India's Weather-Readiness and Climate-Resilience

India faces a diverse array of location-specific natural hazards, driven by complex interactions among weather events, local vulnerabilities, and exposure risks. Effective management of these hazards requires well-planned responses and a deep understanding of evolving risk landscapes. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has made notable strides in disaster response, but significant knowledge gaps and operational barriers persist, highlighting the need for a more robust approach to disaster preparedness and climate resilience.

Vulnerability Profile of India

• India experiences a range of extreme weather events across different seasons, including heatwaves, wildfires, heavy rains, landslides, droughts, and cyclones.
• Almost 58.6 percent of the landmass is prone to earthquakes of moderate to very high intensity; over 40 million hectares (12 per cent of land) are prone to floods and river erosion; of the 7,516 km long coastline, close to 5,700 km is prone to cyclones and tsunamis; 68 per cent of the cultivable area is vulnerable to drought and hilly areas are at risk from landslides and avalanches.

Current Hazard Landscape

• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has been working to enhance weather forecasts, though these often lack the local specificity needed for effective disaster response.
• Advancements in climate research and predictive capabilities by academic institutions and government facilities are critical for improving hyperlocal forecasts. However, climate change is altering patterns, leading to increasingly unpredictable weather extremes.
  • For example, temperature trends have shifted in different regions, and rainfall extremes now occur beyond the traditional monsoon season, exacerbating issues such as landslides and wildfires.

Growing Vulnerabilities

• Settlement in hazardous areas: India's rapid population and economic growth have led to increased settlement in hazardous areas and informal housing on unstable slopes and flood-prone regions.
• Tourism and economic activities: Additionally, tourism and economic activities have intensified pressure on vulnerable regions, such as replacing forest cover with cash crops.
  • This development exacerbates vulnerabilities, combining factors like poverty, high population density, and poor infrastructure with wealthier, unsafe development
  • The lack of effective insurance and policies may further incentivize risky behaviors, heightening exposure to climate risks.
• Lack of information: Despite substantial investments in climate research, forecasts, and services, the uptake of climate information remains low.

Challenges in Climate Services

Climate services, which translate forecasts into actionable support for sectors like agriculture, water, energy, and transportation, often fall short due to insufficient local or sector-specific details. For example:

• Irrigation Advisories: Tools developed for optimizing irrigation based on weather forecasts have shown potential in saving water and maintaining crop yield. However, scaling these tools for widespread use involves significant challenges, including engaging farmers, developing user-friendly applications, and establishing effective extension agencies. These agencies are essential for translating research into practical applications but are often lacking in resources and training.
• Urban Flood Predictions: Effective urban flood management requires downscaled rainfall predictions for street-level forecasting. Municipalities use sensors and weather station data, but ideal flood management involves evaluating forecasts over multiple seasons to plan for drainage, traffic control, and emergency responses. The current lack of coordinated structures and trained personnel hampers the full operationalization of downscaled forecasts.

Bridging Research and Operations

The current research-to-operations framework is fragmented, with climate research often not translating into timely operational solutions. To improve weather-readiness and climate resilience, it is crucial to:

• Develop Sector-Specific Extension Agents: These agents should act as intermediaries between research and operational agencies, translating scientific data into actionable solutions. Training these agents in local languages and cultural contexts is essential for effective communication and implementation.
• Sustain Financing and Capacity-Building: Investment in research-to-operations systems at local and sector-specific levels is necessary to address climate risks effectively. Building capacity through training and developing infrastructure for operationalizing forecasts and advisories is crucial for enhancing disaster management and climate resilience.

The right approach for becoming weather-ready and climate-resilient

• Earth System Model (ESM):A complete integration of the Earth System Model (ESM) with the data network will be a functional digital twin, which will thrive on anticipating hazards and minimising impacts while driving rapid and full recovery back to the sustainable pathway.
  • ESM will be completely integrated with all land uses including lakes, crops, water and air quality, fisheries, health, ecohydrology, terrestrial and marine ecosystems from lower to upper trophic levels, and so on
• Circular economy:The ancient wisdom of the circular economy will see India manage the circularity of all resources with innovative biotechnologies that will drive biofuel, bioenergy, water and soil clean-up, minimisation of environmental footprints, and overall food, water, and energy security.
• Climate Leader: India has already established itself as a climate leader. Its commitment to the Paris Agreement and the development and implementation of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) is a testament to this. India must continue to lead by example.
• Energy security is the backbone of national security. Solar, wind, and hydrogen must be the key pillars of the energy pathway to Net Zero. 
• Climate-smart agriculture will ensure minimising food, water, and energy waste and manage the food-water-energy nexus synergistically.
• Innovations in smart green buildings and infrastructureis necessary given the rapidly moving economy towards urbanisation.
• Climate adaptation and mitigation need synergy between different ministries such as MoEFCC, MoES, DA&FW, Jal Shakti (water resources), DST, DBT, and MeitY.

India’s journey toward improved weather-readiness and climate resilience involves addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by natural hazards, enhancing the effectiveness of disaster management systems, and bridging gaps between climate research and operational practices. By focusing on localized solutions, sustainable development, and capacity-building, India can better prepare for and mitigate the impacts of climate change, ensuring a safer and more secure future for its population.