India Country Profile

Centre for Environment Education (CEE)

Goonj

Indo Global Social Service Society

Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society (SEEDS)

Population: 1,381,826,521

Major Threats: Floods, Cyclones, Earthquakes, Landslides, Droughts

Populations Affected: Urban & Rural Poor, Dalits, Women & Children, People with Disabilities

Locations Affected: Northern Regions (flash floods, landslides); Coasts (storms, floods)

Industries Affected: Agriculture, Technology/Communications, Manufacturing

Compounding Issues: Urban Migration, Informal Settlements, Environmental Degradation, Climate Change

World Risk Index Ranking: 85

Global Climate Risk Index: 5

Though it only comprises two percent of the world’s landmass, India is home to one-sixth of the world’s population. Approximately 85 percent of Indian land is vulnerable to one or more natural hazards, with 68 percent susceptible to drought, 57 percent to earthquakes, and 12 percent to floods. Drought and flood have a widespread effect on the population. The India Disaster Knowledge Network estimated that 50 million people are affected by droughts and 30 million by floods annually.

India has experienced high economic growth, especially in the communications and technology industry. Thus, a large-scale disaster can significantly impact the country’s economy and destroy any progress in economic development. Human factors such as deforestation, poor agricultural and land-use practices, urbanization, and large infrastructure construction all contribute to disaster risks and people’s vulnerability.

International donors can help people, communities, and industries across India defend against disasters through community-based programs, including rainwater harvesting and recycling systems, training first responders to floods, and implementing early warning systems and evacuation plans.

Population growth and urbanization have increased India’s vulnerability to natural disasters, as more people reside in slums and informal settlements. There has been a significant push from administrators, practitioners, and NGOs to re-examine settlements constructed by private developers, which increase population vulnerability and the impact of disasters.

Approximately 25 percent of the population lives in poverty and is, therefore, the least resilient to disasters. The poor often extract and exploit environmental resources to sustain their living, exposing them to risks that are even more significant.

Due to climate change, disasters are occurring with higher frequency and intensity. They are also happening in new areas, causing more damage to less prepared populations. The warmer climate will increase snowmelt and the occurrence of avalanches leading to fatalities and property damage, flooding in the lower basin, and prolonged droughts. Drought will not only affect agricultural activities, but it will also affect the availability of water for the entire country.

As the global temperature increases, sea-level rise will contribute to coastal erosion and displacement of many densely populated coastal communities. Cyclones will also continue to be a threat to these coastal communities.