Sea Level Rise and Coastal Erosion in India

Context

Recently, the United Nations General Assembly convened a high-level meeting on the growing challenges of sea-level rise, leading to the adoption of a Political Declaration on sea-level rise.

Key Highlights

• The declaration comes at a time when sea levels are rising at an accelerating rate, and coastal communities’ resilience plays a crucial role in climate policy, disaster management, and sustainable development.
• The problem is more significant in the Indian context, considering that a significant population, economic infrastructure, fisheries, and ecosystems are concentrated along the coastline.

Why Is Sea Level Rise Accelerating? 

• The rate of rise of global mean sea level in 2015-2024 was over two times that of the preceding decade (1993-2002), rising from approximately 2.1 mm per year to 4.7 mm per year.
• Thermal expansion of the warming seas and melting of terrestrial glaciers and ice sheets are the two major physical drivers.
• The World Meteorological Organization reports that this year, sea level has risen by 5.9 mm globally, and the situation is worsening.
• Climate change can exacerbate coastal flooding, coastal erosion, and saltwater intrusion, which can result in degraded ecosystems and cascading effects on communities and infrastructure.

Why Is the UN Declaration Important?

• Sea-level rise has become more than an environmental issue for the UN and has been correlated with development and humanitarian issues, infrastructure, food and water security, and economic stability.
• According to the UN General Assembly President, more than 900 million people reside in low-lying coastal areas, and by 2050 over one billion people may be affected by coastal hazards.
• This is especially relevant for Small Island Developing States where permanent flooding, erosion, and saltwater intrusion are a risk to livelihoods and populated areas.
• The declaration thus reinforces international focus on adaptation and preparedness, international cooperation and support to vulnerable countries.

India’s Coastal Vulnerability

• India’s coast has a huge and diverse coastline with major cities, ports, industrial centres, fishing communities, wetlands and agriculture, and mangroves.
• Using up-to-date GIS techniques and High Water Line surveys, the coastline of India has been officially revised to 11098.81km.
• The National Centre for Coastal Research estimated that the mainland coast of India experienced different levels of erosion of 33.6% between 1990 and 2018.
• The various factors affecting coastal erosion are waves, currents, cyclones, sea-level changes, sediment movement, and human interventions.
• Thus, sea-level rise should be considered in the context of local coastal processes and not in isolation as a climate variable.

Major Implications for India

• Coastal Displacement

  • Vulnerable communities may be compelled to move due to chronic erosion and flooding, especially in coastal and deltaic areas.
  • This displacement may lead to problems with housing, livelihoods, land rights, public services, and social integration.

• Agriculture and Freshwater

  • Coastal agricultural land can lose its productivity, and freshwater resources can be polluted, due to saltwater intrusion.
  • This can raise livelihood insecurity of the farming communities relying on the use of both coastal surface water and coastal groundwater.

• Ports and Infrastructure

  • Ports, roads, railways, energy resources, and marine industries are more vulnerable to flooding and storm surges.
  • The impact of port disruption may also extend beyond the economic implications, as maritime transport is a critical component of international trade.

• Ecosystems and Biodiversity

  • Mangroves, wetlands, coral reefs, beaches and dunes act as natural barriers to wave and storm surge action and coastal flooding.
  • Their degradation can thus raise the ecological vulnerability and disaster risk.

India’s Policy Response

• Coastal monitoring in India has been enhanced using remote sensing techniques and shoreline mapping using GIS and scientific evaluation by various institutions like the National Centre for Coastal Research.
• The updated coastline assessment also serves as a more detailed baseline for port and infrastructure development, tourism development, and DRR planning.
• But the coordination of climate policy, disaster management, urban planning, environmental regulation and local governance is needed for coastal protection.

Way Ahead

• Implement risk-based coastal planning: Projected sea level rise, erosion trends, and cyclone exposure and storm surge risk should be taken into account in development decisions.
• Support NbS: Mangrove restoration, conservation of wetlands, protection of dunes and ecosystem restoration can go hand-in-hand with engineered coastal defenses.
• Improve early-warning systems: Coastal communities must be warned about cyclones, storm surge, and extreme coastal flooding in a timely fashion.
• Design and construct infrastructure that is resilient to climate risks: Pumps, roads, housing, and critical public infrastructure should be designed and constructed with future climate risk assessments, not just historical data.
• Plan for managed relocation: When long-term living is unsafe, relocation should be planned within transparent and participatory processes, and with consideration for livelihoods.
• Access adaptation finance: Vulnerable developing countries need more adaptation finance, technology, and capacity building to deal with any climate impacts which cannot be avoided.
• Enhance cooperation at the international level: India should persistently pursue the case of climate justice, adaptation, and safeguarding the interests of the seas in vulnerable developing countries.

Conclusion

• Sea-level rise is beginning to manifest itself as a multi-faceted issue of climate change, disaster management, livelihoods, infrastructure, food and water security, and human displacement.
• India’s coastal protection efforts should not just be a question of infrastructure building in every corner of the coast; it needs scientific monitoring, protection of ecological systems, resilient infrastructure, and a risk-sensitive approach to coastal planning and community engagement.
• The 2026 UN Political Declaration is also giving new international impetus, but ultimately, international commitments will be realised at national, state and local levels in terms of measurable adaptation action.

Source: The Indian Express

Mains PYQ

(Q) ‘Climate change’ is a global problem. How will India be affected by climate change? How Himalayan and coastal states of India will be affected by climate change? (2017)

Download as PDF