India criticized for low spending on climate change response

Environmental experts say the amount of money India spends on climate change response is too small, not worthy of this country.

The Indian government has faced criticism after allocating 3.5 billion rupees ($52.8 million) to climate change adaptation over the next two years.

Environmental experts say this investment amount is too small, not commensurate with the country's level and not enough to face the challenges.

Drought in India. Photo: econews.

Experts say India, the world's seventh largest country with a population of more than 1.2 billion people, has many areas vulnerable to climate change and is in dire need of large funds to respond.

Professor Lyla Mehta of the UK-based Institute of Development Studies said many parts of India, both rural and urban, would need help to cope with climate change.

For example, after cyclone Aila in 2009, the Sunderbans sub-regional government had to spend up to 75 million USD to deal with the consequences of natural disasters as well as respond to climate change.

Professor Mehta highlights problems in the Sunderbans, a low-lying delta in the south, where people are migrating away from areas being eroded and threatened by rising sea levels.

India has also introduced a tax on polluting coal-fired plants and uses the money to fund clean energy programs.

However, part of the fund has been used to clean up the polluted Ganges River, instead of meeting its primary target of spending on climate change response.

According to VOV