2024 Elections: Why India's climate concerns got sidestepped
As heatwaves, floods and unprecedented disasters have become alarming in India, why did not become a main theme in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections?
81% of Indians are worried about global warming and it's a rising concern worldwide. This sentiment is not unique to India alone but is also growing across the globe. Notably, The Reserve Bank of India’s recent report has highlighted that climate change could pose a significant threat to the country's 4.5% GDP.
India is a land of diverse geographical features, comprising 28 states and 8 Union territories, each characterised by its unique topography. Despite this diversity, the adverse effects of global warming are becoming increasingly evident in various South and Southeast Asian countries, including India, Vietnam, Myanmar, and the Philippines.
But even with record-high heat waves and flooding incidents, climate change did not become one of the main topics of debate during the 2024 Indian elections. In this article, we'll explore how much importance did climate change get in this year's general elections!
Why did climate change take a backseat in Indian elections?
During the recent elections in India, the country experienced extreme weather conditions, including record-high heatwaves and cyclonic rains. Surprisingly, these issues were notably absent in the speeches of politicians. High temperatures, reaching over 40 degrees Celsius in certain regions, made it challenging for voters to go to the polls.
The heatwave led to numerous cases of heatstroke, with 24,849 suspected cases and 56 fatalities between March and May, according to data from the Union Health Ministry. These numbers are expected to rise as temperatures continue to soar. Despite the distress caused by the extreme weather, climate change was not addressed as a key issue by politicians on the campaign trail, even though the 2 big Indian political parties' manifestos had promised measures to combat climate change.
The BJP's ‘Modi Ki Guarantee 2024 Sankalp Patra’ emphasises the importance of protecting coastal communities and ecosystems by enhancing resilience. Additionally, they are committed to reinforcing existing initiatives such as the National Clean Air Programme.
In contrast, the Indian National Congress, in their Nyay Patra, has proposed the establishment of an independent Environment Protection and Climate Change Authority. This authority would be tasked with setting, monitoring, and enforcing environmental standards, as well as implementing both National and State Climate Change plans. Furthermore, the party aims to create a National Climate Resilience Development Mission.
Macro-level approach is not enough
Even though political parties have mentioned tackling climate change issues, their policies address the issue at a macro level only. One of the biggest examples is Bengaluru also called the "Silicon Valley of India" which suffered from flooding last year but is currently facing acute water shortage.
With burning temperatures, states like Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have suffered severe heatwave conditions. In the Northeast parts of India, Assam and Manipur face extreme flooding, heavy rainfall and landslides every year due to its geographical location making it prone to natural catastrophes. With diverse geographic landscapes from glaciers to deserts, India's weather is difficult to predict but climate change is making it worse day by day.
Impacts of climate change
According to the World Bank, let's quickly see the major impacts climate change has brought to India.
- Extreme heat
- Changing rainfall patterns
- Droughts
- Glacier melting
- Rise in sea levels
These events bring major crises which is why the government needs to be thoroughly prepared before such disasters happen.
Perspective of Indian voters
A CSDS-Lokniti pre-poll survey on the Lok Sabha election indicated that unemployment and inflation are the two main issues for voters. However, another survey conducted by Deloitte that for first-time or Gen-Z voters climate change is the third most important concern.
The takeaway
The 2024 Indian elections have been dramatic, to say the least where the nation witnessed various issues being raised. While unemployment and poverty have been a matter of interest for decades, a new problem has emerged in India. Lack of education and awareness about climate change has fueled this issue even more.
