Review of Current and Planned Adaptation Action in India

The report analyzes India's high climate sensitivity, driven by its geography and agrarian economy. It details the transition from stand-alone sectoral actions to integrated development planning, centered on the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). While progress is noted in water and agriculture, the document identifies critical gaps in adaptation for the northeast, Indian Ocean islands, the Sundarbans, and regarding gender and health. It also highlights a significant imbalance in international climate finance, which heavily favors mitigation over adaptation.

• India's vulnerability is driven by a combination of climatic risks and socio-economic factors, including high levels of multi-dimensional poverty and a heavy reliance on climate-sensitive livelihoods like agriculture and fisheries.
• Climate change is projected to cause significant economic losses for India, with an estimated annual cost of nearly 1.8% of GDP and a cumulative loss exceeding 8.7% of GDP by 2100 if no long-term actions are taken.
• The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), established in 2008, serves as the primary framework for adaptation, originally consisting of eight National Missions, with four new missions (wind energy, health, coastal resources, and waste-to-energy) recently proposed.
• There are significant geographic and thematic gaps in adaptation efforts, particularly in the northeast of India, the Indian Ocean islands, the Sundarbans region, and in addressing gender dimensions and health issues.
• India's water resources are highly vulnerable, with projections indicating a massive increase in water demand from 634 billion m3 in 2000 to over 1447 billion m3 by 2050.
• The agriculture sector is experiencing a 'feminization of agriculture' as men migrate to urban centers, which increases the vulnerability of women who often lack access to land and credit.
• While India is a top recipient of international climate funds in South Asia, the vast majority of this funding is directed toward mitigation (US$611.7 million) rather than adaptation (US$18.8 million) as of April 2015.
• Subnational adaptation planning is implemented through State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs), but these are often hindered by budgetary constraints and a perception of being stand-alone actions rather than resilience-building opportunities.

APA

Patra, J. (2016). Review of Current and Planned Adaptation Action in India. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/idl-55866-india.pdf

Chicago

Patra, Jyotiraj. Review of Current and Planned Adaptation Action in India. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2016. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/idl-55866-india.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Patra |first1=Jyotiraj |title=Review of Current and Planned Adaptation Action in India |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2016 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/idl-55866-india.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{patra2016review, author = {Patra, Jyotiraj}, title = {{Review of Current and Planned Adaptation Action in India}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2016}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/idl-55866-india.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }