Why is it in the news?
- India is embarking on a major program to launch its maiden national-level framework towards providing climate services and information.
National Framework for Climate Services
About
- Spearheaded by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
- NFCS aims to provide climate services and information.
- Key sectors addressed: agriculture, energy, disaster management, health, and water.
Basis in the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS)
- GFCS is a global partnership for climate information and services.
- Aims to facilitate informed decisions for long-term betterment.
- Established during the third World Climate Conference in Geneva in 2009.
- Led by National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS).
- Involves policymakers, planners, investors, and vulnerable communities.
- Focuses on generating high-quality climate data and user-friendly formats.
NFCS Objectives
- Aligns with the GFCS.
- Tailored to country-specific weather and stakeholder needs.
- Potential expansion to include additional sectors like transport and tourism.
- Initial focus on bridging gaps among agencies requiring climate services.
Need for NFCS
- IMD provides high-quality weather services, but gaps remain in data availability.
- Limited climatological data from the Himalayan regions, oceans, and radar/satellite-based climatology.
- Need for integrated weather and climate services.
- NFCS aims to strengthen the observational network, improve data inflow, and enhance climate predictions.
- Tailored climate data to support agriculture, health, population distribution, infrastructure mapping, and socio-economic variables.
- Supports preparation and adaptation to new climate conditions in various sectors.
Implementation of NFCS
- India joins countries like Switzerland, China, Germany, and the UK in launching the NFCS.
- India is organizing national consultation workshops for NFCS.
Way Forward
- Though, NFCS addresses data gaps, strengthens the observational network, and supports climate adaptation efforts in response to changing climate conditions, its early implementation is crucial given the rising frequency of climate-related events.