Eastern Unease

Our study projects significant climate variability in the eastern states of India, making them vulnerable to climate change

The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report warned of the consequences of inaction in the face of climate change. CSTEP’s study ‘District Level Changes in Climate: Historical Climate and Climate Change Projections for the Eastern States of India’ looks at projected climate changes in Eastern India and suggests how these states can become resilient in the wake of climate change.

The report is a part of CSTEP’s Climate Atlas series on India and compares the historical climate (1999 to 2019) against projected changes (at the district level) up to 2030. It covers the districts of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal. The study finds significant climate variability in these states under moderate and high emission scenarios.

The study also reveals an increase in temperature, heatwaves, and heavy rainfall days in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal. Given that Bihar, Odisha, and Jharkhand are flood-prone and figure high on NITI Aayog’s Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index, climate change will hit these states hard.

The report recommends urgent policy guidelines for water management and suggests incorporating adaptation and resilience measures in climate action plans and development policies.