District-Level Climate Risk Assessment for India: Mapping Flood and Drought Risks Using IPCC Framework

Mapping India’s Climate Risks: A Call for Resilience and Sustainable Action

District-Level Climate Risk Assessment for India: Mapping Flood and Drought Risks Using IPCC Framework” is released by by IITs and CSTEP Bengaluru. This report offers critical insights into the climate vulnerabilities across India’s districts and emphasizes the urgent need for action.

Key Findings:
-.increasing Flood and Drought Risk:
– 51 districts face “Very High” flood risk.
– An additional 118 districts fall under “High Flood risk.
• States such as Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Odisha, and Jammu and Kashmir are particularly vulnerable.

High Drought Risk: 91 districts are categorized under “Very High” drought risk.
-188 districts face “High” drought risk.
– Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Maharashtra are among the most affected states.

Dual Risk Areas:
-Alarmingly, 11 districts, including Patna (Bihar), Alappuzha (Kerala), and Kendrapara (Odisha), face “Very High” risks for both floods and droughts. These areas require immediate and targeted interventions.

The report makes it clear that the growing frequency of extreme weather events—prolonged dry spells and intense rainfall—is closely linked to the degradation of natural shock absorbers such as healthy soils and green cover.

This district-level assessment is not just a wake-up call but a roadmap, offering precise locational insights for crafting practical, region-specific interventions to tackle these climate challenges.

Why It’s Important Now:
Climate change is no longer a distant reality—it’s here, and its impacts are accelerating. This report reveals that:
– Floods and droughts are already affecting millions, threatening food security, water availability, and livelihoods.
– Dual-risk areas could face compounding disasters, making it harder to recover without urgent action.

The Way Forward:
We already have proven and scalable solutions to mitigate these risks—solutions that balance economic viability with ecological sustainability. What’s needed now is collective prioritization and action to implement them.