Paper: GS – III, Subject: Environment and Ecology, Topic: Indian Initiatives, efforts and Commitments, Issue: Bridging India’s Climate Communication Gap.
Context:
Despite advances in climate science and data, India struggles to convert knowledge into action due to weak climate communication, where technical language and global terms fail to connect with local realities and everyday risks.
Key Highlights:
The Meaning of Loss and Damage:
At international climate conferences, the phrase “Loss and Damage” is frequently used. It refers to the climate impacts that communities cannot adapt to, including the destruction of crops and homes, as well as the loss of identity, land, traditions, ecosystems, and cultural memory.
- Global Perspective: “Loss and Damage” encompasses a wide range of irreversible climate impacts, including slow-onset events, biodiversity loss, and the erosion of social fabric.
- Local Interpretation: In India, “Loss and Damage” is narrowly viewed as damage assessment and compensation, limiting it to post-disaster relief and overlooking wider, irreversible climate-related losses.
This semantic gap leads to a governance gap, where policy responses are limited by the narrow interpretation of climate impacts.
The Data Paradox:
India’s climate science has made significant progress, with detailed projections, models, and attribution studies.
- Abundance of Data: India has a wealth of climate data, including district-level heat projections, urban flood models, and crop yield simulations.
- Lack of Clarity: Despite the abundance of data, there is a lack of clarity on how to translate this information into practical action.
The Importance of Effective Communication: Ensures that climate information is clear, trusted, and grounded in everyday realities.
- Relevance: Information must be relevant to people’s lives and aligned with their lived experiences.
- Actionability: Information must be actionable, providing clear steps that people can take to protect themselves and their communities.
- Trust: Information must be delivered through trusted channels and by credible sources.
Examples of ineffective communication:
- Heat advisories that tell people to “stay indoors between 12 and 3 p.m.” are not practical for those who must work outdoors.
- Flood warnings delivered by SMS assume literacy and smartphone access.
- Complex risk dashboards are often underused because they are too difficult to understand.
The Odisha Model: Building Trust:
Odisha’s cyclone preparedness model demonstrates the importance of building public confidence in the credibility of alerts.
- Trust as Infrastructure: Trust is as critical as physical infrastructure, such as shelters and sensors.
- Clear Communication: Clear communication can strengthen heat preparedness, guide flood response, and help governments justify climate investments.
When communication fails, climate science remains inaccessible, policies are not effectively implemented, and preparedness is uneven. However, when communication succeeds, resilience becomes a shared social and political possibility. By prioritizing effective communication strategies, India can bridge the climate communication gap and foster meaningful climate action.
Source: (The Hindu)
La Excellence IAS Academy, the best IAS coaching in Hyderabad, known for delivering quality content and conceptual clarity for UPSC 2026 preparation.
FOLLOW US ON:
◉ YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@CivilsPrepTeam
◉ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaExcellenceIAS
◉ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laexcellenceiasacademy/
GET IN TOUCH:
Contact us at info@laex.in, https://laex.in/contact-us/
or Call us @ +91 9052 29 2929, +91 9052 99 2929, +91 9154 24 2140
OUR BRANCHES:
Head Office: H No: 1-10-225A, Beside AEVA Fertility Center, Ashok Nagar Extension, VV Giri Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Hyderabad, 500020
Madhapur: Flat no: 301, survey no 58-60, Guttala begumpet Madhapur metro pillar: 1524, Rangareddy Hyderabad, Telangana 500081
Bangalore: Plot No: 99, 2nd floor, 80 Feet Road, Beside Poorvika Mobiles, Chandra Layout, Attiguppe, Near Vijaya Nagara, Bengaluru, 560040