District-Level Climate Risk Assessment Report for India: Mapping Flood and Drought Risks Using IPCC Framework | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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District-Level Climate Risk Assessment Report for India: Mapping Flood and Drought Risks Using IPCC Framework

Posted 21 Dec 2024

2 min read

The report was released by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, in collaboration with IIT Mandi and the Centre for Study of Science, Technology, and Policy (CSTEP), Bengaluru.

  • It uses the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) framework, and identifies the dual challenges posed by floods and droughts and highlights their disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations.

Key Findings of the report

  • Flood risk assessment: Fifty-one districts fall into the ‘Very High’ flood risk category, and another 118 districts fall into the ‘High’ flood risk category. 
    • These are primarily in Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Odisha, and Jammu and Kashmir.
  • Drought Risk Assessment: Ninety-one districts fall in the ‘Very High’ drought risk category and another 188 districts in the ‘High’ drought risk category.
    • These are primarily in Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Maharashtra.
  • Dual Risk of Flood and Drought: 11 districts are at ‘Very High’ risk of both flood and drought.

Way Forward

  • Multi-Scale and Sectoral Approach: to assess risks for various sectors and at various levels.
  • Risk Assessment under Climate Change Scenarios: Incorporate future climate scenarios in risk assessment.
  • Capacity Building: Continuously improve the skills of state and district administrators.
  • Emerging Risks: Update frameworks to include new threats like landslides, heat stress, and compound events.

Definition of Drought and Flood according to India Meteorological Department (IMD)

  • Drought:  It is defined for any area when the rainfall deficiency in that area is ≥26% of its long term normal. 
    • It is further classified into moderate and severe drought depending upon whether the deficiency is between 26 to 50% and more than 50% respectively.
  • Flood: It is defined as an overflow of water that submerges normally dry land. 
    • It occurs due to heavy rainfall, cyclonic events, or when rivers or other water bodies exceed their capacity.
  • Tags :
  • Flood
  • India Meteorological Department
  • Drought
  • Climate Risk Assessment
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