UP, Bihar among 9 worst states facing climate risk: Report

• This is the first time there has been a physical climate risk analysis focused exclusively on the built environment, comparing every state, province and territory
• Asia dominates the list of provinces at risk with more than half (114) of the top 200 in 2050 in this region, with special focus on China and India
• After China, India has the highest number of states (9) in the top 50

Climate change effects are increasingly disturbing life and livelihoods of the people as a latest study, released on Monday, points out that India’s nine states, including some bigger ones such as Karnataka, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, are on a list of top 50 provinces in Asia that are prone to damage from extreme weather and climate change.

The report further puts that China, the US, and India are home to 80 per cent of the top 50 at-risk states from climate change in 2050. Meanwhile, together, China, India, and the US make up over half the states and provinces in the top 100.

Cross Dependency Initiative (XDI), part of a group of companies committed to quantifying and communicating the costs of climate change, calculated the physical climate risk to the built environment in over 2,600 states and provinces around the world in 2050, according to news agency PTI. While Asia dominates the list of provinces at risk, India has the highest number of states (9) in the top 50 regions at risk, which include Bihar (22nd spot), Uttar Pradesh (25), Assam (28), Rajasthan (32), Tamil Nadu (36), Maharashtra (38), Gujarat (48), Punjab (50) and Kerala (52), after China, according to the agency.

“This is the first time there has been a physical climate risk analysis focused exclusively on the built environment, comparing every state, province, and territory in the world. Since extensive built infrastructure generally overlaps with high levels of economic activity and capital value it is imperative that the physical risk of climate change is appropriately understood and priced,” XDI CEO Rohan Hamden, said in a statement.

Built environment refers to aspects of our surroundings that are built by man to support human activity like homes and work places. The report said that Assam would see the maximum increase — over 330% by 2050 as compared to 1990 — in climate risk to the built environment. The report also noted that Pakistan has multiple provinces in the top 100 provinces at risk, including Sindh province.

This is the first time there has been a physical climate risk analysis focused exclusively on the built environment, comparing every state, province and territory in the world, claimed the news agency. “Devastating flooding between June and August 2022 affected 30% of the area of Pakistan and has partially or fully damaged more than 900,000 houses in Sindh province,” the report said.

The report indicated that two of China’s largest sub-national economies – Jiangsu and Shandong – top the global ranking in terms of vulnerability to climate change, reported PTI.

Climate is likely to become increasingly decisive when it comes to determining the flow of capital, said Karl Mallon, XDI’s co-founder.

-INDIA NEWS STREAM