbonefficient and resilient pathway would enable India to climateproof its development gainsGiven Indias low per capita emissions and lowermiddle income country status it may need international support to make it happenAlso Read Climate change toxic air remain issues of deep concern for India say expertsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever