New Delhi,29 Apr,Lok Sabha:A broad assessment of vulnerabilities of the coastal zone of India has been made in the National Communication of climate change. These results show that the impacts of rise in sea level may result in land loss and population displacement.The government has initiated several steps to address the problem of climate change. Recently, the Government has set up a Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change to coordinate national action for assessment, adaptation and mitigation of climate change. The Ministry of Environment and Forests have also constituted and Expert Committee on Climate Change impacts, which is headed by the Principal Scientific Advisor the Cabinet.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences has proposed to create a high-priority Program to address issues of Global and Regional Climate Change. The program will establish research networks of leading National research groups and research centers involved in allied areas by supporting collaborative research on important issues of national relevance including impacts on coastal zone.
This information was given by Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Kapil Sibal, in a written reply to a question by Shri Braja Kishore Tripathy in the Lok Sabha today.In reply to another question on the same issue the Minister said that a study has been conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation Development on the effect of Global Warming and Climate Change along the coastline for different countries which also mentions two Indian cities namely Kolkata and Mumbai. The study indicates that these coastal cities will be exposed to coastal flooding caused by storm surge and damage from high winds. However, such impact studies are open to several uncertainties, due to regional model approximations.
The range of policies and programs are being considered to mitigate climate change which include improving energy efficiency and conservation as well as setting up of Bureau of Energy Efficiency, power sector reforms, promoting hydro and renewable energy, promotion of nuclear energy, promotion of clean coal technology, coal washing and efficient utilization of coal, afforestation and conservation of forests and reduction of gas flaring, use of cleaner and lesser carbon intensive fuel for transport and encouraging Mass Rapid Transport systems.