Subhechcha Ganguly 
Climate change poses significant challenges to the Indian economy, given its vulnerability to extreme weather events, dependence on agriculture, and rapidly growing population. Here’s a concise overview of the impact:
Agricultural Sector: India’s economy is heavily reliant on agriculture, with millions of people engaged in farming. Climate change threatens this sector through changes in temperature and precipitation patterns, leading to decreased crop yields, water scarcity, and increased frequency of droughts and floods. Such disruptions can exacerbate food insecurity, rural poverty, and migration.
Water Resources: India faces growing water stress due to climate change-induced shifts in rainfall patterns and melting glaciers. This poses challenges for irrigation, drinking water supply, hydropower generation, and industrial usage. Competition over water resources can escalate tensions among states and sectors, affecting economic activities and regional development.
Health and Human Development: Climate change contributes to the spread of vector-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever, as rising temperatures create favorable conditions for disease vectors. Heatwaves and air pollution exacerbate health risks, leading to increased healthcare costs, productivity losses, and social disparities in access to healthcare services.
Infrastructure and Urbanization: India’s rapid urbanization and inadequate infrastructure make it particularly susceptible to climate-related disasters, such as cyclones, heatwaves, and urban flooding. These events disrupt transportation networks, damage property, and threaten lives, undermining economic growth and development efforts.
Policy Response: The Indian government has taken steps to address climate change through initiatives like the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and commitments under the Paris Agreement. However, implementation challenges, resource constraints, and competing development priorities pose obstacles to effective climate adaptation and mitigation efforts.
Climate change can impact GDP through disruptions in agriculture, infrastructure damage, and increased healthcare costs. Extreme weather events and changing environmental conditions can reduce productivity and increase economic volatility, posing challenges to sustained economic growth and development.
In conclusion, climate change poses multifaceted challenges to the Indian economy, affecting sectors vital for livelihoods, development, and sustainability. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated action, innovative policies, and investments in climate-resilient infrastructure and technologies to build a more sustainable and prosperous future.
