Chhattisgarh, MP to face decline in living standard: World Bank

Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh have been identified as the two predictable states to be the top hotspots that are likely to experience a decline of more than nine per cent in their living standard by 2050, according to an analytical report by the World Bank.

The report titled "South Asia's Hotspots: The Impact of Temperature and Precipitation Changes on Living Standards" which was released here on Thursday also found that other states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra may face similar consequences.

The report defines hotspot as a location where changes in average temperature and precipitation will have a negative impact on living standards.

According to the report, rising temperatures and changing monsoon rainfall patterns can cost India 2.8 per cent of GDP and depress the living standards of nearly half of the country's population by 2050.

The report also revealed that decline in standard of living could be attributed to falling agricultural yields, lower labour productivity or related health impacts.

"In India today, approximately 600 million people live in locations that could either become moderate or severe hotspots by 2050 under a business-as-usual scenario," it said.

"A shift in monsoon can make a huge difference in agriculture while just a degree rise in temperature can affect the daily labourers and construction workers. These weather changes will result in lower per capita consumption levels that could further increase poverty and inequality in one of the poorest regions of the world," said report author Muthukumara Mani.

"This is very important for India to push for Paris climate change agreement of 2015. If no measures are taken average temperatures in India are predicted to increase by 1.5 to 3 degree Celcius," Mani added.

--IANS

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