Centre Unveils National Mission on Coastal Resilience”

Why in News: The Central Government of India, through the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, launched the National Mission on Coastal Resilience, a ₹5,000 crore initiative aimed at protecting India’s 7,500 km coastline from the escalating impacts of climate change, including rising sea levels, cyclones, and coastal erosion. This mission reflects India’s commitment to climate adaptation and sustainable development, building on prior efforts like the National Coastal Mission under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).

 Why Important:

Prelims: Climate initiatives (e.g., National Action Plan on Climate Change), COP commitments, coastal geography (7,500 km coastline, 13 states/UTs).

Mains: GS-III – Offers scope to discuss climate adaptation strategies and their socio-economic impacts (e.g., “How do coastal resilience measures align with India’s sustainable development goals?”). Links environment vs. development debates.

Key Points of the National Mission on Coastal Resilience:

Launch and Funding:

• Announced on March 21, 2025, by the Environment Ministry, the mission is backed by a budget of ₹5,000 crore to be implemented over the next decade.
• It aims to integrate national and state-level efforts to fortify coastal defenses and livelihoods.

Objective:

• The primary goal is to enhance the resilience of India’s 7,500 km coastline against climate-induced threats like sea-level rise (projected at 1 meter by 2100 under high-emission scenarios), intensified cyclones, and erosion.
• It seeks to protect coastal ecosystems and the 600 million people (approx. 40% of India’s population) living within 100 km of the coast.

Key Components:

Mangrove Restoration: Plans to restore and expand mangrove cover, which acts as a natural barrier against storm surges and sequesters carbon (e.g., India’s mangroves store up to 50-60 tons of carbon per hectare).

Early Warning Systems: Deployment of advanced forecasting technologies to predict cyclones and floods, reducing response time and casualties (building on systems like those used during Cyclone Amphan in 2020).

Community Relocation Plans: Strategies to relocate vulnerable coastal populations inland, ensuring safety while minimizing disruption to livelihoods.

Focus Areas:

• Targets high-risk coastal states like Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal, which face frequent cyclones and flooding (e.g., Odisha’s Cyclone Fani in 2019 caused ₹12,000 crore in damages).
• Emphasizes sustainable infrastructure, such as elevating critical assets (e.g., roads, ports) to at least 4-5 meters above mean sea level, aligning with existing guidelines.

Alignment with Global Commitments:

• Supports India’s COP26 pledge for net-zero emissions by 2070 by integrating blue carbon ecosystems (mangroves, seagrasses) into climate strategies.
• Complements international efforts like the UN Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action) and the Sendai Framework for disaster risk reduction.

Implementation Strategy:

• Involves collaboration between the Centre, coastal states, and local communities, with the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) in Chennai playing a key role in research and policy advice.
• Adopts an adaptive management approach, allowing flexibility to adjust measures based on evolving climate data and local needs.