By Manya Vashishtha and Reena
MH Vatavaran, The Environment Society of Miranda House in its previous blog 'Climate Change is Real...For All of Us' provided insights into climate change, its aspects, impacts and solutions. In continuation of the same we are here with a blog on climate change in India.
via BBC
Climate change in India is a matter of growing concern, as according to recent stats India is both a major greenhouse gas emitter and one of the most vulnerable countries in the world when it comes to climate change. India’s average temperature has already increased by around 0.7 degree Celsius during the 1901–2018 period due to greenhouse gas emissions and by the end of 2100 it is expected to rise by approximately 4.4 degree Celsius. India is experiencing many changes in climate and the impacts of those climate change, include water stress, heat waves and drought, severe storms and flooding, and associated negative consequences on health and livelihoods.
As the population of India is 1.3 billion (approx.) and is still growing and with its dependence on
agriculture, India will be severely impacted by continuing climate change. The growing emissions of aerosols from energy production and other sources suppresses rainfall, leading to drier conditions with more dust and smoke from the burning of drier vegetation, affecting both regional and global hydrological cycles and agricultural production. Also the uncertainties about monsoonal changes tend to affect farmers’ choices about which crops to plant and the timing of planting, reducing productivities. A large segment of poor people (including smallholder farmers and landless agricultural workers) are hit the hardest.
The most important impacts of climate changes include:
• Agriculture: High-input, high-output agriculture is negatively affected as demands for food and
other agricultural products has risen because of an increasing population. If we neglect this issue
now, there would be shortage of food and other valuable resources in coming future.
• Water: Global observations of melting glaciers suggested that climate change is impacting the
melting of glaciers as they are receding at an average rate of 10–15 meters per year. If this rate
increases, flooding in river valleys fed by these glaciers is inevitable, followed by diminished
flows, resulting in water scarcity for drinking and irrigation. Also depleting glaciers will reduce
river flow needed for irrigation by the farmers.
More severe storms (especially cyclones) can cause more damage to infrastructure and
livelihoods and exacerbate salt water intrusion in storm surges. Changes in the timing and amount of monsoon rains will make the production of food and other agricultural products more uncertain. India emits about 3 giga tonnes CO2 each year; about two and a half tons per person (it is about half the world average). As due to global warming the temperature is rising on the Tibetan Plateau, it is causing Himalayan glaciers to retreat, threatening the flow rate of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Yamuna and other major rivers.
• Energy: As India searches for additional sources of energy to meet rising demand, climate
change mitigation efforts constrains its use of indigenous and imported coal, oil, and gas, while
development of nuclear energy will be slow at best and likely to encounter opposition. To create
energy, a lot of non-green emission is given out which is directly increasing global warming and
constraining the health of people of the country.
Indications of Climate Change in lndia
● According to the report 'Assessment of Climate Change over The Indian Region' by The Ministry of Earth Sciences , India's average temperature has risen by around 0.7°C during 1901-2018. And by the end of the twenty-first century this average temperature is estimated to increase by approximately 4.4 ° C.
● India has been hit by three cyclones ( Amphan, Nisarga, and Nivar) in only one year (2020). These cyclones are becoming more dangerous and frequent as time passes and the reason is the increase in the temperature of the surface of the Oceans (Arabian sea, Bay of Bengal ) as the cyclones convert the heat energy into kinetic energy and intensify rapidly.
● The cyclone Tauktae (in 2021) was a pre monsoon cyclone formed in Arabian sea. Climate scientist Roxy Mathew said that the Arabian sea used to be cool but now it's a warm pool -which supports more intense cyclones because of the increased temperature due to climate change.
via BBC
● In 2016 Kerala government declared that they were having a drought as the rain was -34% relative to the normal in that year. And in 2018 there were massive floods causing heavy loss of lives and resources. In the pre monsoon season of 2019 , again there was -31% rain but by the time of August, the floods started. And in 2020 the same process was repeated, having extreme rain in August.
● In Assam also the frequency and intensity of floods has increased.
● In 2021 there was a flood in Uttarakhand ,and the reason was the break off of Nanda Devi glacier . According to a report of 2019 the Himalayan glaciers are melting twice as fast since 2000.
At present 29% of greenhouse gases are emitted by transportation and in India the number of
vehicles has increased from 0.3 millions in 1951 to 295.77 millions in 2019. About 70% of the total electricity is produced by thermal power plants in India which is the second biggest (25%) reason behind greenhouse gases emission. And the consumption of this electricity has increased from 16.3 KWh per capita in 1947 to 1208 KWh per capita in 2019. The 2,62,000 square km forest area was converted into an agricultural area during 1951-1980.
Since the middle of the twentieth century, India has witnessed a rise in average temperature; a
decrease in monsoon precipitation; a rise in extreme temperature and rainfall events, droughts,
and sea levels; and an increase in the intensity of severe cyclones, alongside other changes in the
monsoon system. There is compelling scientific evidence that human activities have influenced
these changes in regional climate.
via Bloomberg
Human-induced climate change is expected to continue apace during the twenty-first century. To improve the accuracy of future climate projections, particularly in the context of regional forecasts, it is essential to develop strategic approaches for improving the knowledge of Earth system processes, and to continue enhancing observation systems and climate models.
To conclude it would be best to state that currently India as a part of south-Asian country is facing huge environmental crisis. It would be best for all of us to come forward and protect our environment by posing green ideas to the government so that we can reduce pollution at all levels. Climatic changes affect both plants and animals equally, and both plants and animals are interlinked together to function as an ecosystem. Any human made changes in any of these two leads to misbalance of ecosystem and loss of life.
Comments