MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)
(a) According to the Special Report on ‘The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate’ released in September 2019 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Global Mean Sea Level (GMSL) is rising, with acceleration in recent decades due to increasing rates of ice loss from the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, as well as continued glacier mass loss and ocean thermal expansion. Total GMSL rise for 1902-2015 is 0.16 metre (likely range 0.12-0.21 metre). The rate of GMSL rise for 2006-2015 of 3.6 mm per year was about 2.5 times the rate for 1901-1990 of 1.4 mm per year.
(b) and (c) According to the information received from the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the rate of change in the sea levels estimated from the long term data (monthly mean sea levels) obtained from the sea level gauges installed at 10 major ports are given in the table below.
Sl. No. Location Rate of change of sea-level (mm/year) Duration of data used (years)
1. Chennai 0.33 1916-2005
2. Diamond Harbour 5.16 1948-2005
3. Haldia 2.89 1972-2005
4. Kandla 3.18 1950-2005
5. Kochi 1.30 1939-2005
6. Mumbai 0.74 1878-2005
7. Paradeep 1.03 1966-2005
8. Port Blair 2.20 1916-1964
9. Okha 1.50 1964-1991
10. Vizag 0.97 1937-2005
Since no long term data on land subsidence or emergence are available for these locations, the rate of increase of sea level due to climate change cannot be attributed with certainty. For example, the higher rate of sea level increase at Diamond Harbour is also due to the larger land subsidence happening there. The same may apply to Kandla, Haldia and Port Blair as well. On an average, the sea level along the Indian coast is considered to be rising at about 1.70 mm/year meaning thereby that during the past 50 years, the sea level along the Indian coasts has risen by 8.5 cm. Further, satellite altimetry and model simulations showed that the North Indian Ocean (NIO) also exhibits decadal variability. During the last decade (2003-2013) it experienced sea level rise at a rate of 6.1 mm/year. The rising sea levels can exacerbate the coastal inundation along low lying areas during the extreme events such as tsunami, storm surge, coastal flooding and coastal erosion. However, the coastal areas that might get inundated due to the rising sea level need to be evaluated based on their elevation above mean sea level.
(d) and (e) The Government is implementing National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) which comprises eight missions in specific areas of solar energy, energy efficiency, water, agriculture, Himalayan ecosystem, sustainable habitat, green India and strategic knowledge on climate change. NAPCC provides an overarching framework for all climate actions. Thirty three States/Union Territories (UTs) have prepared their State Action Plan on Climate Change in line with NAPCC taking into account State’s/UT’s specific issues relating to climate change. The Government is also implementing the scheme, ‘National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change’ to support adaptation measures of States/UTs in areas that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change.
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