Kerala State Action Plan on Climate Change 1
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Response to climate change: Strategy and Action in Kerala Background Climate change poses an emerging challenge to sustainability of social and economic development, livelihoods, and environmental management across the globe. The rise in Green House Gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere causes rise in temperature which in turn leads to unpredictable weather including flash floods and drought, and rise in sea level. So far as India is considered, the country is highly vulnerable to climate change because of high physical exposure to climate related disasters (65% is drought prone, 12% is flood prone, 8% susceptible to cyclones) and also the India’ economy and population depends on climate sensitive sectors like agriculture, forests, tourism and fisheries. The concern on climate change has caught intense focus after the publication of Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change and when post Kyoto strategy became the agenda for discussions in the Conferences of Parties for UNFCC. India had started its work on action plan in 2007 and the National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC) was released in October 2008. The NAPCC sets eight National Missions to respond climate change; these include National Mission on Solar Energy, Enhanced Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Agriculture, Sustainable Habitat, Water, Sustaining Himalayan Eco-System, Green India Mission and Strategic Knowledge for climate change covering range of actions including adaptation and mitigations. The principles adopted for the NAPCC include achieving sustainable development path while advancing economic and environmental objectives. The following points form the basis of the national strategy. 1. Protecting the poor and vulnerable sections of society through an inclusive and sustainable development strategy, sensitive to climate change. 2. Achieving national growth objectives through a qualitative change in direction that enhances ecological sustainability, leading to further mitigation of GHG emissions. 3. Devising efficient and cost effective strategies for end use Demand Side Management. 4. Deploying appropriate technologies both for adaptation and mitigation of GHG emissions extensively as well as at an accelerated pace. 5. Engineering new and innovative market, regulatory and voluntary mechanisms to promote sustainable development. Kerala State Action Plan on Climate Change 1 6. Effecting implementation of programmes through unique linkages including with civil society and local government institutions and through public private partnerships. 7. Welcoming international cooperation for research, development, sharing and transfer of technologies enabled by additional funding and a global IPR regime that enables technology transfer to developing countries under UNFCCC. Thus in essence the NAPCC provides for measures to promote our development objectives with co- benefits for addressing climate change effectively (NAPCC, 2008). The Kerala Context With the formulation of a national policy on climate change, it has become imperative to achieve coherence between the strategies and actions at national and state levels. Adaptation challenges are experienced most acutely at the state level. The demographic, socio-economic and physiographic situations in the states determine the specific vulnerabilities of their economies towards climate change and in such circumstances, it is imperative to work on the precautionary and anticipatory measures for facing the expected changes and adapting to the changes in the long term. At the same time it is also important to work on our environment in a manner that the shocks of changes are not able to alter the circumstances rapidly and there is sufficient time and scope to adopt appropriate adaptive mechanisms to suit the changes. Thus the preparation of State Action Plans for Climate Change (SAPCC) should be consistent with the broad objectives of the NAPCC and result in a set of sectorial activities and programmes that will take into account state level variations, geographical specificities and socio- economic considerations. In the view of the above requirement, Government of Kerala has been working on a strategy for action in the state in response to Climate Change. It is proposed to identify specific vulnerabilities and plan appropriate responses keeping those in focus. As the foremost impact of the changing climatic pattern relates to the land and water resources, a system for monitoring will be the first imperative. Further, the information at global as well as local level would be needed to be analyzed for any strategy. This will essentially include assessment of efficiency of the present development strategies in this context and probable mid-course corrections wherever found necessary. In the formulation of SAPCC, impact of climate change, assessment of vulnerability, identification, prioritization and financing of adaptation/mitigation options are being dealt with. Thus the SAPCC will build on the existing policies of the state government by taking into consideration the ongoing programmes and schemes Kerala State Action Plan on Climate Change 2 being implemented at the state level as well as the NAPCC. The SAPCC will have to be integrated into the state level planning process so that the resource allocation of the implementation of identified adaptation measures can be made with the objective to achieve the development goals of the state government. Adaptation is a key part of Kerala State Action Plan on Climate Change and it is about taking action now to protect state from the challenges caused by a changing climate. Vision Mission and Strategy address Climate Change in Kerala The Kerala State Action Plan on Climate Change developed by the Department of Environment and Climate Change, Government of Kerala aims to address negative consequences of climate change and thus reduce risk associated with it. It also envisaged climate change strategies need to be integrated development planning process in the state Vision Placing the climate change concerns at the forefront of sustainable development and for maintaining the quality of life of the people of the State Mission Mainstream climate change strategies into State Level Planning and Development Process. Address state specific priority issues with respect of NAPCC. Safeguard natural resource of the state from climate change impacts. Address the existing as well as future climate change impacts and reduce the associated risk of the state. Strategy Sustainable Management Activities. Promote Research and Development Activities. Policy Reforms. Capacity Building and Strengthening. Kerala State Action Plan on Climate Change 3 Kerala State Action Plan on Climate Change 4 SECTION 1 1. Kerala Profile 1.1 Background………..…………………..………………………………………………….……….…..07 1.2 Physiography……………..…………………..………………………………………….……………08 1.3 Climate…………………………………………………………………………………….………….09 1.4 Landuse…………………………………………………………………………………….……….…09 1.5 Forest……………………………………………………………………………………….…………10 1.6 Biodiversity………………………………………………………………...........................................11 1.7 Soil………………………………………………………………………………………….….……...11 1.8 Water Resource……………………………………………………………………………….………12 1.9 Socio Economic Profile…………………………….............................................................................12 1.10 Demography………………………………………………...……………………………..……...13 1.11 Governance……………………………………………………………………………….………14 1.12 Infrastructure…………………………………………………………………….…….….………14 2. Climate Change and State Initiatives 2.1 State Initiatives…………………………………………………...……………………………..…….15 2.2 Preparation of Kerala State Action Plan on Climate Change……....……………………….…..……16 3. Climate Change and Development Issues in the State 3.1 Background………………………………………………………….……………………….………..19 3.2 Challenges…………………………………………………………….………………………………19 3.3 Policy Framework…………………………………………………….………………………………20 4. Observed Climate Change trends and Projected Climate Change Trends 4.1 Background…………………………………………………………………………..………………..21 4.2 Observed Climate Change trends………………………………………………….………………….23 4.3 Climate Change Projections……………………………………………………….………...………..25 4.4 Sea Level Rise and Projections…………………………………………………….……………..…..30 5. Vulnerability Assessment 5.1 Background……………………………………………………………….………………………..…33 5.2 Climate Change Vulnerability Profile of Kerala……………………….…………………………….33 5.3 Coastal Kerala is risky zone to climate change impact …………………………………………..…..34 5.4 High dependency on climate sensitive sectors………………………………………………………..35 5.5 Multi Extreme events profile accelerate risk of climate change………………………………...……38 5.6 Farmers, fishermen and tribal as exposed livelihood to climate change…………..…………….……38 5.7 Vulnerable hotspot districts…………………………………………………………………………...38 5.8 Lack of Comprehensive Adaptation Strategy……………………………….………………………..40 6. Green House Gas Emission in Kerala 6.1 Background………………………………………………………...………………………………….41 6.2 Carbon Dioxide………………………………………………………………..………………….…..42 6.3 Methane…………………………………………………………………….….…………………..….43 6.4 Nitrous Oxide…………………………………………………….……….…………………………..44 SECTION 2 7. Agriculture Sector 7.1 Background……………………………………………………………………….…….……………..45 7.2 Programmes and Policies……………………………………………………………………………..47 7.3 Concerns……………………………………………………………………………...……………….48 Kerala State Action Plan on Climate Change 4 7.4 Vulnerability ……………………………………………...……………………………....…..………49 7.5 Strategies .…………………………………………………………………………………………….53 8. Animal Husbandry 8.1 Background…………………………………………………………………………………………...59