Free Essays-Environment-Adjusting with the Climate Change

Adjusting with the Climate Change

India’s large population depends on climate-sensitive sectors like agriculture and forestry for livelihood. Any adverse impact on water availability due to recession of glaciers, decrease in rainfall and increased flooding in certain pockets would threaten food security, cause the extinction of natural ecosystems including species that sustain the livelihoods of rural households, and adversely impact the coastal system due to sea level rise and increased frequency of extreme events.

Climate projections indicate a rise in both maximum and minimum temperatures over the region south of 25 degree North. The maximum temperature is projected to increase by 2-4 degree Celsius during the 2050s. In the northern region the increase in maximum temperature may exceed 4 degree Celsius. Model projections also indicate an increase in the minimum temperature by 4 degree Celsius all over the country, which may increase further in the southern peninsula. Little change in monsoon rainfall is projected up to the 2050s at the all-India level. However, there is an overall decrease in the number of rainfall days over a major part of the country. This decrease is greater in the western and central parts (by more than 15 days) while near the Himalayan foothills (Uttaranchal) and in northeast India the number of rainfall days may increase by 5 to 10 days. Increase in rainfall intensity by 1 to 4 mm per day is expected all over India, except for small areas in the northwest where the rainfall intensities may decrease by 1 mm a day.

Assessment of the projections of future climate shows a consistent rise in temperature.

Water Resources

Water is a precious natural resource supporting human activities and ecosystems and at the same time very complex to manage judiciously. The hydrological cycle, a fundamental component of climate, is likely to be altered in important ways due to climate change. Further, there is a general reduction in the quantity of available runoff . River basins of the Sabarmati and Luni, which occupy about one quarter of the area of Gujarat and 60 per cent of the area of Rajasthan , are likely to experience acute water scarcity. The river basins of Mahi, Pennar, Sabarmati and Tapi are likely to experience constant shortage of water. The river basins of the Cauvery. Ganga, Narmada and Krishna are likely to experience seasonal or regular water-stressed conditions. The river basins of the Godavari, Brahmani and Mahanadi are projected to experience water shortages in a few locations.

Food security of India may be at risk in future due to the threat of climate change leading to increase in frequency and intensity of droughts and floods, thereby affecting production on small and marginal farms.

Biodiversity is also likely to be adversely affected. The resultant impacts on forests will have adverse socio-economic implications for forest-dependent communities and the national economy. The impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems are likely to be long-term and irreversible.

Natural Ecosystems

Natural ecosystems such as grasslands, mangroves and coral reefs are also likely to be affected by climate change.

The rise in sea level would submerge mangroves, increasing the salinity of wetlands. This would favour mangrove plants that tolerate higher salinity. Increased snowmelt in the western Himalayas could bring larger quantities of fresh water into the Gangetic delta. This would have significant consequences for the composition of the Sundarbans mangroves, favouring mangroves species that have relatively lower tolerance to salinity.

Some of the main climate-related concerns in the context of the Indian coastal zone are erosion, flooding, submergence and deterioration of coastal ecosystems, such as mangroves and salinization.

The key climate-related risks in the coastal zone include tropical cyclones, sea-level rise and changes in temperature and precipitation. A rise in a sea level is likely to have significant implications on the coastal population and agricultural performance of India. A one metre sea level rise is projected to displace approximately 7.1 million people in India and about 5,764 square kilometers of land area will be lost, along with 4,200 km of roads.

The government initiative, such as the diffusion of renewable energy technologies, joint forest and water resource management, agricultural extension services, micro financing, web-enabled service for farmers and rural areas, petroleum conservation research and consumer awareness, energy parks for demonstration of clean energy technologies, establishment of the technology information, forecasting and assessment council, environmental education in schools and higher education, represent a broad spectrum of initiatives for education, training and public awareness on climate and related issues.