Climate Change: Mission Adaptation A Comprehensive Measure

Certain climate change mitigation initiatives are included in India’s budget for 2023–2024, however adaptation has not received enough attention. To foster an environment where all parties may collaborate and cooperate towards creating locally appropriate adaptation solutions, the government must establish a Mission Adaptation.

Mitigation of Climate Change

Funding for the green transition has been included in India’s budget for 2023–24, with an emphasis on green growth initiatives that aim to lower the carbon intensity of the economy, such as green mobility, energy efficiency, and the announcement of the green hydrogen mission.

Promoting nature based initiatives: Nature-based solutions such as the mangrove plantation initiative and the community-based wetland conservation scheme also promise to have potentially positive impacts in mitigating climate change.

Lack of Attention to Climate Change Adaptation

Climate change is addressed indirectly: While climate change mitigation has received attention in the budget, climate change adaptation has been addressed only indirectly.

No measures towards enhancing resilience: The budget does not include measures towards enhancing the resilience of communities and habitations to climate change’s impact, despite India’s high vulnerability to climate change.

For instance: Measures to account for climate change-induced risks, such as the recent example of Joshimath, do not find explicit mention in the budget.

Funding for Adaptation

Adaptation has traditionally received far less attention than mitigation in the global climate discourse, resulting in lower funding for adaptation.

In India, the ratio of funding for climate adaptation to mitigation stands at 1:10. While funding for mitigation is also underfunded, with only 25% of the requirement met, the gap for adaptation stands much higher, at only 7.9% of the needed funds.

Challenges in Funding Adaptation

Adapting to climate change often requires highly local and nature-based solutions that do not have a classically-measured ROI. Consequently, mainstream, interest-seeking capital flowing into adaptation is scant.

Climate adaptation has largely remained a publicly-funded endeavor in India, with nearly 100% of the funding for adaptation coming from public sources. International funding has also remained scarce due to the skewed discourse on climate change

The Need for a Strategic Investment

Climate shocks are anticipated to get more frequent and severe, and in the absence of resilience-building for communities and habitations, the impact could be devastating.

The public sector must view resilience building as a strategic priority and actively address this matter.

Climate adaptation must come to be seen as a strategic investment by the public sector, which it must make in order to climate-proof lives, livelihoods, the environment, and the economy.

Mission Adaptation

Mission Adaptation is a term used in the context of climate change and refers to the need for a strategic, proactive approach to building adaptive capacity in order to climate-proof lives, livelihoods, the environment and the economy.

It is a proposed initiative for creating a supportive ecosystem for all entities, including the private sector, non-profits, and civil society, to come together and work towards developing and scaling up locally-sound adaptation solutions in India.

The idea is to view climate adaptation as a strategic investment by the public sector and to bridge complex challenges faced by society today using the idea of public purpose to guide policy and business activity.

HDI: Addressing India’s Subnational Human Development

India’s economy is currently one of the fastest-growing ones worldwide. But this expansion hasn’t translated into a matching rise in the country’s Human Development Index (HDI). India is ranked 132 out of 191 nations in the Human Development Report for 2021–22, behind Bangladesh (129) and Sri Lanka (73).

A new index that assesses human development on a subnational level for 2019–20 has been created following the approach recommended by the UNDP and the National Statistics Office (NSO).

HDI Calculation

The HDI is calculated using four indicators: life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling, expected years of schooling, and Gross National Income (GNI) per capita.

The subnational HDI uses GSDP per capita as a proxy indicator for GNI since GNI per capita estimates are unavailable at the subnational level.

The methodology involves calculating the geometric mean of the normalised indices for the three dimensions of human development while applying the maximum and minimum values recommended by the UNDP and NSO.

Subnational HDI Findings

The subnational HDI shows that while some states have made considerable progress, others continue to struggle. Delhi occupies the top spot and Bihar occupies the bottom spot.

The five states with the highest HDI scores are Delhi, Goa, Kerala, Sikkim, and Chandigarh. Nineteen states, including Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Punjab, Telangana, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh, have scores ranging between 0.7 and 0.799 and are classified as high human development states.

The bottom five states are Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Assam, with medium levels of human development.

Reasons for Discrepancies

The economic growth has been unevenly distributed, with the top 10% of the Indian population holding over 77% of the wealth. This has resulted in significant disparities in access to basic amenities, healthcare, and education.

While India has made significant progress in reducing poverty and increasing access to healthcare and education, the quality of such services remains a concern.

UNSC: India’s Remarkable Tenure

Unprecedented in its focus on maritime security, terrorism, UN peacekeeping, reformed multilateralism, and the Global South, India served on the UN Security Council (UNSC) for two years. India acted as the chair of three significant UNSC committees, worked to resolve disputes between countries, and brought up significant topics including xenophobia.

In the UNSC from 2020 to 2022, India will be a member.

Establish Priorities:

prioritising clearly when joining the Council in January 2021

Priorities include the Global South, UN peacekeeping, terrorism, maritime security, and reformed multilateralism.

India chosen to lead three significant UNSC Committees

Indian Contribution to Maritime Security

A UNSC meeting on marine security was presided over by the Indian Prime Minister.

The first thorough document on marine security was the Presidential Declaration that was released.

Statement called for freedom of navigation, anti-piracy measures, and combating terror and transnational crime at sea

Conflicts on the Agenda:

Old conflicts festered and new conflicts arose, including Myanmar, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Mali, Syria, Palestine, Yemen, Haiti, Libya, and the Sahel, as well as Ukraine

The Council stood polarised and unable to act decisively

India attempted to bring the Council together on these issues

India’s Involvement in Myanmar:

Military takeover in Myanmar occurred in February 2021

Permanent-5 were pulling in opposing directions while ASEAN counselled caution

India shares a nearly 1,700 kilometre-long border with Myanmar and it was crucial to stop violence, bring in stability and ensure democratic processes went forward

India ensured balanced and comprehensive Council pronouncements, which culminated in a resolution on Myanmar (adopted under India’s presidency) in December 2022.

India’s Impact on the UNSC: Steadfast Diplomacy in the Face of Global Challenges

India’s role in Afghanistan Crisis:

India steered negotiations resulting in UNSC Resolution 2593 for benchmarks in Afghanistan, including stopping cross-border terrorism, protecting rights of women and minorities, ensuring an inclusive government, and providing humanitarian assistance.

India maintains a firm position on the Taliban upholding these benchmarks.

India’s stance on Ukraine Conflict:

India’s independent stand calling for dialogue and peace during the Ukraine conflict resonated with many developing countries.

India spoke out against unilateral sanctions on oil, food, and fertilizers.

As the conflict spilled over into India’s G-20 Presidency, India is now launching an initiative to convert its proactive position into action.

India’s focus on counter-terrorism:

As Chair of the UNSC Counter-terrorism Committee (CTC), India brought the CTC meeting to India in October 2022.

India attempted to list terrorists under UNSC Resolution 1267 sanctions but was thwarted, however, the proposal to list Abdul Rehman Makki, Deputy Amir/Chief of the Lashkar-e-Taiba was approved by the UNSC, with India as a proposer.

India on peacekeeping

Largest contributor including women: India has been the largest contributor of UN peacekeepers, including as a pioneer in women peacekeeping.

UNITE Aware technology platform: Its launching of the UNITE Aware technology platform to strengthen real-time protection of peacekeepers is to be noted.

Calling for accountability for crimes against peacekeepers: In August 2021, India piloted the first UNSC resolution by India in more than five decades, calling for accountability for crimes against peacekeepers. India also gifted two lakh vaccines to all UN peacekeepers.

Home Ministry begins process to sell Enemy Properties

The home ministry has started the process of selling immovable property owned by those who have acquired citizenship in Pakistan and China as a result of wars with those nations.

What does the term “enemy property” mean?

The assets and properties of people or organisations that the Indian government has designated as “enemies” are referred to as enemy property.

This can apply to people or organisations that have participated in hostilities, acted against India’s interests, or are nationals of a nation at war with it.

Why was this idea first proposed?

People moved from India to Pakistan in the aftermath of the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pakistan conflicts.

Under the Defence of India Rules framed under The Defence of India Act, 1962, the Government of India took over the properties and companies of those who took Pakistani nationality.

These “enemy properties” were vested by the central government in the Custodian of Enemy Property for India.

The same was done for property left behind by those who went to China after the 1962 Sino-Indian war.

The Tashkent Declaration of January 10, 1966 included a clause that said India and Pakistan would discuss the return of the property and assets taken over by either side in connection with the conflict.

However, the Government of Pakistan disposed of all such properties in their country in the year 1971 itself.

Dealing with enemy property

The Enemy Property Act, enacted in 1968, provided for the continuous vesting of enemy property in the Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI) under the Home Ministry.

The central government, through the Custodian, is in possession of enemy properties spread across many states in the country.

Some movable properties too, are categorised as enemy properties.

In 2017, Parliament passed The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016, which amended The Enemy Property Act, 1968, and The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971.

Total such properties in India

There are 12,611 enemy properties in India estimated to be worth over ₹1 lakh crore.

The government has earned over ₹3,400 crore from disposal of enemy properties, mostly movable assets like shares and gold.

None of the immovable enemy properties has been sold so far.

Out of the 12,611 properties vested with the CEPI, 12,485 were related to Pakistani nationals and 126 to Chinese citizens.

Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of enemy properties (6,255), followed by West Bengal, Delhi, Goa, Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujarat, Tripura, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Haryana.

Kerala, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya, Assam, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Daman and Diu, and Andhra Pradesh have enemy properties as well.

World’s 1st Sand Battery developed in Finland

The first sand battery in the world, which can store heat from multiple energy sources for months, has been erected successfully in Finland.

The Sand Battery System: What Is It?

The battery was installed in Finland’s Kankaanpaa town in June 2022. It is a substantial steel silo that is 7 m tall, 4 m wide, and contains 100 tonnes of sand.

It is linked to the town’s central heating system, which regulates the temperature of the buildings and the public water supply.

Three basic parts make up the storage system: an electrical air heater, a sand silo, and an air-to-water heat exchanger.

Working theory

With the electrical air heater, air is heated to 600°C for charging the sand silo.

The hot air is then circulated inside the silo using a heat-exchange pipe and blowers to raise the temperature of the sand at the silo’s core to 600°C.

When the storage enters the discharging stage, the blowers are used to pump air into the pipe inside the sand silo.

Once the air reaches 200°C, it is transferred to the air-to-water heat exchanger, where it is used to boil water.

It is then sent to the heating network.

Electricity Requirements and Capacity of the Battery

The storage system requires electricity at all times to charge the battery, monitor the temperature during standby, and run the blowers when the battery is used.

The installed battery can store 8 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy and release heat at 0.1 MW, which is enough to provide heating and hot water for about 100 homes and a public swimming pool.

Advantages of Sand as a Heat Storage Material

The Finnish researchers replaced water with sand in the battery system because of its advantages.

Sand can be heated up to 600 degrees Celsius (°C), whereas water starts to boil at 100°C.

It also has low heat conductivity, which reduces energy loss.

Importance of Heat Energy

Heat accounts for half of the world’s energy use, followed by transport (30 per cent) and electricity (20 per cent), as per the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Currently, 80 per cent of the world’s energy comes from dirty fossil fuels.

Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961)

In response to the vandalism incident at the Indian High Commission in London, the Indian government registered a vehement complaint against the UK government and reminded the host nation of its obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The Vienna Convention is what?

The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations is the agreement that the MEA is referencing in this situation (1961).

It offers a comprehensive structure for the beginning, upkeep, and breakup of diplomatic ties between independent sovereign States with mutual consent.

Obligations of a “receiving State” under the Vienna Convention

As per the Vienna Convention, a “receiving State” refers to the host nation where a diplomatic mission is located.

Article 22 of the Convention deals with obligations with regards to the premises of the Mission.

Part 2 of this article states that “The receiving State is under a special duty to take all appropriate steps to protect the premises of the mission against any intrusion or damage and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of the mission or impairment of its dignity”.

Did the UK not fulfil its obligations in this instance?

The fact that protestors were able to climb the walls of the High Commission premises indicates a breach.

India finds the UK government’s indifference to the security of Indian diplomatic premises and personnel in the UK unacceptable.

UK has condemned the event and promised to take the security of the Indian High Commission in London seriously.