Annual Environmental Changes in India (2001-2024)

Temperature Trends

• The annual mean temperature in India increased by 0.7°C to reach 25.74°C between 2001 and 2024.
• This increase can lead to significant changes in climate and ecosystems, including: 
  • Altered probability of extreme precipitation
  • Increased instances of deadly heatwaves
  • Heightened water stress
  • Impact on biodiversity
• Heatwave days rose sharply to 200 days in 2024, up from 111 days in 2023, marking the highest since 2010 (278 days).

Rainfall Patterns

• Annual rainfall increased to 1,206 mm in 2024 from 1,078 mm in 2001.
• Seasonal variability is evident, with the highest monthly rainfall of 304 mm in July 2024.
• Years with notable high rainfall included 2013, 2019, and 2022, while 2002 and 2009 saw lower figures.
• Most rainfall occurred between June and September, with potential shifts in patterns noted.
• The report states no clear long-term trend in total annual rainfall, aligning with typical monsoon patterns.

Natural Calamities

• Coldwave days increased to 40 days in 2024 from 33 days in 2023, still below the average of 70 days.
• Calamities like cyclones and floods claimed 8,060 lives in 2022, with 2,887 deaths due to lightning.
• Provisional data indicates 3,080 deaths in FY25 compared to 2,616 the previous year.
• Heat stroke was a significant mortality cause, notably in 2017 and 2022.

Economic and Environmental Impact

• Cattle losses reached 61,960 in FY25 compared to 21,269 in FY02.
• House damages increased to 364,124 in FY25 from 346,878 in FY02.
• Government expenditure due to natural calamities rose to Rs 33,324 crore in FY23 from Rs 10,980 crore in FY13.
• Government and corporate spending on environmental protection increased significantly: 
  • Government: Rs 4,969 crore in FY23 from Rs 1,676 crore in FY12.
  • Corporate: Rs 28,320 crore between FY15 and FY23.