Why is it in the news?

• The recent upsurge in electricity demand highlights the strain that critical infrastructure endures during extreme weather occurrences and subsequent disasters.

• As witnessed in Delhi and other regions, the soaring temperatures led to unprecedented electricity consumption, resulting in frequent power outages and substantial challenges in central and eastern India. The absence of electricity, coupled with exceptionally high nighttime temperatures, not only caused distress but potentially contributed to heat-related fatalities. This spike in electricity demand underscores the vulnerability of crucial infrastructure to extreme weather events and disasters.
• Besides power systems, various sectors such as telecommunications, transportation, healthcare, and cyber systems are susceptible to disruptions caused by disasters, further complicating crisis situations. The breakdown of essential services not only impedes relief efforts but also exacerbates risks and amplifies the impact of calamities.
• Therefore, fortifying critical infrastructure against extreme events and disasters is paramount for effective climate change adaptation.

Economic Challenges

• While prompt warnings and responses have mitigated human casualties during disasters, the economic repercussions of extreme weather events and disasters are escalating due to their heightened frequency and intensity.
• Government data reveals that between 2018 and 2023, states collectively expended over Rs 1.5 lakh crore to manage post-disaster consequences and natural calamities. This expenditure represents only the immediate financial burden. Long-term costs, including livelihood losses and decreased agricultural productivity, are projected to increase significantly.
• A World Bank report forecasted a significant decline in job opportunities by 2030 due to heat-induced stress, emphasizing the economic toll of climate-related challenges. The impaired critical infrastructure like transportation, telecommunications, and power supply, though not always accounted for in official figures, leads to substantial disruptions, exacerbating disaster impacts.

Integrating Resilience

• While various infrastructure sectors have devised disaster management strategies to handle such events, progress in enhancing resilience has been sluggish, leaving a considerable portion of India’s infrastructure highly susceptible to disasters.
• As a pioneering effort within an Indian state, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), established under India’s leadership, scrutinized the electricity transmission infrastructure in Odisha, a cyclone-prone state.
• The evaluation uncovered the fragile nature of the state’s infrastructure, with high vulnerability due to the proximity of distribution substations to the coastline and the aged infrastructure’s inability to withstand cyclonic winds.
• Initiatives like CDRI aim to bolster critical infrastructure resilience globally and serve as a valuable knowledge hub for implementing resilience strategies. While over 30 countries collaborate with CDRI to enhance their infrastructure, only a few Indian states have engaged with this coalition.

Conclusion:

• India must prioritize building resilient infrastructure to tackle increasing challenges from extreme weather and disasters. By investing in climate-smart solutions and leveraging initiatives like CDRI, India can lead in creating stable and sustainable systems that protect communities across the globe and ensure long-term safety and stability.

Way forward:

• Given India’s ongoing infrastructure development, prioritizing disaster resilience in upcoming projects is crucial.
• It is more effective and economical to integrate resilience features during construction rather than retrofitting them later on.
• All future infrastructure endeavours must prioritize climate resilience alongside sustainability and energy efficiency to ensure robustness against diverse hazards.