Cooperative Federalism Can Plug India’s Climate Adaptation Deficit

India faces significant challenges in climate adaptation despite recent innovations in Digital Public Infrastructure and food security. Erratic climate patterns, extreme weather, and natural disasters threaten the country's progress. The need for effective climate adaptation strategies is critical to mitigate these risks and ensure sustainable development.

Challenges in Climate Adaptation:

• Diverse Climate Impacts: India experiences various climate impacts such as erratic monsoons, extreme heatwaves, rising sea levels, and increased frequency of natural disasters like floods and cyclones, affecting millions.
• Agricultural Dependency: With a large portion of the population relying on agriculture, climate change threatens food security and employment, making adaptation crucial for economic stability.
• Reactive Efforts: Existing initiatives like the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) are slow, fragmented, and underfunded, focusing more on prevention than adaptation, leaving communities vulnerable.

Implementation and Coordination Issues:

• Infrequent Meetings: The Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change (PMCCC) meets infrequently and lacks adequate staffing, leading to ineffective implementation of climate strategies.
• State-Level Challenges: Local and state-level adaptation plans often lack coordination and resources, hindering their effectiveness in addressing climate change impacts.
• Economic Impact: Extreme weather affects economic productivity, especially for outdoor workers, with insufficient action on a cohesive framework to cope with extreme heatwaves and related health issues.

Strategic Recommendations for Effective Climate Adaptation:

• Aggressive Water Conservation: Implementing measures like strategic water reservoirs, inter-basin water transfers, and groundwater replenishment are essential to manage inconsistent rainfall.
• Climate-Resistant Agriculture: Developing climate change-resistant crops tailored to regional conditions can ensure agricultural resilience and food security.
• National Awareness and Action Plan: Engaging experts, incentivizing the private sector, and fostering innovation are crucial to developing frugal and local solutions for climate adaptation.

Policy and Governance Considerations:

Missing Institutional Design:

• Lack of Climate Legislation: India lacks formal climate legislation at both federal and state levels, impeding coordinated and effective climate action.
• Fiscal Constraints: Sub-national units often lack the capacity and fiscal resources to implement climate initiatives, despite being tasked with executing India’s international pledges.
• State Action Plans: Most state-level plans, including those for net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, lack committed leadership and adequate resources, resulting in minimal progress.

Role of Cooperative Federalism:

• Heat Action Plans (HAPs): While more states are adopting HAPs, only a few conduct vulnerability assessments and develop monitoring systems to ensure compliance and support affected communities.
• Long-Term Investments: Investing in reforestation, urban green cover enhancement, and long-term climate programmes is essential for sustainable urbanization and climate resilience.
• Finance Commission Priority: Making climate adaptation an agenda priority for the 16th Finance Commission can demonstrate a national commitment and drive cooperative federalism for effective climate action.

UPSC Mains Questions:

Q. Discuss the challenges faced by India in implementing effective climate adaptation