Glo
bal
Warm
ing About Global
warming & its impact worldwide
Impact and consequences in
India
Adaptation and Mitigation strategies
in India
Agenda
About Global Warming
Global warming is the observed century-scale rise in the average temperature of Earth's climate system.
The Green house gases (GHGs) provide a blanketing effect in the lower strata of the earth’s atmosphere, and this blanketing effect is being enhanced because of the human activities like burning of fossil fuels etc.
Worldwide Impact
The effects of global warming
are the environmental
and social changes caused
(directly or indirectly) by
human emissions of greenhouse
gases.
Physical Impact
Social Impact
Regional Impact
S
Impacts of Global Warming in India
Impact on the Indian Climate
Alarming effect of global warming on the climate of India has been observed.
Already a disaster prone area, with the statistics of 27 states being disaster prone, with most disasters being water related.
Process of global warming has led to an increase in the frequency and intensity of these climatic disasters.
Decrease by 40% of the production of the major crops.
A temperature increase of 2 ° C in India is projected to displace seven million people, with a submersion of the major cities of India like Mumbai and Chennai.
Projections on different sectors in India
Sectorial Approach: 1. Agriculture 2.Forest 3. Human Health
4. Infrastructure
5. Water Resources
Indian projections, under future climate change scenario of increase
Green House Gas(GHG) concentrations, indicate marked increase in both rainfall and temperature
into the 21st century, particularly becoming
conspicuous after 2040’s.
Increase in GHG concentrations may lead to overall increase in the rainy day intensity by 1-
4 mm/day except for small areas in northwest India where the rainfall
intensities decrease by 1 mm/day.
Climate Change threatening Economy and
Food Security
Fluctuating weather patterns will affect agricultural output and food security.
All aspects of food security are potentially affected by climate change including food access, utilization of land, and price stability.
Likely to suffer losses in all major sectors of the economy including energy, transport, farming and tourism.
For example: evidence suggests tourists will choose to spend their holidays at higher altitudes due to cooler temperatures or the sea level rises.
Human Health & Infrastructure
Human Health: Human begins are exposed to climate change through
changing weather patterns. Example: Through more intense and frequent
extreme events and indirectly through changes in water, air, food quality and quantity, ecosystems,
agriculture and economy.
Infrastructure: Large infrastructure such as dams, roads,
bridges incurring high costs of construction are vulnerable to
extreme events like cyclones, heavy rains, landslides and floods, which
may increase in the later half of the century due to climate change.
Agriculture
Agriculture: Increase in CO2 concretion; increase in temperature and variable distribution of rainfall show a mixed projection of yields of various crops across regions. Increased temperature can substantially educe yields of cereals apart from affecting their quality.
Secondary impact of changed pest and disease scenario can further complicate the crop yield situation.
Climate change in Indian Mind
(Conducted by Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies)
National survey conducted in November and December 2011 of 4,031 Indian adults, using an approximately 75 percent urban and 25 percent rural sample.
Study was designed to investigate:
(1) The current state of public climate change awareness, (2) beliefs, (3) attitudes, (4) policy support, and (5) public observations of changes in local weather and climate patterns
Steps and Measures
On June 30 2008, UPA government released India’s first National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) outlining the existing and future policies and programs addressing climate mitigation and adaptation. The plan identifies eight core national missions running through 2017.
Mission under NAPCC
National Solar Mission
National Mission for Enhanced Efficiency
National Mission on Sustainable Habitat
National Water Mission
National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem
National Mission for “ Green India”
National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
National Mission on Strategic Knowledge of Climate Change
Hurdles in path of NAPCC
1.Pressures and challenges in developing the policy have resulted in certain tensions that run through the missions
2.Design not clear about whether to have a broad or a focused goal
3.Not clear whether the NAPCC aims to fulfil international or domestic aspirations
4. Some missions concentrate on principles while some on specific modalities for implementation
5. Sustainable development with climate as co-benefit does seem to translate into the Mission documents
6. NAPCC does not suggest a long term agenda
7. Integration among missions lacking
8. Segregation into missions have led to viewing the problems and solutions with sector specific lenses
9. Cross-cutting approach is far more desirable, but may pose implementation challenges
10. Given the multi-dimensionality of climate impacts, interdisciplinary approach, breaking traditional ministerial boundaries suggested
Conclusion
India has a distinctive vulnerability profile as the poor are the most affected. Tremendous weather events take place more frequently and are becoming more ruthless.
Therefore the previous attempts of just rescuing the affected will not be enough now, instead, meticulous steps to prevent these disasters are required.
This can only be met if the strategies and policies can cope with climate change, requiring the active participation of the government and the people.