National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Overview
India is developing an enhanced and holistic framework titled the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) to tackle climate change, extending its scope into economic and social structures. This marks India's commitment under the Paris Agreement, with the plan set to be submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by September.
Objectives and Focus Areas
- India's previous framework, the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), primarily focused on mitigation.
- The new NAP aims to integrate climate-change adaptation into relevant policies and development plans, addressing nine thematic areas:
- Agriculture
- Water Resources
- Health
- Gender Issues
- Poverty
- Traditional Knowledge
- Finance
- Resilient Infrastructure
- Biodiversity & Forestry
Significance and Implementation
- The global average temperature is already 1.6°C above pre-industrial levels, necessitating urgent adaptation measures.
- Between 1993 and 2022, extreme weather events caused at least 80,000 deaths in India and resulted in an economic loss of $180 billion.
- The implementation plan will be locally driven, anchored by state governments and local bodies, with private sector involvement.
Financial and Strategic Aspects
- Domestic adaptation expenditure increased from 3.7% of GDP in FY16 to 5.6% in FY22, but more funding is needed, particularly over $1 trillion for 2015-2030.
- The Global Goal on Adaptation, part of the Paris Agreement, aims to enhance adaptive capacity and resilience.
- As of now, 142 developing UNFCCC members are formulating NAPs, and 64 countries have submitted theirs, including 60 developing nations.
Future Plans
- NAP 1.0 will be submitted by September, with NAP 2.0 planned after five years, aligning with the nationally determined contribution (NDC) cycle.
- India's new NDC, due before COP30, will likely incorporate elements from the NAP.
