Context: The report, titled "Climate Vulnerability Assessment for Adaptation Planning in India Using a Common Framework", according to a national climate vulnerability assessment report.

• It identifies the most vulnerable states and districts in India with respect to current climate risk and key drivers of vulnerability, was released by Department of Science and Technology (DST).

Key Findings

• Eight Indian states -- Jharkhand, Mizoram, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal -- are highly vulnerable to climate change.
• These states, mostly in the eastern part of the country, require prioritisation of adaptation interventions, the report pointed out.
• Among all states, Assam, Bihar and Jharkhand have over 60 per cent districts in the category of highly vulnerable districts.

Key Problems
Lack of forest area per 100 rural population was found to be one of the major drivers of vulnerability for Assam despite the fact that the state has a forest cover of 42 per cent.
In case of Bihar, the report cited poor health infrastructure to be the key vulnerability driver.

• The lack of implementation of the rural employment scheme MGNREGA, causing a lack of alternative livelihood opportunities.
• Lack of women's participation in the workforce.

Lack of crop insurance and rainfed agriculture were key drivers of vulnerability for Jharkhand.
Importance

• The assessment will help policy-makers in initiating appropriate climate actions. It will also benefit climate-vulnerable communities across India through development of better-designed climate change adaptation projects.
• In a developing country such as India, vulnerability assessment is considered as an important exercise to develop suitable adaptation projects and programmes.