Vulnerability To Climate Change

Questions

1. Whether it is a fact that among all the States of the country in the Himalayan Region, the State of Assam has the least area under irrigation, the least forest area available per 1,000 rural households, and the second lowest per capita income?
2. Whether this makes Assam, among other Himalayan States, the most vulnerable to climate change? and
3. Whether Government proposes to chalk out a policy to protect the residents of the North Eastern Region (NER), especially Assam, from the effects of climate change and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

Answered: Shri Tiruchi Siva (Minister of Development of North Eastern Region) on March 16, 2023

ANSWER

1. Yes, a report titled ‘Climate Vulnerability Assessment for the Indian Himalayan Region using a Common Framework’ (2018-19), published under the ‘Capacity Building on Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment in the States of Indian Himalayan Region’ project of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, was submitted by IIT, Guwahati, IIT, Mandi and Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. As per this report, Assam has the least area under irrigation (in percentage terms), least forest area available per 1,000 rural households and the second lowest per capita income among the 12 States/ UTs of the Indian Himalayan Region.
2. Yes, the report has assessed Assam as the most vulnerable to climate change among the 12 States/ UTs of the Indian Himalayan Region.
3. The Government of Assam has, in consultation with its line departments, revised the State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) as per the guidelines of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India and in alignment with India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDCs), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other national and international goals. The Assam State Action Plan on Climate Change (version 2.0, 2021-2030) mentions that continued warming of the atmosphere and ensuing changes in precipitation pattern is impacting the State’s water resources, agriculture, forest, its unique bio-diversity and the habitats where people live.

Government of India stands committed to combating climate change. The Government is implementing several programmes and schemes including the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), which comprises missions in specific areas of solar energy, energy efficiency, water, sustainable agriculture, Himalayan ecosystem, sustainable habitat, health, green India and strategic knowledge for climate change. The NAPCC provides an overarching framework for all climate actions.