According to Indian participants in Paris, the floods in Chennai and parts of Tamil Nadu are an “example as how the countries like India are victims of climate change that is a result of emissions from rich industrialized nations in the past.”
“Though experts do not immediately link the floods to climate change, saying this could be a matter of science-based debate, civil society organizations from India sought to play up the theme by formally holding a briefing on the issue for western media and activists who have been critical of India's position and sought to paint the country as an obstructionist during climate negotiations.”
“The Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) also reacted on the issue and noted that a trend of increasing frequency of such events, likely due to climate change, is on the rise in India with similar events occurring in 2010, 2013 and then again this year.”
“ ‘While the increasing frequency can be attributed to climate change, our own urban planning is definitely to blame for the level of damages. Of nearly 650 water bodies that Chennai had some decades ago, just about 27 are left now. Area of large lakes have been encroached upon and so there is no water holding capacity’, said Arjuna Srinidhi, programme manager, climate change, CSE.”