A CRITICAL ASSESSMENT OF CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS, VULNERABILITY AND POLICY IN INDIA

There is considerable disagreement on the extent of the changes in the variables of climate, but is expected that these changes will lead to submergence of coastal areas, and increased severe occurrence of floods and droughts and harm productivity in agriculture, fishery, forestry, human, all converted into loss of lives and livelihood, productivity, employment opportunities, with high opportunity cost of adaptations and mitigations in India. The developing countries are particularly vulnerable to climate change due to their vast population depending on natural resources. In spite of no commitment to reduce GHGs under Kyoto protocol, India can not afford to ignore it due to its agenda of higher growth. Its concerted efforts for sustainable economic development would not only provide an insurance against the impact of climate change and increase adaptive capacity of vulnerable sectors and sections, but also lead to avoidance of binding commitment to reduce GHGs emissions in the next phase of Kyoto Protocol. This paper critically analyzes the impacts and vulnerability of Indian economy to climate change and analyzes India’s efforts in addressing and reducing the vulnerability of its natural and socioeconomic systems to climate change and enhancing the adaptive capacity of the same under uncertainty