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Keynote address
Shri. Naresh Dayal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of
India
IPCC assessments project that climate may warm globally in the next 100 years and will cause
sea-level rise. This is likely to increase the intensity and frequency of extreme events. In the
Indian region, warming is estimated, at between 2.1 0C to 2.6 0C and 3.3 0C to 3.8 0C, in 2050
and 2080, respectively. Rainfall is projected to increase and there will be variations in the spatial
pattern. The capacity to adapt varies considerably in different regions and socio-economic
groups. Adaptive capacity is a function of wealth, scientific and technical knowledge, information,
skills, infrastructure, institutions and equity. It is important to recognize that enhancing adaptive
capacity is necessary, to reduce vulnerability. Vulnerable groups are under considerable
pressure, due to population growth, resource depletion and inequity. Climate change is an added
stress, which increases their risks, due to their low adaptive capacity. Actions required to
enhance adaptive capacity are equivalent to those promoting sustainable development.
The Government of India has taken many policy decisions that reduce risks and enhance
adaptive capacities of most vulnerable groups by promoting sustainable development. India’s
development priorities envisage doubling per capita income by 2012, reducing the population
below the poverty line by 10%, and ensuring employment, food, energy, health and economic
security to all. However, strategies to attain this must focus on maintaining a balance between
natural and human resources. So far, a commitment to a clean environment has been maintained
during the process of economic development. The planning process emphasizes promotion of
people’s participatory institutions and social mobilization, particularly through empowerment of
women, for ensuring environmental sustainability of the development process.
The Delhi Declaration, at COP 8, stressed that adaptation to adverse effects of climate change is
a high priority for all countries. While developing countries are particularly vulnerable, adaptation
deserves urgent attention and action by the entire international community. Effective and result
based measures should be supported for the development of approaches at all levels, as well as
capacity building for the integration of adaptation concerns into sustainable development
strategies.
There is concern and a need to orient policies and programmes to address the additional stress,
that are likely to be experienced, due to climate change. The challenge is to identify opportunities
that facilitate sustainable use of existing resources and make climate-sensitive systems, sectors
and communities, more resilient to current climate variability. Faster economic development with
more equitable income distribution, improved disaster management, sustainable sectoral policies,
careful planning of capital intensive and climate sensitive infrastructure assets, are some
measures that will address vulnerability due to climate change.
During the coming century, under plausible global emissions scenarios, the climate over the
Indian sub-continent will be significantly, altered with regional variations in temperature and
precipitation, as well as in the distribution of extreme events like hurricanes. Development goals
that have been set for India envisage a rise in incomes, a stabilized population, integration with
global markets and enhanced social infrastructure. While this will mean increased energy
consumption and high emissions, it will also enhance mitigation and adaptive capacities. Climate
change will affect key sectors and the absence of adaptation strategies could cause significant
damage. In the water sector, there is considerable stress in several areas and this is expected to
continue in the future. With increased variability in precipitation, modeling and managing water
resources needs more attention, along with allocation of resources and policies for water
conservation and abstraction. Setting clear-cut priorities among competing water uses, arresting
wasteful use, adopting new techniques such as drip and sprinkler irrigation on a larger scale, are
some measures, which may be adopted. Human activities and natural processes along the Indian
coastline, along with effects like sea-level rise and increased hurricane activity, make these areas
especially vulnerable to changes in climatic parameters. The globalization process adds to
environmental stress, as trade tends to concentrate economic activities and population in coastal
zones. The degree of impact and vulnerability will be determined by the extent of climate change
and the pace and quality of development. While a successful global climate regime may keep
concentrations of greenhouse gases, in the atmosphere within safer limits, the quality of
development will be the main factor to deal with adverse impacts of climate change. India, as a
responsible party to UNFCCC, is taking steps to fulfill its commitments and has furnished its Initial
National Communication in time. The Ministry of Environment and Forests, as a nodal ministry in
the Government of India, is currently formulating the Second National Communication, which will
detail approaches for addressing vulnerability and adaptation.