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.
| ● What is Critical Infrastructure? – Critical infrastructure includes essential systems, networks, and assets needed to ensure a nation’s security, economy, and public health and safety. There are generally 16 sectors considered critical infrastructure in any country, including Defense, Energy, Emergency Services, Nuclear Reactors, and their materials.
● Critical Information Infrastructure – The Information Technology Act of 2000 defines Critical Information Infrastructure as a computer resource whose failure or destruction would severely affect national security, the economy, public health, or safety. ● National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC), established in 2014 and based in New Delhi, is a government organization that protects critical information infrastructure for the public. |
- 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.
| Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI):
· CDRI was established in 2019 at the UN Climate Action Summit under India’s leadership and with the support of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). · It is a multi-stakeholder global coalition of nations, UN organisations, multilateral development banks, corporate sector, and academic institutions. · Objective: It aims to promote the resilience of infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks. · Members: 39 countries and 7 organisations. Membership in the CDRI is open to all entities, subject to the approval of the governing council. · The governing authority of the CDRI is divided into three groups: the Governing Council, the Executive Committee and the Secretariat. · Secretariat: New Delhi, India · Initiatives by CDRI: Infrastructure Resilience Academic eXchange (IRAX), Infrastructure for Resilient Island States, CDRI WORLD knowledge portal, Infrastructure Resilience Accelerator Fund (IRAF) and CDRI Technical Resource Handbook |
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.
