changeadminThe relative mean sea level (RMSL) around coastal India is projected to rise by 0.5 – 1 meter by the end of the century, with all major coastal Indian cities, Chennai, Mumbai, Vishakhapatnam, Bhavanagar, etc., being vulnerable to extreme sea-level rise.
This observation was made as part of an interim report by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information and Services (INCOIS) on the projected climate change-induced extreme sea levels and coastal vulnerability along the Indian coasts.
This report presents a comprehensive assessment of future sea-level rise, its implications for coastal India and the associated vulnerable maps for the 11 selected locations along the Indian coast.
India’s vast coastline of 7,500 km is acutely vulnerable to climate change as it faces threats from rising seas, more frequent extreme weather, and ecosystem degradation, all compounded by high population densities and socio-economic vulnerability.
The rising sea-level rate is expected to increase in the coming decades due to the increased mass loss of ice sheets and glaciers, and the thermal expansion of ocean waters. The large population living in low-lying coastal areas in the southern, eastern, and western coasts are most at risk, alongside populated river deltas and estuaries.
As part of preparedness, different environmental agencies and institutions in India are actively engaged in studying and planning for climate change vulnerabilities and sea-level rise along the coasts, with a multi-agency, multi-layered approach that involves both science-driven assessment and policy action.
Hyderabad-based INCOIS, an autonomous institute under India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences, has established state-of-the-art technology to generate and disseminate the Ocean State Forecast (OSF). The system uses satellite observation systems, numerical models, and the latest technological tools to receive data from ocean observatories and effectively disseminate advisories to various stakeholders.
INCOIS has published Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) maps at a 1:100,000 scale, including those for Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata, based on an assessment of the probable implications for the coast due to sea level rise, coastal slope, shoreline change rate, coastal elevation, coastal geomorphology, tidal range, and significant wave height.
Survey of India (SOI), India’s national mapping agency, responsible for creating and maintaining accurate geospatial data and topographical maps of the country, has demarcated a ‘Hazard line’. This takes into account the extent of flooding on the land area due to water level fluctuations, sea level rise and shoreline changes (erosion or accretion) occurring over a period of time.
Adaptation strategies are also being developed to support smaller and mid-sized coastal cities that face high vulnerability but often lack adequate resources.
The Government of India has initiated comprehensive strategies and action plans focused on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and resilience-building specifically for coastal areas as follows.
National Action Plan on Climate Change – The Government of India is implementing the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) through the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, which comprises Missions in specific areas.
Six out of nine Missions under NAPCC focus on adaptation in water, habitat, agriculture, the Himalayan ecosystem, human health, and strategic knowledge of climate change.
All these Missions focus on strategies to combat the adverse impacts of climate change and are institutionalised and implemented by the respective Nodal Ministries/Departments.
Further, thirty-four States and Union Territories have prepared their respective State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs). The SAPCCs are designed to be context-specific, and inter alia, provide adaptation strategies considering each State’s different ecological, social, and economic conditions.
National Disaster Mitigation Fund – The issuance of the “Guidelines for Appraisal and Release of Funds for Coastal and River Erosion” under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF), announced on 20th June 2024, follows the 15th Finance Commission’s recommendations.
These guidelines provide for both erosion mitigation works and resettlement of displaced populations through the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), with a recommended outlay of Rs 1500 crore for 2021–26. This ensures that even smaller cities affected by erosion and climate-related hazards receive financial and logistical support
Shoreline Management Plans – National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) offers scientific and technical support to coastal states by developing Shoreline Management Plans (SMP).
These SMPs not only focus on safeguarding the coast but also address challenges such as the unintended impacts of hard engineering structures and the escalating risks posed by climate change.
NCCR has undertaken the compilation of a report and atlas on coastal bio-shields across India’s coastal states, which provides detailed village-level data on existing bio-shields along the shoreline which act as nature-based solutions.
The various steps to safeguard the critical coastal infrastructure, freshwater sources, and livelihoods from flooding and saltwater intrusion in coastal regions are planned & executed by respective Maritime States/UT Governments.
The Central government plays only a promotional, advisory & catalytic role in it. These projects are generally funded by States and UTs from their fund or from multilateral funding or through Central Assistance.
However, a few of the steps taken by the Central Government to address the issues of coastal erosion are as follows:
Implementation of Coastal Management Information System (CMIS): The CMIS was initiated during the 12th Five-Year Plan to address the challenges of coastal erosion through a scientific and data-driven approach.
Recognising the absence of a dedicated coastal data repository, CMIS was developed to systematically collect and analyse key coastal parameters. The primary objective of CMIS is to support effective coastal protection planning, erosion mitigation, and climate adaptation by providing reliable, site-specific data.
National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR): NCCR, an attached office of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, is mapping shoreline changes along the Indian coast to enhance the country’s preparedness to face coastal hazards such as storm surges, tsunamis, etc. and to guide towards sustainable coastal development.
NCCR has prepared and published a status report on the National Assessment of Shoreline changes along Indian Coasts in March 2022. This report provides the status of the coastline of the Indian mainland by classifying it into erosion, accretion and stable coasts.
The Government is integrating community participation and spatial planning as part of its approach to building effective and inclusive coastal resilience. This is reflected in the Integrated Coastal Risk Mitigation and Resilience Programme (ICRMRP), developed by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
The ICRMRP adopts a seven-component framework that includes not only technical and infrastructural measures such as risk assessment, early warning systems, and ecosystem resilience, but also community capacity building and sustainable development planning.
These components emphasise active involvement of local communities in resilience efforts and promote spatial planning that considers socio-economic vulnerability, environmental sensitivity, and long-term sustainability.
Wrapping Up
Like the rest of the coastal countries around the world, India’s coasts are facing a steadily increasing threat from sea-level rise, more frequent extreme weather, and ecosystem degradation, further aggravated by high population densities.
Without aggressive adaptation and mitigation, the risks to lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure are expected to rise significantly in the coming decades.
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