Climate change-floods, cyclones, tsunami, natural and manmade disasters

Climate change has a significant impact on the occurrence and intensity of various natural
disasters, including floods, cyclones, tsunamis, and other related events. Additionally, both
natural and man-made disasters can have severe consequences for ecosystems,
communities, and economies. Here's an overview of how climate change affects these
events:

1. Floods: Climate change can influence the frequency and severity of flooding events. Rising
global temperatures contribute to increased evaporation rates, leading to more intense
rainfall events. This heightened precipitation can overwhelm drainage systems and cause
rivers, lakes, and coastal areas to overflow, resulting in destructive floods. Rising sea levels
due to melting glaciers and thermal expansion further exacerbate the risk of coastal flooding.
2. Cyclones and Hurricanes: Climate change can impact the formation and intensity of cyclones
and hurricanes. Warmer sea surface temperatures provide more energy for these storms,
potentially leading to more frequent and intense cyclonic events. Rising sea levels also
contribute to increased storm surges, causing additional damage and coastal flooding
associated with cyclones.
3. Tsunamis: Tsunamis, which are primarily triggered by undersea earthquakes, can be
influenced indirectly by climate change. Rising sea levels can alter the coastal landscape and
increase vulnerability to tsunamis, particularly in low-lying areas. Additionally, the
degradation of coastal ecosystems, such as mangroves and coral reefs, due to climate change
impacts can reduce natural barriers that mitigate the impact of tsunamis.
4. Droughts and Heatwaves: While not directly classified as disasters, droughts and heatwaves
are extreme weather events influenced by climate change. Increasing temperatures and
changing precipitation patterns can lead to prolonged periods of drought, causing water
scarcity, agricultural losses, and increased risk of wildfires. Heatwaves, characterized by
excessively high temperatures, pose health risks, particularly to vulnerable populations, and
can strain energy resources.
5. Natural Disasters and Climate Refugees: Climate change-related disasters can displace
communities and create climate refugees. These events can destroy homes, infrastructure,
and livelihoods, forcing people to leave their homes in search of safer environments. The
displacement of populations due to climate-related disasters poses significant social,
economic, and political challenges, both within affected regions and for neighboring areas
receiving climate refugees.
6. Man-made Disasters: While climate change primarily influences natural disasters, it can also
exacerbate man-made disasters. For example, rising temperatures and changing
precipitation patterns can increase the likelihood of forest fires. Additionally, infrastructure
and human activities in vulnerable areas, such as urbanization in floodplains or deforestation
in hilly regions, can contribute to the severity and impact of disasters.

Addressing the challenges posed by climate change and associated disasters requires a
comprehensive approach, including mitigation and adaptation strategies. Mitigation involves
reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to cleaner energy sources, aiming to
limit further climate change impacts. Adaptation focuses on building resilient infrastructure,
improving early warning systems, enhancing disaster preparedness, and implementing
 sustainable land and water management practices to mitigate the impact of natural and
man-made disasters.

Furthermore, international cooperation, policy frameworks, and financial support are crucial
for effective disaster management and climate resilience. By integrating climate change
considerations into development planning, disaster risk reduction strategies, and sustainable
practices, societies can work towards minimizing the impact of these events and protecting
vulnerable communities.

CLIMATE CHANGE –FLOODS

Climate change has a significant impact on the occurrence and intensity of floods. Here's
how climate change contributes to the increased risk of flooding:

1. Increased Precipitation: Warmer temperatures due to climate change lead to increased

evaporation rates, resulting in more moisture in the atmosphere. This increased moisture
can then be released as intense rainfall events, leading to heavy downpours and an
increased risk of flooding. As the climate continues to warm, extreme precipitation events
are becoming more frequent and intense in many parts of the world.
2. Changes in Rainfall Patterns: Climate change can also alter rainfall patterns, leading to
shifts in the timing and distribution of precipitation. Some regions may experience more
prolonged dry spells, followed by shorter periods of intense rainfall. These changes can
further increase the risk of flooding as the soil becomes less able to absorb sudden heavy
rainfall, leading to runoff and subsequent flooding.
3. Melting Glaciers and Snowpack: Rising global temperatures are causing the melting of
glaciers and reduced snowpack in many mountainous regions. Glacial meltwater and
snowmelt contribute to river systems, and the loss of these water sources can result in
reduced water availability during dry periods. However, when a sudden warm spell
occurs, the rapid melting of glaciers and snowpack can lead to an increased volume of
water entering rivers and downstream areas, increasing the risk of flooding.
4. Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding: Climate change-induced sea level rise is
exacerbating the risk of coastal flooding. Higher sea levels make coastal areas more
vulnerable to storm surges, resulting in increased coastal flooding during storms and
high tides. This poses a significant threat to low-lying coastal regions, especially in
densely populated areas, leading to the displacement of communities and infrastructure
damage.
5. Urbanization and Land Use Changes: Human activities, including urbanization and land
use changes, can exacerbate the impacts of flooding. The replacement of natural
landscapes with impermeable surfaces like concrete and asphalt reduces the ability of the
land to absorb rainfall. As a result, water runoff increases, overwhelming drainage
systems and leading to urban flooding. Inadequate urban planning and infrastructure can
worsen the impacts of heavy rainfall events.

Addressing the challenges posed by climate change-induced floods requires a

combination of mitigation and adaptation strategies. Mitigation efforts focus on
 reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit the extent of future climate change. This
involves transitioning to renewable energy sources, promoting energy efficiency, and
adopting sustainable land and water management practices.

Adaptation strategies aim to minimize the impacts of flooding by improving flood

forecasting and early warning systems, implementing effective land use planning,
enhancing infrastructure resilience, and promoting nature-based solutions. Nature-based
solutions include restoring wetlands, creating floodplain areas, and preserving natural
drainage systems, which can help absorb and retain excess rainfall, reducing the risk of
flooding.

International cooperation, policy frameworks, and community engagement are crucial for
effective flood management in the face of climate change. By integrating climate change
considerations into flood risk management plans and implementing sustainable
practices, communities can build resilience and reduce the impacts of flooding
associated with climate change.

Climate change is recognized as a significant factor contributing to the occurrence and

intensity of floods around the world. Here's how climate change influences floods:

1. Increased Precipitation: Warmer temperatures caused by climate change lead to increased

evaporation rates, which result in higher atmospheric moisture content. This, in turn, can
lead to more intense rainfall events. When heavy precipitation exceeds the capacity of
drainage systems and rivers, it can cause rivers to overflow their banks and result in flooding.
2. Altered Rainfall Patterns: Climate change can disrupt traditional rainfall patterns, leading to
shifts in the timing, duration, and intensity of rainfall. Some regions may experience longer
dry spells followed by intense rainfall events, which can result in flash floods. Changes in
rainfall patterns can also lead to prolonged periods of rainfall, saturating the soil and
increasing the risk of riverine and coastal flooding.
3. Melting Glaciers and Snowpack: Climate change causes the melting of glaciers and reduced
snow accumulation in mountainous regions. Glacial meltwater and snowmelt contribute to
river flows, especially during the warmer months. As glaciers shrink and snowpack
diminishes, the availability of meltwater decreases. This reduction in water storage can lead
to altered river flow patterns, including increased peak flows and the potential for sudden
and severe floods.
4. Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding: Climate change-induced sea level rise exacerbates the
risk of coastal flooding. Higher sea levels can lead to more frequent and severe storm surges
during storms and cyclones, causing flooding in low-lying coastal areas. Coastal flooding can
damage infrastructure, destroy ecosystems, and displace communities.
5. Changes in Land Use: Human activities related to urbanization, deforestation, and land use
changes can increase flood vulnerability. Construction on floodplains and wetlands reduces
natural water absorption areas, leading to higher surface runoff during rainfall events.
Deforestation decreases vegetation cover, which can exacerbate soil erosion and increase
the volume and speed of runoff, contributing to flooding.
6. Infrastructure and Urbanization: Rapid urbanization without adequate infrastructure
planning can worsen the impacts of floods. The construction of impermeable surfaces, such
as roads and buildings, reduces natural drainage and increases surface runoff. Inadequate
stormwater management systems and improper land use planning can exacerbate flooding
in urban areas.

The increasing frequency and severity of floods due to climate change have significant
implications for communities, economies, and ecosystems. Floods can cause loss of life,
damage infrastructure, disrupt essential services, lead to agricultural losses, trigger
landslides, and result in long-term socio-economic impacts.

To address the challenges posed by climate change-induced floods, adaptation and

mitigation strategies are crucial. These include improving early warning systems, enhancing
flood forecasting and mapping, implementing resilient land use planning, constructing flood-
resilient infrastructure, restoring and preserving natural floodplains and wetlands, and
promoting sustainable water management practices.

Furthermore, efforts to mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions are
essential in addressing the root causes of climate change and reducing the risk of future
floods. International cooperation, policy interventions, and community engagement are vital
for effective flood risk management and building climate resilience.

climate change- cyclones

Climate change has the potential to influence the occurrence and characteristics of
cyclones (also known as hurricanes or typhoons) in several ways. While the precise
relationship between climate change and cyclones is still an area of ongoing research,
here are some ways in which climate change can impact cyclones:

1. Increased Intensity: Warmer ocean surface temperatures provide the energy necessary
for cyclone formation and intensification. As climate change leads to rising global
temperatures, sea surface temperatures also increase. This warmer ocean environment
can fuel the development and intensification of cyclones, potentially leading to stronger
and more powerful storms.
2. Changes in Frequency and Distribution: While there is uncertainty in predicting the
precise impact of climate change on cyclone frequency, some studies suggest that the
overall number of cyclones worldwide may not change significantly or even decrease.
However, projections indicate that the distribution of cyclones could shift geographically,
potentially leading to increased cyclone activity in certain regions and decreased activity
in others.
3. Altered Rainfall Patterns: Climate change can influence the rainfall patterns associated
with cyclones. As warmer air holds more moisture, cyclones can produce heavier rainfall
and potentially result in increased precipitation during cyclonic events. This can lead to
an elevated risk of flooding and associated damages, particularly in coastal areas and
regions affected by landfalling cyclones.
4. Rising Sea Levels and Storm Surges: Climate change-induced sea level rise contributes to
higher storm surges associated with cyclones. Storm surges occur when cyclone winds
push seawater onto coastal areas, resulting in flooding and coastal erosion. With higher
sea levels, storm surges can penetrate further inland, posing a greater risk to coastal
communities and infrastructure.
5. Changing Tracks: Some studies suggest that climate change may influence the tracks of
cyclones, affecting their paths and potential landfall locations. While the specific
mechanisms behind track changes are complex and still being investigated, altered wind
patterns and atmospheric circulation associated with climate change may lead to
variations in cyclone paths.

Understanding the relationship between climate change and cyclones is a complex task
due to the inherent variability of these weather phenomena. Climate models provide
insights into potential changes in cyclone behavior, but further research is required to
improve predictions and understand regional and local impacts.

It is essential to emphasize that individual cyclonic events cannot be directly attributed to

climate change, as they are influenced by various natural climate patterns. However, the
increasing evidence indicates that climate change can influence cyclones' characteristics,
intensities, and associated impacts.

Addressing the risks posed by cyclones in the context of climate change requires a multi-
faceted approach. This includes implementing robust early warning systems, enhancing
preparedness and response capacities, promoting resilient infrastructure and coastal
zone management, and developing strategies for adaptation and disaster risk reduction
in vulnerable regions. Additionally, mitigating climate change by reducing greenhouse
gas emissions remains crucial in addressing the underlying causes of climate change and
reducing the potential impacts of cyclones in the long term.

Climate change has the potential to influence the occurrence and characteristics of cyclones, also
known as hurricanes or typhoons, in several ways. Here are some ways in which climate change can
impact cyclones:

1. Increased Intensity: Warmer sea surface temperatures provide more energy to cyclones, potentially
leading to increased intensity. As climate change contributes to rising global temperatures, it can
lead to a higher likelihood of intense cyclonic storms. The increased heat in the ocean's surface
waters provides a favorable environment for cyclones to strengthen and potentially reach higher
wind speeds and produce more rainfall.
2. Changes in Frequency and Distribution: While the overall frequency of cyclones is not expected to
change significantly, there is evidence to suggest that the distribution and geographic range of
cyclones could be altered due to climate change. For example, some studies suggest that there may
be a decrease in the total number of cyclones but an increase in the number of intense cyclones.
3. Rising Sea Levels and Storm Surges: Climate change contributes to rising sea levels, which can
exacerbate the impacts of cyclones. Higher sea levels result in increased storm surges, which occur
when cyclones push ocean water onto coastal areas. The combination of intense winds and higher
sea levels can result in more destructive storm surges, causing coastal flooding and significant
damage to coastal communities and infrastructure.
4. Precipitation Patterns: Climate change can affect the precipitation patterns associated with cyclones.
While the overall number of cyclones may not change significantly, changes in rainfall patterns can
occur. There is evidence to suggest that cyclones are capable of producing more intense rainfall due
to the increased moisture content in a warmer atmosphere. This can lead to an increased risk of
heavy rainfall, flash floods, and landslides in affected areas.
5. Shifts in Cyclone Tracks: Climate change can influence the tracks that cyclones follow. Although the
exact impact is still uncertain, some studies suggest that climate change may lead to shifts in the
tracks of cyclones, potentially affecting the regions that are more frequently exposed to cyclonic
storms.

It is important to note that understanding the link between climate change and cyclones is a
complex scientific challenge, and more research is needed to fully understand the specific impacts.
However, the available evidence indicates that climate change can influence the characteristics and
impacts of cyclones, making them potentially more intense and destructive.

Efforts to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of cyclones and climate change involve a combination
of measures. These include enhancing early warning systems, improving disaster preparedness and
response capabilities, developing resilient infrastructure in vulnerable coastal areas, implementing
coastal zone management strategies, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions to address the root
causes of climate change. International collaboration and policy frameworks are crucial to address
the global challenges associated with cyclones and climate change.

climate change- natural disasters

Climate change has profound implications for various types of natural disasters,
amplifying their frequency, intensity, and impacts. Here's a look at how climate change
influences some common natural disasters:

1. Floods: Climate change contributes to increased precipitation, altering rainfall patterns

and intensifying rainfall events. This can lead to more frequent and severe flooding.
Rising global temperatures also cause the melting of glaciers and snowpack, affecting
river flows and exacerbating flood risks.
2. Cyclones and Hurricanes: Warmer sea surface temperatures provide more energy for
cyclones and hurricanes to form and intensify. Climate change can lead to increased
intensity and potentially alter the tracks of these storms, posing greater risks to coastal
areas.
3. Droughts: Climate change can lead to more frequent and severe droughts in certain
regions. Rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns can disrupt water
availability, affecting agriculture, ecosystems, and water supplies for communities.
4. Heatwaves: Climate change contributes to the occurrence of more frequent and intense
heatwaves. Rising temperatures can result in prolonged periods of extreme heat, posing
risks to human health, agriculture, and energy systems.
5. Wildfires: Climate change influences the conditions favorable for wildfires. Higher
temperatures, reduced soil moisture, and altered precipitation patterns can create drier
conditions, increasing the risk and severity of wildfires. Climate change can also lead to
longer fire seasons.
6. Landslides: Climate change impacts rainfall patterns and the stability of slopes,
potentially increasing the occurrence of landslides. Heavy rainfall events can trigger
landslides in areas prone to slope instability, leading to significant damage and loss of
life.
7. Storm Surges: Rising sea levels, attributed to climate change, contribute to higher storm
surges during coastal storms and cyclones. This increases the risk of coastal flooding and
damage to infrastructure and communities in low-lying coastal areas.

It's important to note that natural disasters are influenced by a combination of factors,
including climate variability and local conditions. Climate change acts as a multiplier,
exacerbating the intensity and impacts of these events. While it's challenging to attribute
specific events solely to climate change, scientific research and modeling provide insights
into the influence of climate change on natural disasters.

Addressing the risks associated with climate change and natural disasters requires a
multi-faceted approach. This includes implementing climate adaptation measures such as
resilient infrastructure, early warning systems, disaster preparedness, and land use
planning that accounts for changing climate patterns. Mitigation efforts, such as reducing
greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to clean energy sources, are essential to
mitigate the long-term impacts of climate change and reduce the severity of future
natural disasters. Additionally, international cooperation and community engagement are
crucial for effective disaster management and building climate resilience.

climate change- man made disaster

While climate change is primarily caused by natural processes, human activities significantly
contribute to its acceleration. These human-induced factors, often referred to as
anthropogenic activities, have led to a range of man-made disasters associated with climate
change. Here are some examples:

1. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas for
energy production and transportation releases carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse
gases into the atmosphere. These emissions trap heat, leading to the warming of the planet
and the phenomenon known as global warming. The excessive release of greenhouse gases
from human activities has contributed to the accelerated pace of climate change.
2. Deforestation: Deforestation, primarily driven by agriculture, logging, and urbanization, is a
major contributor to climate change. Trees absorb carbon dioxide as part of photosynthesis,
acting as carbon sinks. When forests are cleared, the stored carbon is released back into the
atmosphere. Deforestation also reduces the planet's capacity to absorb CO2, leading to
increased greenhouse gas concentrations and contributing to climate change.
3. Industrial Processes: Industrial activities, including manufacturing, mining, and construction,
emit significant amounts of greenhouse gases. Industrial processes such as cement
production, chemical manufacturing, and the extraction and processing of raw materials
 release CO2, methane (CH4), and other greenhouse gases. These emissions contribute to the
overall greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change.
4. Agriculture and Livestock: Agricultural practices, including rice cultivation, livestock
production, and the use of synthetic fertilizers, contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.
Methane emissions from livestock, nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizers, and land-use
changes associated with agriculture all contribute to climate change. Additionally,
agricultural activities can contribute to deforestation as forests are cleared to make way for
farmland.
5. Waste Management: Improper waste management, particularly the decomposition of
organic waste in landfills, generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Inefficient waste
management practices and the lack of recycling and waste reduction measures contribute to
increased methane emissions, contributing to climate change.

The cumulative effect of these human-induced activities has resulted in the warming of the
planet and disruptive climate patterns. This, in turn, leads to a range of adverse impacts,
including rising global temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, sea-level rise, increased
frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, and ecological disruptions. These
changes have far-reaching consequences for ecosystems, human societies, and the overall
well-being of the planet.

Recognizing the role of human activities in climate change, international efforts are focused
on mitigating these impacts through reducing greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning to
clean energy sources, promoting sustainable land use, adopting environmentally friendly
practices, and raising awareness about the importance of climate action. Additionally,
adaptation strategies are being developed to help societies cope with the existing and
projected impacts of climate change, including the implementation of resilient infrastructure,
improved disaster preparedness, and the development of sustainable and climate-smart
policies.
Climate change itself is not a man-made disaster, but rather a consequence of human activities that
have significantly contributed to changes in the Earth's climate system. The burning of fossil fuels,
deforestation, industrial processes, and other human activities have released large amounts of
greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane
(CH4), trap heat from the sun and lead to the warming of the Earth's surface. This process is often
referred to as the greenhouse effect.

The increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is causing the Earth's climate to
change, resulting in a wide range of negative impacts, including more frequent and severe natural
disasters. While climate change itself is not a disaster, it exacerbates the likelihood and intensity of
various natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, heatwaves, storms, and sea-level rise. These
events can have devastating consequences for ecosystems, communities, and economies.

It is important to note that addressing climate change requires collective action and international
cooperation. Efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, transition to clean and renewable energy
sources, promote sustainable land and water management practices, and enhance climate resilience
are crucial in mitigating the impact of climate change and minimizing the occurrence of associated
disasters.
While climate change is primarily driven by natural processes, human activities
significantly contribute to the acceleration of climate change and can be considered a
 form of man-made disaster. The following are key ways in which human actions
contribute to climate change:

1. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas,
for energy production and transportation is the primary source of carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions. Industrial processes, deforestation, and land-use changes also release
significant amounts of other greenhouse gases, including methane (CH4) and nitrous
oxide (N2O). These greenhouse gas emissions trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to
the warming of the planet.
2. Deforestation and Land Use Change: The clearance of forests for agriculture,
urbanization, and infrastructure development contributes to climate change. Forests act
as carbon sinks, absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere and storing it in biomass.
Deforestation reduces the planet's capacity to absorb greenhouse gases and releases
carbon stored in trees, contributing to higher CO2 levels.
3. Agriculture and Livestock: Agricultural activities, such as rice cultivation and the use of
synthetic fertilizers, produce methane and nitrous oxide emissions, respectively. Livestock
farming, particularly cattle, emits significant amounts of methane through enteric
fermentation and manure management. These agricultural practices contribute to the
increase in greenhouse gas concentrations and, consequently, climate change.
4. Industrial Processes: Industrial activities release greenhouse gases through processes
such as cement production, chemical manufacturing, and the combustion of fossil fuels
in manufacturing facilities. Industrial emissions contribute to the overall greenhouse gas
emissions and impact climate change.
5. Waste Management: Improper waste management, including the decomposition of
organic waste in landfills, generates methane emissions. Methane is a potent greenhouse
gas with a higher warming potential than carbon dioxide, thus contributing to climate
change. Inadequate waste management practices exacerbate these emissions.

The cumulative effect of these human activities is the intensification of the greenhouse
effect, resulting in global warming and climate change. The consequences of climate
change include rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, sea-level rise,
increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and disruptions to
ecosystems and biodiversity.

Mitigating and addressing man-made climate change requires concerted global efforts
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, transition to renewable and cleaner energy sources,
adopt sustainable land-use practices, promote energy efficiency, enhance waste
management systems, and promote international cooperation to achieve climate goals
outlined in agreements like the Paris Agreement. By taking decisive action to curb
emissions and promote sustainable practices, societies can mitigate the impacts of man-
made climate change and work towards a more sustainable and resilient future.

While climate change itself is primarily driven by natural processes, human activities
significantly contribute to its acceleration. The emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs)
from human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial
 processes, is a major driver of climate change. The consequences of climate change can
be considered a man-made disaster due to the contribution of human actions to its
occurrence and severity. Here are some ways in which human activities contribute to
climate change:

1. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) for
energy production, transportation, and industrial processes releases carbon dioxide
(CO2) and other GHGs into the atmosphere. These GHGs trap heat from the sun, leading
to the greenhouse effect and an increase in global temperatures. The accumulation of
GHGs in the atmosphere is primarily responsible for the observed global warming and
climate change.
2. Deforestation: Large-scale deforestation, particularly in tropical regions, contributes to
climate change. Forests act as carbon sinks, absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere and
storing it in vegetation and soil. Deforestation releases this stored carbon, leading to
increased CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere. Additionally, deforestation reduces the
planet's capacity to absorb CO2, exacerbating the greenhouse effect.
3. Agriculture and Livestock: Agricultural practices, including rice cultivation, livestock
production, and the use of synthetic fertilizers, generate significant GHG emissions.
Methane (CH4), a potent GHG, is released during rice cultivation and livestock digestion.
Nitrous oxide (N2O), another potent GHG, is emitted from the use of nitrogen-based
fertilizers. These agricultural activities contribute to climate change and its associated
impacts.
4. Industrial Processes: Industrial activities, such as manufacturing, cement production, and
chemical processes, release GHGs into the atmosphere. These emissions result from the
combustion of fossil fuels, as well as the production and use of synthetic chemicals.
Industrial processes also contribute to the release of other GHGs, such as methane and
fluorinated gases, which have a higher warming potential than CO2.
5. Waste Management: Improper waste management practices, including landfilling and the
decomposition of organic waste, produce significant amounts of methane. Methane
emissions from landfills contribute to climate change. Inefficient waste management
systems and the lack of proper recycling and waste reduction strategies further
exacerbate the problem.

It's important to note that climate change is a complex issue influenced by various
natural and human factors. However, the significant contribution of human activities to
the increase in GHG concentrations and subsequent climate change has been well-
established by scientific research. Recognizing this, efforts to mitigate and adapt to
climate change focus on reducing GHG emissions, transitioning to renewable energy
sources, promoting sustainable land use and forestry practices, and adopting eco-
friendly technologies across sectors.

Addressing man-made climate change requires international cooperation, policy

interventions, and individual actions to reduce emissions, promote sustainability, and
build climate resilience. The global community has been working towards these goals
through international agreements like the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global
 warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to
limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Artificial Intelligence and Climate change

Context

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies have been often thought as a gateway to a

future written in chrome, operating on a virtual cloud.

Even in Budget 2022-23, AI was described as a sunrise technology that would “assist
sustainable development at scale and modernize the country.”

In terms of climate change, AI can prove to be immensely helpful in developing

environment-friendly infrastructure, making climate predictions and decarbonizing
industries. However, ironically, AI with itself brings an environmental cost to the
development of the technology.

What is Climate Change?

 It deals with the global phenomenon of climate transformation that significantly impacts
the earth’s usual climatic conditions (temperature, precipitation, wind, etc.).
 They are mainly caused due to human-made activities.
 The major source of climate change is global warming, which is primarily caused by the
greenhouse effect.
 Rapid urbanization and industrial revolution are the other main causes that lead to the
risk of climate change with increased energy demand and production, especially in the
form of fossil fuels.
 The growing risk of climate change has a disastrous impact on earth organisms,
including human beings and earth’s flora and fauna.
 It further leads to the destruction of the food chain and economic resources.

Social and Economic Impact of Climate Change

 The cost of adapting coastal areas to rising sea levels.
 Relocation of whole towns.
 Shrinking productivity of harvests.
 Loss of the capacity to work due to heat.
 More wars to gain access to limited resources.
 Freshwater will be short in the supply.
 Spread of diseases due to higher temperatures.
 Inflation in food and consumer goods.
 The extreme meteorological phenomenon will cause widespread poverty.
 Artificial Intelligence

 Artificial intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines,

especially computer systems. Specific applications of AI include expert systems, natural
language processing, speech recognition and machine vision.
 In general, AI systems work by ingesting large amounts of labeled training data,
analyzing the data for correlations and patterns, and using these patterns to make
predictions about future states.
 AI programming focuses on three cognitive skills: learning, reasoning and self-correction.
 How can AI help in the mitigation of Climate Change?
 AI is a disruptive paradigm that has greater potential to assess, predict, and mitigate the
risk of climate change with the efficient use of data, learning algorithms, and sensing
devices.
 It performs a calculation, makes predictions, and takes decisions to mitigate the impacts
of climate change.
 By developing effective models for weather forecasting and environmental monitoring,
AI makes us better understand the impacts of climate change across various
geographical locations.
 It interprets climatic data and predicts weather events, extreme climate conditions, and
other socio-economic impacts of climate change and precipitation.
 From a technical perspective, AI offers better climatic predictions, shows the impacts of
extreme weather, finds the actual source of carbon emitters and includes numerous other
reasonable contributions.
 This enables the policymakers to be aware of the rising sea levels, earth hazards,
hurricanes, temperature change, disruption to natural habitats, and species extinction.

Applications of AI for Climate Change mitigation

The following are the few areas in which AI can directly help mitigate the risks posed by
climate change:-

 AI-assisted prediction models for climate change mitigation

 Role of machine vision in climate informatics and forecasting
 Recent trends in AI to reduce carbon footprints for a sustainable environment
 AI for earth hazard management
 AI to promote eco-friendly energy production and consumption
 AI-assisted expert systems for climate change risk prediction and assessment
 AI-assisted big data analytics Synergy of IoT, big data, cloud computing, and AI
techniques in climate change prediction and mitigation
 Machine learning for a sustainable green future
 AI in reducing the impacts of global warming
 Deep learning for sustainable earth surveillance and earth informatics
 AI Can Accelerate Our Response to Climate Change
 Improve Energy Efficiency– According to the Capgemini Research Institute, artificial
intelligence should improve power efficiency by 15% in the next three to five years.
 Optimize Clean Energy Development- AI computational models can find sites for dams
that can produce the lowest amounts of GHG emissions.
 Avoid Waste- Companies, governments, and leaders frequently deploy AI solutions to
avoid waste, reduce energy waste from buildings or understand supply and demand.
 Make Transportation More Efficient- AI is already the technology that powers
autonomous vehicles, including shared cars and smart transportation systems in some
cities.
 Tools to Help Understand Carbon Footprint- AI can help build tools to help individuals
and companies understand their carbon footprint and what actions they can take to
reduce it.
 Create New Low-Carbon Materials- If AI could develop new materials with similar
properties but with a smaller carbon footprint, it could help slow climate change.

What are the Global Trends for the Development of AI Technology?

 Unfair Start- A few developed economies possess certain material advantages right
from the start, they also set the rules.
 They have an advantage in research and development, and possess a skilled workforce as
well as wealth to invest in AI.
 West vs the World- North America and East Asia alone account for three-fourths of
global private investment in AI, patents and publications.
 Political Advantage- The current state of inequity in AI in terms of governance raises
concerns about the technological fluency of policymakers in developing and
underdeveloped countries and their representation and empowerment at the
international bodies that set rules and standards on AI.
 Benefits for few- The developing and underdeveloped countries have not been much
benefitted by the technology as AI’s social and economic benefits are accruing to a few
countries only.

India & AI

 In Budget 2022-23, AI was described as a sunrise technology that would “assist

sustainable development at scale and modernize the country.”
 Research ecosystem- India has 386 of a total of 22,000 Ph.D. educated researchers
worldwide and ranked 10th globally in research. AI research concentrated mostly at
institutes, like IITs, IIITs and IISc.
 Present Use of AI- Presently, AI is used in India in sectors such as Smart Mobility and
Transportation, Healthcare, Agriculture, Education and Smart Cities & Infrastructure.
 AI adoption across sectors-
1. COREs– Centres of Research Excellence in Artificial Intelligence will focus on core
research of AI.
2. ICTAI– International Centre for Transformational Artificial Intelligence will provide the
ecosystem for application-based technology development and deployment.
3. AIRAWAT (AI research, analytics and knowledge assimilation platform will be a cloud
platform for Big Data Analytics and Assimilation, with a large, power-optimized AI
Computing infrastructure using advanced AI processing.

AI in India: Opportunities

AI has the potential to drive growth by enabling:

 Intelligent automation i.e. ability to automate complex physical world tasks that require
adaptability and agility across industries,
 Labor and capital augmentation: enabling humans to focus on parts of their role that
add the most value, complementing human capabilities and improving capital efficiency
 Innovation diffusion i.e. propelling innovations as it diffuses through the economy

What is the Impact of AI Technology on Climate?

 Carbon Footprint- The climate impact of AI can be majorly attributed to the energy use
of training and operating large AI models.
 Emissions- In 2020, digital technologies accounted for between 1.8% and 6.3% of global
emissions.
 At this same time, AI development and adoption across sectors skyrocketed and so did
the demand for processing power associated with larger and larger AI models.
 Quantification– A main problem to tackle in reducing AI’s climate impact is to quantify
its energy consumption and carbon emission, and to make this information transparent.
 UNESCO’s Efforts- The idea of sustainability is rapidly entering mainstream debates on
AI ethics and sustainable development.
 Recently, UNESCO adopted the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence,
calling on actors to “reduce the environmental impact of AI systems, including but not
limited to its carbon footprint.”

Way Forward
 Research: Dedicated studies, more investments in R&D, and better policy interventions
are required in this field. AI needs to be developed and deployed so it can meet society’s
needs and protect the environment by saving more energy than it expends.
 Technology + Sustainable Development: To make sure AI is used to help, and not
hinder society, it’s time to merge the two big debates of the present time – digital
technology and sustainable development (in particular, the environment). If we use the
former to save the latter, this could be the best possible use made out of the resources
available to us.
 Opportunities for the Developing World: Governments of developing countries,
including India, should assess their technology-led growth priorities in the context of AI’s
climate costs.
 Recommendation of WEF: The AI developers “must incorporate the health of the
natural environment as a fundamental dimension.”

Conclusion

Governments of developing countries, India included, should also assess their

technology-led growth priorities in the context of AI’s climate costs. It is argued that as
developing nations are not plagued by the legacy infrastructure it would be easier for
them to “build up better”. These countries don’t have to follow the same AI-led growth
paradigm as their Western counterparts.

It may be worth thinking through what “solutions” would truly work for the unique social
and economic contexts of the communities in our global village.

A climate change narrative that India can steer

A recent report by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) reveals that India has warmed
up 0.7° C during 1901-2018.

What was the report?

Title: Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region (by MoES)
 (a) Climate severity
 The 2010-2019 decade was the hottest with a mean temperature of 0.36° C higher than
average.
 Heatwaves continued to increase with no signs of diminishing greenhouse gas emissions
despite lower activity since the novel coronavirus pandemic.
 India may experience a 4.4° C rise by the end of this century.
 Within 2050, rainfall is expected to rise by 6% and temperature by 1.6° C.
 India’s Deccan plateau has seen eight out of 17 severe droughts since 1876 in the 21st
century (2000-2003; 2015-2018).

(b) Land degradation

 To make things worse, India lost about 235 square kilometres to coastal erosion due to
climate change-induced sea-level rise, land erosion and natural disasters such as tropical
cyclones between 1990-2016.

(c) Rising Internal Displacement

 According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, India’s Internally Displaced
Populations (IDPs) are rising due to damaging climate events.
 Uttarakhand residents began deserting their homes after the Kedarnath floods in 2013
due to heavy precipitation that increases every year.
 Recent figures are more alarming with 3.9 million displaced in 2020 alone, mostly due to
Cyclone Amphan.

India’s commitment to Climate Mitigation

 India held the top 10 position for the second year in a row in 2020’s Climate Change
Performance Index (CCPI).
 The country received credit under all of the CCPI’s performance fields except renewable
energy where India performed medium.
 India vowed to work with COP21 by signing the Paris Agreement to limit global warming
and submitted the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
 It set a goal of reducing emissions intensity of GDP by 33%-35% and increasing green
energy resources (non-fossil-oil based) to 40% of installed electric power capacity by
2030.
 India cofounded with France at COP21, in 2015, the International Solar Alliance (ISA).

Core concern

(a) Good policies, weak practices

 The question is, are these global alliances and world-leading policies being practised or
are merely big promises with little implementation?
 Despite leading ISA, India performed the least in renewable energy according to the
CCPI’s performance of India.

(b) Low compliance

 India is not fully compliant with the Paris Agreement’s long-term temperature goal of the
NDCs and there are still risks of falling short of the 2° C goal.
 According to India’s carbon emission trajectory, the country is en route to achieve barely
half of the pledged carbon sink by 2030.
 To achieve the Paris Agreement’s NDC target, India needs to produce 25 million-30
million hectares of forest cover by 2030 — a third of current Indian forestation and trees.
 Going by the facts, it seems India has overpromised on policies and goals as it becomes
difficult to deliver on the same.

Why COP26 matters

 The Glasgow COP26 offers India a great opportunity to reflect on the years since the
Paris Agreement and update NDCs to successfully meet the set targets.
 India is expected to be the most populated country by 2027, overtaking China,
contributing significantly to the global climate through its consumption pattern.
 India is in a rather unique position to have a significant influence on global climate
impact in the new decade.

Conclusion
 India believes that climate actions must be nationally determined.
 However, the Paris Agreement for developing countries should be at the core of
decision-making.
 India has the ability to improve its global positioning by leading a favourable climate
goal aspiration for the world to follow.
 The country has the opportunity to not only save itself from further climate disasters but
also be a leader in the path to climate change prevention.

Back2Basics: COP26, Glasgow

 The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, is the 26th
United Nations Climate Change conference.
 It is scheduled to be held in the city of Glasgow, Scotland between 31 October and 12
November 2021, under the presidency of the United Kingdom.
 This conference is the first time that Parties are expected to commit to enhanced
ambition since COP21.
 Parties are required to carry out every five years, as outlined in the Paris Agreement, a
process colloquially known as the ‘ratchet mechanism’.

Need for political will to tackle climate change

Context

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released on Monday its sixth
assessment report.
 Bleak assessment of our future
 In its sixth assessment report, titled ‘Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability’, the IPCC
discusses the increasing extreme heat, rising oceans, melting glaciers, falling
agricultural productivity, resultant food shortages and increase in diseases like dengue
and zika.
 Failed climate leadership: Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary General,
quoted in The New York Times, describes the IPCC report as being “an atlas of human
suffering and a damning indictment of failed climate leadership.”
 The IPCC warns that should our planet get warmer than 1.5 degrees Celsius from pre-
industrial times (we are at 1.1 degrees at present), then there will be irreversible
impact on “ecosystems with low resilience” such as polar, mountain and coastal
ecosystems “impacted by glacier melt, and higher sea level rise”.
 This will cause devastation to “infrastructure in low-lying coastal settlements,
associated livelihoods and even erosion of cultural and spiritual values.”
 The increased heat will lead to an increase in diseases like diabetes, circulatory and
respiratory conditions, as well as mental health challenges.

Impact on India
 Climate “maladaptation”: The IPCC also highlights that climate “maladaptation” will
especially affect “marginalised and vulnerable groups adversely, indigenous people,
ethnic minorities, low-income households and informal settlements” and those in rural
areas.
 Therefore, India, with a majority of its people falling in these categories, will be especially
devastated.
 The IPCC highlights India as a vulnerable hotspot, with several regions and cities facing
climate change phenomena like flooding, sea-level rise and heatwaves.
 For instance, Mumbai is at high risk of sea-level rise and flooding, and Ahmedabad faces
the danger of heat waves — these phenomena are already underway in both cities.
 Vector-borne and water-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue will be on the rise
in sub-tropical regions, like parts of Punjab, Assam and Rajasthan.
 When the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases, the grains we
consume, including wheat and rice, will have diminished nutritional quality.
 Over the past 30 years, major crop yields have decreased by 4-10 per cent
globally due to climate change.
 Consequently, India, which continues to be predominantly agrarian, is likely to be
especially hurt.
 Urban India is at greater risk than other areas with a projected population of 877
million by 2050 nearly double of 480 million in 2020.
 The concentration of population in these cities will make them extremely vulnerable to
climate change.

Conclusion

Fighting climate change requires fiscal expenditure and policy changes fuelled by
political will, which will reap results in a decade or so. Yet, our political class has no
 cohesive and urgent policy roadmap to combat rising emissions and our diminishing life
spans.

Climate Change: Degrading Himalayan Ecology

We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do
something about it.

Barack Obama

The Himalayan ecosystem is vulnerable and susceptible to the impacts and consequences
of changes on account of natural causes, climate change resulting from anthropogenic
emissions, and developmental paradigms of modern society.

The tragic death of nine tourists in a landslip in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh
is an alarming pointer to the fragility of the ecology of the Himalayan States. This article
focuses on the impacts of climate change on the Himalayan ecosystem and causes of
climate change and other related issues.

What is climate change?

 Climate Change is a periodic modification of Earth’s climate brought about due to the
changes in the atmosphere as well as the interactions between the atmosphere and
various other geological, chemical, biological and geographical factors within the Earth’s
system.
 Climate change can make weather patterns less predictable. These unforeseen weather
patterns can make it difficult to maintain and grow crops, making agriculture-dependent
countries like India vulnerable.
 It is also causing damaging weather events like more frequent and intense hurricanes,
floods, cyclones, flooding etc.
 Due to the rising temperature caused by climate change, the ice in the Polar Regions is
melting at an accelerated rate, causing sea levels to rise. This is damaging the coastlines
due to the increased flooding and erosion.
 The cause of the current rapid climate change is due to human activities and threatening
the very survival of humankind.

What are the factors that cause climate change?

Earth’s temperature is influenced by the energy entering and leaving the planet’s system.
Both natural and anthropogenic factors can cause changes in Earth’s energy balance.

Natural Factors

(1) Continental drift

 The continents are formed when the landmass began gradually drifting apart millions of
years back, due to Plate displacement.
 This drift also had an impact on the climate because it changed the physical features of
the landmass, their position and the position of water bodies like changed the flow of
ocean currents and winds, which affected the climate.

(2) Variation in the earth’s orbit

 The seasonal distribution of sunlight reaching the Earth’s surface is directly related to
Earth’s Orbit and a slight variation in Earth’s orbit leads to variation in distribution across
the globe.
 This leads to the strong changes in the geographical and seasonal distribution.

(3) Plate tectonics

 Due to temperature variation in the core of the Earth, the mantle plumes and convection
currents force the Plates of the Earth to adjust which causes the reconfiguration of the
earth Plate. This can affect both global and local patterns of climate and atmosphere.

(4) Volcanic activity

 When the Volcano erupts, the outburst of gases and dust particles partially block the
incoming rays of the Sun which lead to the cooling of the weather.

(5) Ocean currents

 Ocean currents are the major component of the climatic system which is driven by the
horizontal wind forces causing the displacement of the water against the sea surface.
Due to temperature variation of the water, the climate of the region is largely influenced.

Anthropogenic (Human Caused) Factors

(1) Greenhouse Gases

 Increased emission of huge amount of Green House Gases led to more absorption of
heat being retained in the atmosphere thus an increase in global Temperature.
 Green house gases while largely transparent to incoming solar radiation, absorbs most of
the infrared emitted by the earth’s surface.

(2) Atmospheric Aerosols

 Atmospheric aerosols affect climate in two important ways:

 They cause scattering and absorbing the solar and infrared radiation.
 They change the microphysical and chemical properties of clouds and possibly their
lifetime and extent.
 Aerosols have the ability to influence climate directly by absorbing or reflecting incoming
solar radiation, but they can also produce indirect effects on climate by modifying cloud
formation or cloud properties.

(3) Land-use change

 Cutting down forests to create farmland led to changes in the amount of sunlight
reflected from the ground back into space which greatly affected the climate.

What are the effects of climate change?

Global warming has caused a change in the climatic and weather conditions like change
in the rainfall pattern, increased flooding, drought, heatwaves, etc. Some of the current
impacts of rapid climate change are as follows:
 How climate change is impacting the Mountain ecosystem and how it is impacting
human livelihood?

Sourc
e: WWF

 Climate change has a strong influence on the precipitation over the Himalayas as well as
melting response of glaciers or snow cover in Himalayas.
 This, in turn, affects the runoff pattern of rivers draining from the glaciated catchments of
Himalayas.
 These rivers support the life and livelihood of more than 500 million people living
downstream in Indo-Gangetic plains, but also support several industries located in these
plains.
 The melting of glaciers threatens water sustainability for hundreds of millions of people
in counties, including India.
 These impacts become severe due to the increase in pressure on water resources for
irrigation and food production, industrialization, and urbanization.
 Glacier melting, resulting in an abrupt rise in water causes floods and impacts the local
society. Increased incidences of forest fire are also linked with warming of Himalayan
region.
 Almost 33% of the country’s thermal electricity and 52% of hydropower in the country is
dependent on the water from rivers originating in Himalaya.

Building dams: Choking up the Himalayas

 By planning hydropower projects, India and China are placing the region at great risk.
Recently China announced that it is planning to build a major hydropower project on the
Yarlung Zanbo River, in Tibet.
 On Indian side, there are two hydropower projects being built in Arunachal Pradesh on
the tributaries of the Brahmaputra: the 600 MW Kameng project on the Bichom and
Tenga Rivers and the 2,000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectricity Project.
 High seismic zones coincide with areas of high population concentration in the
Himalayan region where landslides and glacial lake outburst floods are common.

Havocs created due to these earthquakes

 About 15% of the great earthquakes of the 20th century occurred in the Himalayan
region.
 The northeast Himalayan band has experienced several large earthquakes of magnitude
7 and above in the last 100 years, more than the share from other parts of the Himalayas.
 The 2015 Gorkha earthquake of magnitude 7.8 in central Nepal resulted in huge losses in
the hydropower sector. Nepal lost about 20% of its hydropower capacity consequent to
the earthquake.
 About 30 projects with a capacity of 270 MW, mostly located along the steep river
valleys, were damaged.

What are the issues of high concern?

 Seismic sensitivity: The main mechanisms that contributed to the vulnerability of
hydropower projects were found to be landslides, which depend on the intensity of
seismic ground shaking and slope gradients.
 Siltation: Heavy siltation from giant landslides expected in the project sites and
headwater region from future earthquakes will severely reduce the water-holding
capacity and life expectancy of such dams.
 Land degradation: Even without earthquakes, the steep slopes made of soft rocks are
bound to slide due to deforestation and road-building. These activities will get intensified
as part of the dam-building initiatives.
 Melting of Himalayan glaciers

 The number of glaciers in the Himalayan area has increased in the last five decades and
this is an indicator of how severe glacier melting has been due to global warming.
 The increase in the number of glaciers is primarily due to glacier fragmentation. This is
happening due to consistent loss in areas the glaciers occupy. It has ramifications for the
global climate.
 Along with the Tibetan Plateau, this influences the Indian summer monsoon. So, any
changes in this region would have a bearing on the monsoon itself that already shows
signs of changes in spread and distribution.
 It could trigger a multitude of biophysical and socio-economic impacts, such as
biodiversity loss, increased glacial melting, and less predictable water availability—all of
which will impact livelihoods and well-being in the region.
 Faster snow and glacier melting due to warming is already manifesting in formation of
glacial lakes. Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) are becoming frequent and causing
huge casualties and loss to local infrastructures.
 Most of the lakes in high altitudes have also reported water level rise by 0.2 m/year
besides their surface areas expanding.

Threat to the Himalayan Ecology

(1) Increased intensity and frequency of natural disaster

 The Himalayan landscape is susceptible to landslides and earthquakes.

 Formed due to the collision of Indian and Eurasian plates, the northward movement of
the former puts continuous stress on the rocks, rendering them weak and prone to
landslides and earthquakes.
 This, combined with steep slopes, rugged topography, high seismic vulnerability, and
rainfall, makes the region one of the most disaster prone areas in the world.

(2) Unsustainable Exploitation

 From the mega road expansion project in the name of national security (Char Dham
Highway) to building cascading hydroelectric power projects, from unplanned expansion
of towns to unsustainable tourism, the Indian States have ignored warnings about the
fragile ecology.
 Such an approach has also led to pollution, deforestation, and water and waste
management crises.

(3) The threat of Development Activity

 Mega hydropower could alter several aspects of ecology, rendering it vulnerable to the
effects of extreme events such as cloudbursts, flash floods, landslides and earthquakes.
Natural disasters in States of the Himalayan region

The tragic death of nine tourists in a landslip in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh is an alarming pointer to
the fragility of the ecology of the Himalayan States. Extraordinarily heavy rain hit the State recently, leaving the hill
slopes unstable and causing floods in built-up areas including Dharamshala. The descending boulders from
destabilized terrain, which crushed a bridge like a matchstick, are a source of worry even for cautious local
residents, and for unwary visitors.
Earlier, heavy rain-triggered flash floods in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh swept away three people,
buildings, and vehicles.
Uttarakhand too has been affected by natural disasters with the massive flash flood in Chamoli in February 2021
that killed more than 80 people.

What is stopping us from mitigating climate change?

The 5th Assessment Report of the IPCC has comprehensively identified the economic
barriers that are preventing government decisions on adaption to climate change. These
are as follows:
1. Transitional costs – These are broadly divided into information and adjustment costs.
The former refers to the costs that occur while acquiring information and the latter are
the costs for replacing the long-lived capital.
2. Market failures and missing markets – These include externalities, information
asymmetries, and moral hazards. These cases are especially seen when one economic
unit harms another unit. It also occurs when there aren’t sufficient incentives for the
change.
3. Behavior obstacles to adaption – Irrational decisions, social norms, and cultural factors
also pose as obstacles to adaption decision making.
4. Ethical and distributional issues – These issues connect to the differences in
vulnerability and adaptive capacity. Though sometimes a decision could ensure cost-
effective and sustainable solutions, ethical constraints hinder these decisions.
5. Coordination, government failures and politics – Though the governments must
ensure the removal of the aforementioned barriers, they themselves face similar barriers
like limited knowledge or resources. Also, coordination among various departments,
though important, is highly difficult to obtain.
6. Uncertainty is the largest barrier to adaptation as it expands to different dimensions like
future developments of demographics, technologies and economics and the future of
climate change.

Way forward
 Early Warning System – It is important to have early warning and better weather
forecast systems in order to forecast the disaster and alert the local population and
tourists.
 Regional Cooperation – There is a need for a trans-boundary coalition of Himalayan
countries to share and disseminate knowledge about the mountains and preservation of
the ecology there.
 Area Specific Sustainable Plan – Projects that are incompatible with the local
environment and ecology should not be promoted just by giving due consideration to
development or economic growth.
 Hydro projects should be confined to the areas with the least impact in the Himalayas.
Also, the government needs to build more low-impact run-of-the-river power projects
rather than building destructive large dams and reservoirs.
 Promote Ecotourism – Initiating a dialogue on adverse impacts of commercial tourism
and promoting ecotourism.
 Sustainable Development – Government must strive for achieving sustainable
development not only development that is against the ecology.
 Detailed Project Reports (DPR), Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and Social
Impact Assessment (SIA) are needed before implementing any project.

Conclusion
 The upper Himalayas should be converted into a nature reserve by an international
agreement.
 There is a need to understand that – ‘’Carbon neutrality should not be at the expense of
the environment’’.
 It is impossible to assign a real value to the costs to people and communities, together
with the loss of pristine forests that weak forestation programmes cannot replace.
 From the mega road expansion project in the name of national security to building
cascading hydroelectric power projects, from unplanned expansion of towns to
unsustainable tourism, the Indian State has ignored warnings about the fragile
Himalayan ecology.
 The need of the hour is that governments have a changing course to help preserve
natural riches including human lives.

Crisis and sustainability in the face of climate

change
Context

The footprint of the Covid-19 pandemic across the sectors of the economy has instilled a
new reckoning for resilience and sustainability on the economic, social and
environmental (ESG) front.

IPCC reports suggest adaption for resilience

 The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its latest report on
climate impacts, vulnerability and adaptation last month.
 The report suggests that adaptation to climate impacts in the near to medium term can
help communities and ecosystems become resilient against the threats from current and
future levels of warming.
 Ecosystem-based adaptation, for instance, is recommended for taking care of
communities and social well-being, while restoring forests, lands and marine ecosystems.
 The report details the variability in projected climate impacts and the vulnerabilities that
can be expected across regions the world over due to differences in the range of
warming, geographical location, demographics and the unique biophysical, social and
cultural contexts.
 Cost-effective adaptation: It depends on a host of enablers on which global
partnerships need to deliver.
 Enablers include international cooperation, inclusive technology, financial flows,
knowledge sharing and capacity building, with institutions and innovations to support
policy development and on-ground implementation.

Gaps in the literature, acknowledge the uncertainties in climate science

 The IPCC has been consistently drawing attention to the lack of adequate science from
and on developing countries.
 These countries have in turn been asking for the inclusion of what is broadly termed as
“grey literature” or non-peer-reviewed literature in the IPCC process.
 Good science encompasses the formal and the informal, theory and empiricism, the
traditional along with the modern.
 It relies on evolution through acknowledging the gaps and unknowns, the negatives and
positives of past knowledge.
 The understanding of adaptation finance, adaptation costing, and mapping of
climate impacts and adaptation needs of communities in geographically remote
locations, for instance, could improve with suitable sourcing of information.

Way forward
 Sustainable development, inclusive of climate resilience, calls for an ensemble
approach — one that places contextually appropriate emphasis on tackling climate
change impacts and development needs in a world with growing challenges.
 The pathway to be adopted is one of an integrated risk assessment approach, where
solutions are interventions that impact the immediate, near and medium-term outcomes
for developing economies.
 Striking the right balance is at any time a choice driven as much by enablers
(capabilities, lifestyles and values, financial flows, technical know-how) as by constraints
(warming levels, poverty, inequality, lack of health and education).

Conclusion

The pandemic highlighted the need for balance in nature-people relationships, even as it
tested the ability of the developing world.

India’s climate Vulnerability

Context

In the absence of COVID-19, climate change-induced disasters would have been India’s
biggest red alert in recent years.
 India’s vulnerabilities

 Temperatures over the Indian Ocean have risen by over 1°C since the 1950s,
increasing extreme weather events.
 India is the fourth worst-hit in climate migration.
 Heat waves in India have claimed an estimated 17,000 lives since the 1970s.
 Labour losses from rising heat, by one estimate, could reach ₹1.6 lakh crore annually if
global warming exceeds 2°C, with India among the hardest hit.
 Extreme heat waves hit swathes of India. Heatwaves are aggravated by deforestation and
land degradation, which also exacerbate fires.
 Agriculture, being water-intensive, does not do well in heat wave-prone areas.

Way forward
 Two part approach: India needs a two-part approach:
 Adaptation: one, to adapt to climate impacts by building resilience against weather
extremes, and
 Mitigation: to mitigate environmental destruction to prevent climate change from
becoming more lethal.
 Climate resistant agriculture: Agricultural practices which are not water-intensive and
to support afforestation that has a salutary effect on warming.
 Financial transfers can be targeted to help farmers plant trees and buy equipment — for
example, for drip irrigation that reduces heavy water usage.
 Crop diversification: Climate-resilient agriculture calls for diversification — for example,
the cultivation of multiple crops on the same farm.
 Climate-resilient agriculture calls for diversification — for example, the cultivation of
multiple crops on the same farm
 Managing vulnerable regions in coastal zones: Floods and storms are worsened by
vast sea ingress and coastline erosion in the low-lying areas in the south.
 It is vital to map flood-risk zones to manage vulnerable regions.
 Environment Impact Assessments must be mandatory for commercial projects.
 Design changes: Communities can build round-shaped houses, considering optimum
aerodynamic orientation to reduce the strength of the winds.
 Roofs with multiple slopes can stand well in strong winds, and central shafts reduce wind
pressure on the roof by sucking in air from outside.
 Moving away from fossil fuels: Adaptation alone will not slow climate damages if the
warming of the sea level temperatures is not confronted.
 Leading emitters, including India, must move away from fossil fuels.
 Expanding and protecting forest cover: a big part of climate action lies in protecting
and expanding forest coverage.
 India gains from being part of the Glasgow declaration on forest protection that 141
countries signed in 2021.
 Management of dams: Nearly 295 dams in India are more than 100 years old and need
repairs.
 In stemming landslides in Uttarakhand, regulations must stop the building of dams on
steep slopes and eco-fragile areas, as well as the dynamiting of hills, sand mining, and
quarrying.
 Climate financing: India’s share in disaster management should be raised to 2.5% of
GDP.
 Climate finance is most suited for large-scale global funding from the World Bank, the
International Monetary Fund, and the Asian Development Bank.
 But smaller-scale financing can also be vital.

Conclusion

For public pressure to drive climate action, we need to consider climate catastrophes as
largely man-made.

Changing Climate and Deglaciation: A Warning Call

Humans have come quite far in terms of development, but unfortunately have left the concerns for
the environment behind.

It is quite common to hear policymakers and the public referring to natural disasters “acts of
God”. But concluding from events such as Chamoli Flash Floods and flood in Kedarnath in
2013, it wasn’t actually the god but human interventions with the natural environment.
Climate actions will continue to falter unless climate change is tagged as a primary culprit, instead
of actions of god.

The Changing Climate

 Floods in the Himalayan Region: The Himalayan region has about 15,000 glaciers,
which are retreating at a rate of 100 to 200 feet per decade.

o The melting of the Himalayan glaciers that prompted the floods and landslides in
Chamoli district of Uttarakhand have the fingerprints of global warming.
o In 2013, glacial flooding in Kedarnath caused over 6,000 deaths during the
monsoon months.
 Other Events: In 2003, the European heat wave killed over 70,000 people.

o The years 2015-19 have globally been the warmest years on record.
o The Amazon fire of 2019, the bush fires of 2019-20 in Australia are some of the
most dangerous impacts of changing climate.
 Global Emission: The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Emissions Gap Report 2020 showed that the year 2020 set new records in terms of
rise in extreme weather events, including wildfires and hurricanes, and in the melting
of glaciers and ice at both poles.

o According to the report, despite a brief dip in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions
caused by the Pandemic, the world is still heading for a temperature rise in excess
of 3°C this century; far beyond the 2015 Paris Agreement goals.
The Story of Texas

 Recently, Texas, US has been hit by extremely cold weather leading to strong wind
storms in the state.

o The winter storm has killed 21 people and left around 4.4 million without power.
 The brutal cold has engulfed vast swaths of the United States, shuttering Covid-19
inoculation centers and hindering vaccine supplies.
 The double-digit negative temperatures (temperatures have fallen as low as -14°C)
are connected to Arctic-peninsula warming.

o Usually, there is a collection of winds around the Arctic keeping the cold locked
far to the north, known as Polar Vortex.
o But global warming has caused gaps in these protective winds, allowing
intensely cold air to move south: the phenomenon is accelerating.
India and Climate Change
 One of the Largest Emitters: For India, the third-largest carbon emitter after
China and the United States, a decisive switch is needed from highly polluting coal
and petroleum to cleaner and renewable power sources.

o China has announced carbon neutrality by 2060, Japan and South Korea by 2050,
but India is yet to announce a target.
 Global Rankings and Estimates: The HSBC ranks India at the top among 67 nations
in climate vulnerability (2018),

o Germanwatch ranks India fifth among 181 nations in terms of climate

risks (2020).
o The World Bank has warned that climate change could sharply diminish living
conditions for up to 800 million people in South Asia.
o As per the Emissions Gap Report 2020, over the last decade, China, USA,
EU27+UK and India combined, have contributed to 55% of the total GHG
emissions.
Issues Associated
 No Stringent Policies: A big worry is that the state and central governments have
been diluting, instead of strengthening, climate safeguards for hydroelectric and road
projects.

o Studies had flagged ice loss across the Himalayas has been rapidly melting thus
increasing the dangers to densely populated catchments, but any hard and fast
policy response has been lacking.
 Lack of Proper Training Programs: There were no awareness programs or training
provided to the people about disaster management by the government in case of the
recent Uttarakhand floods.
 Ignorance by Government: A 2012 expert group appointed by the government had
recommended against the construction of dams in the Alaknanda-Bhagirathi basin,
including on the Rishiganga and in “the periglacial zone,” but the recommendations
were ignored.

o Similarly, ignorance of the Kerala government in terms of regulation of mining,

quarrying and dam construction in ecologically sensitive places, led to massive
floods and landslides in 2018 and 2019.
 Ineffective Satellite Monitoring: Physically monitoring of the entire Himalayan
region (or any larger disaster-prone region) is not possible. However, satellite
monitoring is possible and radars can help minimise loss.

o Despite possessing remarkable satellite capabilities, India still hasn’t been able to
use such imagery effectively for advance warning.
Way Forward
 Budgetary Allocation: A vital step should be explicitly including policies for climate
mitigation in the government budget, along with energy, roads, health and education.

o Specifically, growth targets should include timelines for switching to cleaner

energy. There is also a need to launch a major campaign to mobilise climate
finance.
 Climate Adaptation: Even if major economies speed up climate mitigation, such
catastrophes will become more frequent due to the accumulated carbon emissions in
the atmosphere. Climate adaptation is the way forward here.

o Disaster management strategies to be synced with the developmental plans such

as infrastructure designing.
 Such as in earthquake prone areas, building norms and guidelines can be
issued or earthquake resistant buildings to be constructed.
o India’s Central and State governments must increase allocations for risk
reduction, such as agricultural innovations to withstand droughts.
o In case of fire prone areas, an area can be divided into pockets so as to prevent
any massive spread of fire.
 Detailed Studies: Detailed studies should be conducted to understand which of the
glacial lakes in the Himalayan region are prone to flooding.

o Such research should feed into Environmental Impact Assessment reports and
guide decisions on developmental projects in the region
 Setting up Early Warning Systems: A relatively low-hanging fruit, but a very
effective one, is to set up early warning systems that alert the downstream populations
about an impending disaster.

o This has to be coupled with plans to quickly evacuate local communities to

safer regions.
o Flooding events do not occur all of a sudden; there are ample indications like
changes in water level, discharge in the rivers etc which if monitored earlier can
help saving a significant number of lives and other damages.
Conclusion
 Sustainable growth depends on timely climate action and for that to happen,
policymaking needs to connect the dots between carbon emissions, atmospheric
warming, melting glaciers, extreme floods and storms.

o Events like Uttarakhand and Texas should be treated as lessons to change people’s
minds and for the public to demand urgent action.
 Disasters can not be stopped but well-preparedness and strong climate change
mitigation policies can definitely help prevent a huge amount of loss.

Drishti Mains Question

Disasters are not meteorological or geological phenomena alone, but are also
determined by human interventions. Comment.