IE | Rohini Nilekani writes: Indian philanthropy can step in to mitigate climate disasters’ effects

In 2023, 85 per cent of districts experienced floods, droughts, or cyclones. From the Himalayas to the coastline, every region is at risk. Extreme weather events, including severe heat, occurred on 86 per cent of days that year. If the trend lines and modelling we have showcased are any indication, we must be prepared for much worse. The economic toll of these events is severe. The nationwide annual losses were $12 billion, and for poor households, it can be up to 85 per cent of their annual income from just one disaster. We argue in the report that there is no choice left but to build better community-level resilience. India has made remarkable progress in saving lives during cyclones and floods. But that is no longer enough. People want to thrive, not just survive.

To build resilience, we need to reimagine development, such as rethinking dam design, and building trust and capacity at a local level to enable the needed response in the samaaj before and after a disaster strikes. Sarkaar at the local level has to be financially empowered; the bazaar can step in meaningfully. Global evidence shows such investments are sound. Every $1 invested in risk reduction and adaptation can save up to $15 in post-disaster response and recovery.