Climate change is not a newly coined term, it was mentioned as early as in 1896. However it gained political attention in 1950s. Human factors as well as natural factors support to raise the concern. Climate change is one of the largest and most complex problems the development community has ever faced.
Fluctuation in solar radiation, volcanic eruptions, plate tectonic activities and global warming are some of the causes of climate change. Greenhouse gas emission being the most prominent cause of global warming.
The impacts of higher temperatures, variable precipitation, and extreme weather events have already begun to influence the economic performance of countries and the lives and livelihoods of millions of poor people.
In order to avoid the ongoing and potential impacts of climate change western civilization has adopted technologies and have resource and finance to mitigate the impact.
While developing countries like India are lacking in technology, resources and funding for research and development. India is among the countries which are most vulnerable to climate change. It has one of the highest densities of economic activity in the world, and very large numbers of poor people who rely on the natural resource for their livelihoods, with a high dependence on rainfall.
India is under pressure to mitigate climate change by controlling emission growth. But it is also needed to adapt to increased water scarcity, droughts, cyclones, floods and other natural disasters. India always shows proactive engagement in climate change issues both internationally and at home. India’s concern nowadays indulged more towards renewable forms of energy such as solar, wind, tidal and the likes. India’s performance in a target to achieve
175 GW by 2022 is well appreciated. The National Action Plan on Climate change under lists 20 initiatives undertaken to address climate change at home, report mentioning reforestation as a priority agenda. India is monitoring melting glaciers every year by which remedial measures can be taken.
Worldwide, India is also seen as one of the major contributor to UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). The country has developed a fairly good disaster management system but it needs more resources to develop further.
Greater funding as well as its utilization for research and development, compensatory reforestation, switching to electric vehicles and strengthening bus, rail and public infrastructure, shifting approach to renewable forms of energy may help in removing the problems of climate change.
Focusing on individual’s duty towards nation and getting united for a sustainable approach can definitely bring fruitful results, as it had always done whenever needed.
Article by Khushbu Mathur
Edited by Moumita Mazumdar
A physicist turned science communicator, who loves to explore various science activities happening from around the world, and present them in simple words and thoughts through her writing skills. She also have an experience in editing and formatting manuscripts, author-reviewer communication, and report preparation for scientific Journals. She is seeking to explore numerous science communication opportunities through as many diverse ways as possible.