Agriculture, natural resources and rural development / Water-based natural resources management

The TA is designed to support strengthening coastal resilience, coastal infrastructure, and communities to the adverse impacts of climate change. It will prepare adaptation guidelines towards effective mainstreaming of climate change into coastal protection and management. The TA is being designed to complement the ongoing $404 million ADB MFF 0049/Loan 2679-IND: Sustainable Coastal Protection and Investment Management Program (SCPMIP) comprising three tranches. The first tranche subprojects for $62.5 million is currently under implementation. The TA will ensure greater consideration of climate change impacts in the planning and design of the investments of the next two tranches and in overall coastal management in India.

The TA will analyze climate change-related parameters and impacts mainly from existing literature, and prepare guidelines for climate adaptation applicable to the Indian coast. Mainstreaming of climate adaptation measures will primarily focus on the two focal states of Karnataka and Maharashtra that were selected for SCPMIP. In addition, the TA will support the upscaling of coastal climate change adaptation to central government, maritime states, union territories/islands through official endorsement of the guidelines, provision of awareness materials, and training in the application of the guidelines.

The ongoing erosion of the beaches is a major challenge in the India coastline which threatens communities and livelihoods from a variety of areas including artisanal fishing, tourism, and other beach and natural resources-related activities. Coastal erosion is responsible for the loss of land, houses, infrastructure, and business opportunities and poses a high risk to human well-being, economic development, and ecological integrity. It affects negatively the livelihood of coastal communities, particularly poor households, and ultimately the coastal economies. Low cost protection solutions including natural protection such as beach dune management and mangrove are required to be developed. Natural protection is being developed internationally and India already counts successful initiatives on which SCPMIP and the proposed technical assistance can build upon.

Coastal infrastructure is currently designed based on historic sea levels and wave regimes, with estimated design life of 50-100 years. Infrastructure projects will gradually become increasingly vulnerable to damage unless appropriate measures of climate resilience are incorporated.

Without focused coastal climate change studies, the construction of coastal protection infrastructure and shoreline management planning proceeds largely according to current standards that do not explicitly consider climate change-related risks and vulnerabilities. With the lack of clear and officially endorsed design guidelines, planners and designers have neither the knowledge base, nor the mandate to design for potential impact scenarios under climate change. Government decision makers require adequate evidence of the risks to support the provision of additional finance for climate resilience.

1. Climate change adaptation guidelines for the protection and management of the Indian coast are officially endorsed

2. Shoreline management is climate-resilient in two focal states

3. Coastal investments in two focal states incorporate climate resilience

4. Institutions have strengthened capacity and raised awareness of coastal climate change and adaptation measures

A team of consultants comprising research scientists, coastal engineers, and specialists in natural coastal protection, community-based coastal management, and training is envisaged. The consultants will work at national, state, district and community levels, with total estimated inputs of 66 person-months (22 international and 44 national). Consultants will be engaged by ADB through a firm using quality- and cost-based selection procedures with 90:10 of technical and financial weight on a full technical proposal.

The consultancy contract package will include provisional sums to cover the costs of additional activities, namely:

(i) subcontracting of three focal research institutes to provide information and data, and implement specific studies that will define and quantify coastal climate change and impacts; (ii) project management of the pilot community projects and subcontracting of local nongovernment organizations (NGOs), community organizations, or local contractors to implement natural protection activities; (iii) organization and management of training courses, workshops, preparation of awareness materials and report production; and (iv) engagement of an advisory panel of experts to review and endorse the project climate change analysis and adaptation guidelines (the members of the panel will be nominated by MOWR and maritime states and union/island territories, and approved by ADB).