Answer

India’s climate future is defined by rising temperatures, erratic monsoons, and intensifying disasters, threatening over 80% of its population (World Bank). Despite this urgency, institutional fragmentation and the lack of a unified Climate Physical Risk (CPR) framework hinder effective adaptation. This gap undermines both long-term resilience and policy coherence.

How India’s Climate Adaptation Strategy Suffers from Institutional Fragmentation and Data Asymmetry

• Disjointed Institutional Efforts: Multiple agencies like NDMA, IMD, and state bodies work in silos without integrated coordination, causing overlap and inefficiency.
• Inconsistent Methodologies: Different institutions use varied models and timelines for CPR assessments, making data incomparable and unreliable for planning.
• Limited Data Sharing: Absence of a centralized repository hinders access to timely and standardized CPR information across sectors.
• Underrepresentation of Localized Data: National and global models fail to reflect India’s microclimatic diversity, weakening hyper-local resilience strategies.
• Resource Constraints: Many local and district-level institutions lack financial and human capacity to generate and apply climate risk assessments.

How the Absence of a Unified CPR Assessment Framework Undermines Long-Term Climate Resilience and Policy Coherence

• Reactive Policy Measures: Without predictive CPR frameworks, India’s response is event-based, not risk-based, delaying strategic interventions.
  Example: Assam receives large-scale relief annually post-floods, yet long-term mitigation remains unprioritized.
• Inefficient Resource Allocation: Misaligned data leads to poor distribution of funds, leaving high-risk areas inadequately protected.
• Challenges in Infrastructure Planning: Major public infrastructure continues to be developed without factoring in future climate stressors.
  Example: Chennai floods in 2021 revealed major transport and civic assets were built on low-lying zones without CPR input .
• Reduced Investor Confidence: Lack of standardized CPR disclosures limits investor risk clarity, affecting financing for large-scale infrastructure.
  Example: RBI’s 2023 directive highlights the need for climate risk reporting to ensure long-term financial stability.
• Hindered International Collaboration: Fragmented CPR data restricts India’s ability to align with global adaptation targets and access international funding.
  

Way Forward

• Develop a Centralized Data Repository: A national CPR platform should integrate scientific, socio-economic, and local climate data in one place.
  Example: India’s 2023 Adaptation Communication outlines district-level CPR data as a basis for the upcoming National Adaptation Plan.
• Standardize Assessment Methodologies: Adopt uniform CPR metrics and IPCC-aligned protocols to ensure consistency across agencies.
  Example: IPCC’s hazard-exposure-vulnerability model can be adapted to create India-specific CPR risk standards (IPCC Sixth Assessment Report).
• Enhance Inter-Agency Collaboration: Create a CPR coordination taskforce under NITI Aayog to unify policies, data flows, and responsibilities.
  Example: The UK’s Climate Change Committee offers a blueprint for institutional coherence and forward-looking risk planning.
• Invest in Capacity Building: Equip local bodies with tools and training to identify risks and apply CPR data in development planning.
• Integrate CPR into Planning and Finance: Mandate risk-screening for all major projects and align India’s framework with global disclosure norms.
  

A unified CPR framework is essential for shifting India’s climate strategy from reactive relief to proactive resilience. Integrating risk assessments into planning and governance will strengthen adaptation, protect vulnerable communities, and align India with global climate goals.

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