Global Warming and India- Are We Ready for Climatic Disaster?

For the past few years we have heard a lot and read more about global warming. In fact today every channel is emphasizing on the consequences of global warming. These days the term “global warming”, is widely used in the popular context of scientifically controversial phenomenon that has attributed in an increase of average annual surface temperature of Earth.

As per recent studies and report submitted by WWF, indicates about how global warming can be a major threat to ten of the world’s greatest natural wonders, including two in the United States. For instance, the Yangtze River is facing water shortages as glaciers continue to retreat. Besides this, from turtles to tigers and from the desert of Chihuahua to the great Amazon – all these nature wonders are at risk from warming temperatures.

India has not been an exceptional and is one of major countries where global warming can disturb the lives of millions of people. The rising of sea levels have submerged the two islands in the Sunderbans, where tigers roam through mangrove forests in the Ganges River delta, and a dozen more islands are also under threat। As per official report that lists 102 islands on the Indian side of the vast Sunderbans is turning out to be wrong statement as scientists found that two have been swallowed up.

In September 2002, scientists at the National Centre for Agricultural Economics and Policy Research conducted a people’s perception survey on climate-induced natural disasters in the Kendrapara district of Orissa। The result depicts an alarming picture। The frequency and intensity of droughts have increased in last 10 years and so have the incidents of flooding. Moreover, the intensity of cyclones has also increased and local people believes even the sea-water had become warmer.

As a result of ongoing climate change, the climate of India has become increasingly volatile over the past several decades and this trend is expected to continue. The Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research has reported that, if the assumptions relating to global warming made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change come true then the climate-related factors could cause India's GDP to decline by up to 9%. This particular change might contribute in shifting growing seasons for major crops such as rice and production of which may fall by 40%.

Moreover, as per UN study, that examined the possible outcomes of global warming in the next 30 years, has identified India as one of the "hot-spots", particularly susceptible to rise in extreme drought and floods in the coming decades. By 2050, India will be at least 3 Degrees Celsius hotter, many of its rivers would have dried up, cyclones more intense and there will be ruthless water and food shortage.

In the year 2007 in Delhi, winters arrived by late October. But last year they made a very hesitant appearance only in the third week of November. Pindari glacier, a favourite destination among trekkers, melts over 130 metres every year. The Chota Shigri glacier in Himachal Pradesh loses 6 metres annually. The International Commission for Snow and Ice also warns that by 2035, most glaciers in India would have melted.

There can be number of latest examples where we can actually know about the affects of global warming in India। The comparisons may appear very unfair and the predictions too farfetched. But both, world scientists and Indian experts, see a method in this maze of climate change.

Though India does not emit even 5 per cent of the greenhouse gases at the moment, it is already paying for the sins of industrialised nations, especially the US and Japan। No matter what is the outcome, India needs to decide soon on how to prevent damage to its climate। "Clean development mechanism and technology transfer are some of the key answers to global warming. But at the end the question is- Are we really concerned? Give a thought...