Action plans in place to mitigate losses expected due to rising heat stress: Govt

India could lose up to 5% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to rising temperatures by 2030, Union minister Jitendra Singh told Lok Sabha, citing a World Bank report and detailing the mitigation plans.

Singh said states such as Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh were likely to be severely impacted by heat, which is recognised as a severe threat, and the State Disaster Management Agencies of the two states prepared action plans in 2016 and 2019. “Also, the State Planning Commission has set up the heat action network to advance efforts for inter-departmental and intersectoral engagement toward heat mitigation,” said Singh on Wednesday while responding to Bharatiya Janata Party lawmakers DK Aruna and Eatala Rajender’s questions on whether states including Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh would be severely impacted.

The two called for mitigation measures, citing global reports indicating that India will lose up to 5% of its GDP by 2030 to rising temperatures. The lawmakers asked whether Tamil Nadu, as the southernmost state with its warm tropical weather, was projected to be severely impacted. The two wondered whether a mitigation strategy had been proposed.

Singh referred to climate change and said annual temperatures were increasing globally, and its impact was reflected in the rising frequency and intensity of heatwaves in parts of the world, including India. “The Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also reflects the same observations,” he said.

He called addressing the root causes of global climate change essential to mitigating the impact of heat waves. “This involves international cooperation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, transition to renewable energy sources, and implement sustainable practices across all sectors.”

He said the Union government has taken initiatives with the help of states to reduce the impact of heatwaves. “The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) are among the major initiatives.”

Singh said India has taken a proactive role in fostering international collaborations through initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure. “India is committed to pursuing low-carbon strategies for development and is actively pursuing them, as per national circumstances.”

In response to another query from Congress’s Sasikanth Senthil on fraud at Hyderabad’s Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Singh confirmed two cyber attacks. He said losses incurred in one of the attacks were recovered. Singh said other losses were being followed up on.

He said the cyber fraud at the INCOIS was reported in June and July. Singh said measures have been taken to strengthen the cybersecurity system at INCOIS. He added that the measures include access to INCOIS emails/systems to authorised personnel using a Virtual Private Network.