climate change essay upsc 2021

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RSTV: THE BIG PICTURE- CLIMATE CHANGE & INDIA

India is not historically responsible for climate change, but India is taking steps to reduce emission as a responsible country, environment minister Prakash Javadekar said on the eve of the fifth year of Paris Climate agreement. Paris Climate Agreement was adopted on December 12, 2015, by 196 parties. It became effective from November 4, 2016. At present, India is contributing only 6.8 per cent of global emissions and per capita emission is only 1.9 tonnes per capita. In comparison, the emission of the United States is 13.5 per cent of the global emissions and per capita is 15.52 tonnes. China contributes 30 per cent to global emissions while the European Union including the UK contributes 8.7 per cent. Meanwhile, the latest Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2021 has placed India among the top 10 countries to have adopted substantial measures to mitigate climate change. This is for the second consecutive year India has been placed in the top 10. However, there is a cause for concern for India, according to a study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), about three in four of India’s districts are hotspots of extreme climate events such as cyclones, floods, drought, heat and cold waves. The study calls for building climate resilience.

CEEW Study:

• Over 75 per cent of Indian districts, which are home to over 638 million people, are hotspots of extreme climate events such as cyclones, floods, droughts, heat, and cold waves, according to a first-of-its-kind independent study released today by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).
• The frequency, intensity, and unpredictability of these extreme events have also risen in recent decades. While India witnessed 250 extreme climate events between 1970 and 2005, it recorded 310 extreme weather events post 2005 alone.
• The study also found a shift in the pattern of extreme climate events such as flood-prone areas becoming drought-prone and vice-versa in over 40 per cent of Indian districts.
• The current trend of catastrophic climate events results from a mere 0.6 °C temperature rise in the last 100 years.
• India is already the fifth most vulnerable country globally in terms of extreme climate events and it is all set to become the world’s flood capital.
• Access to finance and technology along with democritisation of weather and climate-related data is critical for building climate resilience, especially for vulnerable countries from the Global South like India.
• Embracing risk assessment principles will be equally crucial to safeguard Indian agriculture, industry, and large-scale infrastructural projects from the vagaries of climate change.

Major initiatives of the Government towards combating climate change:

• National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC): The Action plan covers eight major missions on Solar, Enhanced Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Habitat, Water, Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem, Green India, Sustainable Agriculture and Strategic Knowledge on Climate Change.
• International Solar Alliance (ISA)
• State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC): State governments have drafted climate strategies aligned with the eight National Missions under the NAPCC. The strategies focus on issues ranging from climate mitigation, energy efficiency, and resource conservation to climate adaptation.
• FAME Scheme for E-mobility: Union Government in April 2015 launched Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles (FAME) – India Scheme with an aim to boost sales of eco-friendly vehicles in the country. It is a part of the National Mission for Electric Mobility.
• Atal Mission for Rejuvenation & Urban Transformation (AMRUT) for Smart Cities.
• Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana: The scheme provides LPG connections to five crore below-poverty-line beneficiaries. The connections are given in the name of women beneficiaries to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and conventional fuel like cow dung for cooking food, thus reducing air pollution.
• UJALA scheme: The scheme was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2015 with a target of replacing 77 crore incandescent lamps with LED bulbs. The usage of LED bulbs will not only result in reducing electricity bills but also help in environment protection.
• Swachh Bharat Mission

A path for India without compromising for Developmental Activities:

• First, that the prospects of effective global action required to address climate change are so weak is extremely bad news for India.
• We are a deeply vulnerable country to climate impacts. It would behove India not to be a status quo player in this context, but to argue for enhanced global collective action.
• Second, India has the potential to show the pathway to accelerating action on climate change even while pursuing its development interests.
• A notable example is its energy efficiency track record, which helps limit greenhouse gases even while saving the nation energy.
• However, there are inconsistencies in India’s story as a climate champion. India is justifiably recognised for promoting renewable energy, yet also muddies the waters by sending mixed signals on future coal use.
• The choice of Houston — the U.S. oil capital — for the Indian Prime Minister’s recent public event, risks signalling that India sees its energy independence as tied to enhanced fossil fuel use. While some increase in fossil fuel is inevitable for India, the messaging is incoherent at best.
• India needs domestic energy policies that are more clearly and coherently tuned to a future low carbon world.
• Third, such a domestic message would position India to be a true global climate leader, rather than a leader only among climate laggards.
• India and China, both jostling for influence in African nations but also both losers from climate impacts, jointly help ensure that Africa’s development is powered by renewable energy rather than fossil fuels and based on an energy efficient future.
• Such an agenda could bring together economic, environmental and political gains.
• The pathway to enhanced action is unlikely to override entrenched national politics, powered by international suasion.
• Instead, the aim should be to make accelerated climate action congruent with an enlightened notion of national interest by focusing on key actions in rapidly changing areas such as energy and urbanisation.
• India can build a diplomatic approach on a firm domestic foundation that takes seriously climate change as a factor in its future development pathway.

Way Forward

• Localized Climate risk atlas at national scale level.
• We have technology but need to work on R and D to reach our targets.
• Democratization of climate data.
• The real challenge is to get other developed countries on board.
• Wealthy nations like the U.S., and those of the EU argued that emissions from developing countries are consistently rising and they need to commit to more serious emission cuts. A consensus needs to be developed at the earliest.
• Ban on single use plastic will be one of the game changer
• The ‘developing versus developed country’ schism needs to be diluted at the earliest and Developed Countries should avoid watering down the CBDR principle envisaged in earlier agreements.
• We should not treat climate change as an environmental problem but need to address it as developmental challenge.
• Investment in R&D is needed to spur innovations in sustainable climate-friendly and climate-proof productivity, and the private sector can help on this.
• India’s ambitious targets to cut carbon emissions require strong political will, meaningful engagements and sustainable plans.
• Climate finance can prove to be a compelling financial tool to align India’s growth with various climate change measures.

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Climate Change and India in 2021

• January 2, 2021

UPSC Articles

ENVIRONMENT/ GOVERNANCE

Topic: General Studies 2,3: Conservation of Environment Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

• High Vulnerability to Climate risks: 75% of districts in India, home to over half the population, were vulnerable to extreme climate risks. Drought-affected districts have increased by yearly average of 13 times over the last two decades. The frequency of cyclones has also doubled. 
• Increased Frequency of extreme Climate events: While India witnessed 250 extreme climate events between 1970 and 2005, the country recorded 310 extreme climate events after 2005 alone.
• Financial Losses: Between 1990 and 2019, India incurred losses exceeding $100 billion. 
• Enhanced Intensity of Extreme Climate events: The intensity of floods increased eightfold and that of associated events such as landslides and heavy rainfall increased by over 20 times since 1970. 
• Swaping Trend: Over 40% of Indian districts now show a swapping trend: flood-prone areas are becoming drought-prone, and vice-versa.

Steps India should take in 2021 to enhance its resilience and adaptive capacity against extreme climate events

• Focused Mission: India should create an Environment and Health De-risking Mission to increase emergency preparedness, secure critical resources and build resilient infrastructure and governance systems to counter the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme climate events.
• Decentralization: Focus on democratising local climate-related and weather-related data along with integrating risk projections in national, sub-national and district disaster and climate plans.
• Focus on Indigenous Communities : Restoration, revival, and recreation of traditional climate-resilient practices, with a special focus on indigenous communities, often on the front lines of ecosystem conservation.
• Creation of Comprehensive Climate Risk Atlas: This Atlas should identify, assess and project chronic and acute risks at a granular level to better prepare against extreme climate events. The Atlas would also help in assessing the resilience and adaptation capabilities of communities & business and act as risk-informed decision-making toolkit for policymakers. It would help in climate-proofing critical infrastructure.
• Financing Tools: To finance climate action at scale, risk financing instruments and risk retention and identification tools should be supplemented by contingency and adaptation funds such as the Green Climate Fund. This will enhance the public finance pool and gear up efficient allocation across sectors at risk by mobilising investments on critical infrastructures and resilient community actions.
• International Collaboration : As the permanent chair of the recently formed Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, India should play a pivotal role in attracting private investments into climate-proofing of infrastructure. It should also promote adaptation-based infrastructure investment decision making in these countries. 

Connecting the dots:

• Paris Climate Deal
• Do you think COVID-19 has enhanced environmental consciousness of the world?

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Climate change and Health

Last updated on April 8, 2024 by ClearIAS Team

The COP 28 Declaration on Climate Change and Health was signed on the first Health Day. Emphasizing the critical role of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, the declaration underscores the urgent need to confront the connections between climate change and health. Read here to learn more.

India has refused to sign the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health, citing concerns that greenhouse gas reduction for cooling in the health sector could hinder its ability to meet the growing demands for medical services, particularly in remote and underserved areas.

Marking the inaugural Health Day at the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), global leaders united in endorsing the health and climate change declaration, sounding the alarm on the severe health implications of climate change.

The agreement of a Climate and Health Declaration signed by over 120 Member States. India and the US have not signed the agreement.

Read:  COP26: UN Climate Change Conference 2021

Table of Contents

Climate change and health

Climate change has significant and wide-ranging impacts on human health, affecting various aspects of well-being, from spreading infectious diseases to exacerbating existing health challenges. The complex interactions between climate change and health are multifaceted, with both direct and indirect consequences.

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• Heat-Related Illnesses: Increasing global temperatures contribute to more frequent and severe heatwaves. Prolonged exposure to extreme heat can result in heat-related illnesses such as heatstroke, dehydration, and heat exhaustion, leading to increased morbidity and mortality.
• Vector-Borne Diseases: Climate change influences the distribution and behavior of disease vectors, such as mosquitoes and ticks. Warmer temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns can expand the geographical range of diseases like malaria , dengue fever , and Lyme disease.
• Waterborne Diseases: Altered precipitation patterns and increased flooding can impact water quality, leading to the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera and dysentery.
• Air Quality and Respiratory Issues: Climate change contributes to more frequent and intense wildfires , releasing harmful pollutants into the air. Exposure to wildfire smoke can exacerbate respiratory conditions and lead to an increase in respiratory illnesses.
• Extreme Weather Events: More intense and frequent extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, floods, and storms, can result in injuries, displacement, and disruptions to healthcare infrastructure, leading to challenges in responding to health emergencies.
• Food Security and Nutrition: Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns can affect crop yields, leading to food shortages and nutritional deficiencies. Climate change impacts on agriculture can contribute to malnutrition and food insecurity .
• Psychological Stress: Climate-related events, such as natural disasters and extreme weather events, can contribute to psychological stress and mental health issues. Displacement, loss of property, and uncertainty about the future can contribute to anxiety and depression.
• Reduced Access to Clean Water: Changes in precipitation patterns and increased evaporation can lead to water scarcity in certain regions. Lack of access to clean water can contribute to the spread of waterborne diseases and hygiene-related health issues.
• Disproportionate Impact on Vulnerable Groups: Vulnerable populations, including the elderly, children, and low-income communities, are often disproportionately affected by the health impacts of climate change. Limited resources and access to healthcare can exacerbate health disparities.
• Displacement and Conflict: Climate-induced events such as sea-level rise and extreme weather events can lead to population displacement. Displaced communities may face increased health risks due to inadequate living conditions, lack of healthcare, and potential resource conflicts.

Read: Environmental racism

COP28 UAE Declaration on Climate and Health

The declaration emphasizes the importance of climate-resilient development and the need to build climate-resilient health systems and communities for the well-being of present and future generations.

A key pillar of the declaration is the commitment to partner with women, girls , children, and youth.

The common objectives of the declaration are:

• Strengthening the development and implementation of policies that maximize the health gains from mitigation and adaptation actions and prevent worsening health impacts from climate change, including through close partnerships with Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women and girls, children and youth, healthcare workers and practitioners, persons with disabilities and the populations most vulnerable to the health impacts of climate change, among others.
• Facilitating collaboration on human, animal, environmental, and climate health challenges, such as by implementing a One Health approach; addressing the environmental determinants of health; strengthening research on the linkages between environmental and climatic factors and antimicrobial resistance ; and intensifying efforts for the early detection of zoonotic spill-overs as an effective means of pandemic prevention , preparedness and response.
• Recognizing that healthy populations contribute to, and are an effect of, climate resilience and an outcome of successful adaptation across a range of sectors – including food and agriculture, water and sanitation, housing, urban planning, health care, transport, and energy – by prioritizing and implementing adaptation actions across sectors that deliver positive health outcomes.
• Improving the ability of health systems to anticipate, and implement adaptation interventions against, climate-sensitive disease and health risks , including by bolstering climate-health information services, surveillance, early warning and response systems, and a climate-ready health workforce.
• Promoting a comprehensive response to address the impacts of climate change on health, including, for example, mental health and psychosocial wellbeing, loss of traditional medicinal knowledge , loss of livelihoods and culture, and climate-induced displacement and migration.
• Combating inequalities within and among countries, and pursuing policies that work towards accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals , including SDG3; reduce poverty and hunger; improve health and livelihoods; strengthen social protection systems, food security, and improved nutrition, access to clean sources of energy, safe drinking water, and sanitation and hygiene for all; and work to achieve universal health coverage.
• Promoting steps to curb emissions and reduce waste in the health sector, such as by assessing the greenhouse gas emissions of health systems , and developing action plans, nationally determined decarbonization targets , and procurement standards for national health systems, including supply chains.
• Strengthening trans- and inter-disciplinary research, cross-sectoral collaboration, sharing of best practices, and monitoring of progress at the climate-health nexus, including through initiatives such as the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH) .

Also read: Green Hydrogen: Opportunities and Challenges

Indian Efforts

As per the National Disaster Management Authority’s National Disaster Management Plan 2019 (NDMP, 2019), various nodal and supportive Ministries/departments have been mandated to address various facets of managing such hazards including preparedness, response, and mitigation of health risks associated with such hazards.

Under NDMP, 2019 has undertaken several activities under the National Program on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH), with objectives to create awareness, capacity building, health sector preparedness and response, and collaborative partnerships.

Key activities undertaken under the initiative to mitigate health risks associated with such hazards likely to be accentuated by climate change include:

• A National Action Plan on Climate Change and Human Health has been developed, which outlines the key priority and actionable areas at various levels (national and state) in the health sector with the identification of other key stakeholders for implementing the activities.
• Early warning Alerts of environmental concerns are initiated to integrate with the health sector- Heatwave (March-July), Cold Wave (Dec-Jan) forecasts and Flood alerts from IMD to States; Air Quality forecasts from Indian Meteorological Department to States and Indian Cities.
• Annual conduct of nationwide public awareness campaigns on World Health Day (April), World Environment Day (June), International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies (September), and International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (October).
• Conduct National level workshops, training of state-level master trainers, district-level training on Air pollution-related illnesses and Surveillance; Extreme weather events; Health Vulnerability Needs Assessment; Green & Climate Resilient Infrastructure and WASH, Climate Change and Vector-Borne Diseases, Nutrition and Allergic Health issues
• Environmental health surveillance is conducted on air pollution and heat-related illnesses at central and state levels
• Under the National Health Mission funds are provided to States/UTs regarding Green/Low carbon emission measures.
• Further, the incorporation of principles of Green & Climate Resilient Hospitals has been made under Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS), 2022.
• Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has issued comprehensive & Public Health Guidelines for Flood Events & which provide details on common public health effects due to floods.

Way forward

Numerous crucial Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies should be adhered to by nations to combat the concerns of climate change on health.

Renewable Energy Transition : Reducing reliance on fossil fuels and transitioning to renewable energy sources can mitigate climate change and improve air quality.

Early Warning Systems: Implementing early warning systems for extreme weather events can enhance preparedness and response, reducing the impact on health.

Infrastructure Resilience: Building resilient healthcare infrastructure and systems that can withstand the impacts of climate change is crucial for effective health response.

Addressing the health impacts of climate change requires a comprehensive and coordinated approach involving public health initiatives, environmental policies, and global cooperation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience in vulnerable communities.

The intersection of climate change and health underscores the importance of holistic strategies that prioritize both environmental sustainability and human well-being.

-Article by Swathi Satish

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• Paris Agreement

Paris Agreement (COP 21) - Everything You Need to Know

The Paris Agreement was adopted by 196 countries at the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP 21) in Paris, on 12 December 2015 and entered into force on 4 November 2016 . The agreement intends to reduce and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

Before COP 21 in Paris, countries were asked to submit Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). There was a marked shift in the commitments from various countries. India was clubbed in the group of emerging economies and India lived up to its billing as a responsible nation in tackling climate change.

In 2017, the US President announced his intention to withdraw from the agreement. The withdrawal became official on 4 November 2020. Later, after the change in Presidency, the US again joined the Paris Agreement in 2021.

• List of Environment Conventions & Protocols
• UNFCCC COP24
• UNFCCC COP25

The article will in detail talk about COP 21 (Paris Agreement UPSC) as it would be of importance in the IAS Exam for both Prelims and Mains.

Key Facts about Paris Agreement – COP 21

What is the Paris Agreement?

It is a multilateral agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) ; signed to reduce, and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

Official site – https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement

When was the Paris Agreement signed?

An agreement was signed on 22 April 2016.

How many countries signed the Paris Agreement?

Currently, 195 UNFCCC members have signed it. However, US President Donald Trump has announced his intention to withdraw from the agreement by November 2020.

The goal of the Paris Agreement

• To curtail the rise of global temperature this century below 2 degrees Celsius, above pre-industrial levels; and also pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
• Develop mechanisms to help and support countries that are very vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change. An example would be countries like the Maldives facing threats due to sea-level rise.
• Confirms the obligation that developed countries have towards developing countries, by providing them financial and technological support.

The agreement talks about 20/20/20 targets, i.e.

• Carbon Dioxide emissions reductions by 20%,
• Work on increasing the renewable energy market share by 20%
• Target to increase energy efficiency by 20%

What are Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC)?

• It means the contributions that need to be made by each country to achieve the overall global goal.
• The contributions need to be reported every 5 years to UNFCCC.
• The contributions are not legally binding.
• The goal is to make sure that all countries have access to technical expertise and financial capability to meet the climate challenges.

Climate Ambition Summit 2020

• The United Nations, France, and the United Kingdom in partnership with Italy and Chile hosted the Climate Ambition Summit 2020 in Glasgow Scotland to mark the 5th Anniversary of the Paris Agreement.
• The Summit provided a meaningful platform for businesses, cities and other non-state actors who are rallying together and collaborating to support governments and accelerate the systemic change required to reduce emissions and build resilience.
• The objective of the Climate Ambition Summit was to set out new and ambitious commitments under the three pillars of the Paris Agreement which are mitigation, adaptation and finance commitments.

Status of Global Emission After 5 years of the Paris Agreement

All the states have submitted their national contributions to mitigate and adapt to climate change after 5 years of the agreement –

• China has the highest GHG emissions (30%) while the US contributes 13.5% and the EU 8.7%. Earlier the emission status was like (China at 13% while, the US had the highest emissions at 25%, followed by EU at 22%).
• Besides India, only Bhutan, the Philippines, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Morocco, and Gambia complied with the Paris Climate Accord.
• The contributions are radically insufficient to reach well below the 2° Celsius limit and are even further from the 1.5° Celsius limit given in the Paris Agreement.

Major Difference between the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement

In the Paris Agreement, there is no difference between developing and developed countries. In the Kyoto Protocol , there was a differentiation between developed and developing countries by clubbing them as Annex 1 countries and non-Annex 1 countries.

International transfer of Mitigation outcomes

As per the Paris Agreement, Parties have the right to include the reduction of emissions in any other country as their NDC, as per the system of carbon trading and accounting.

Financial Support pledged during the Paris 2015 Agreement

• Developed countries have committed $ 100 Billion a year.
• Finance would be balanced between mitigation and adaptation.
• G7 countries announced the US $ 420 Million for Climate Risk Insurance and the launching of the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) initiative.
• $ 3 Billion commitment for Green Climate Fund.

What is Article 6 of the Paris Agreement?

• Help Governments establish and implement Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC)
• Help establish a global price of carbon
• The use of establishing a global carbon price is that if countries exceed their NDC, those countries will have to bear the cost of global warming.

India at COP 21

• India put out a statement that we need to grow rapidly to meet the aspiration of 1.25 Billion population, and out of this 300 Million people are without access to energy.
• Yet despite the growing demands, India has pledged to reduce emissions intensity per unit GDP by 33-35% of 2005 levels
• Aiming to reach 40% of installed capacity from non-fossil fuels.
• Targeting 175 GW of renewable energy generation by 2022.
• Planning to enlarge forest cover to absorb 2.5 Billion tonnes worth of carbon dioxide.
• Reducing dependence on fossil fuels through levies and reduction in subsidies.
• India exhorted on the principles of equity and differentiated responsibilities
• As per India, equity means national commitments that must be consistent with the carbon space nations occupy.
• India expects developed countries to mobilize 100 billion US dollars annually by 2020 for mitigation and adaptation in developing countries.

Paris Agreement – COP21 (UPSC Notes):- Download PDF Here

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Climate Change: Causes & Effects|UPSC Notes

Climate change is a global issue that affects every living being on Earth. In recent years, discussions on climate change have intensified due to its profound impact on our environment and societies. The term climate change refers to significant and lasting changes in the average weather patterns over long periods, usually decades or longer. These changes can occur naturally, but human activities have accelerated the process, leading to more severe consequences.

• Climate change impacts weather patterns.
• Rising global temperatures contribute to climate change.
• Human activities are a major cause of climate change.
• Climate change has widespread effects on ecosystems.

Table of Contents

What is Climate Change?

What is climate change? At its core, climate change is the long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place. While the Earth’s climate has always fluctuated due to natural causes, such as volcanic eruptions and solar cycles, the current trend of climate change is primarily driven by human activities. The Industrial Revolution marked the beginning of a new era where human actions, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, started contributing to the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Causes of Climate Change

The causes of climate change are both natural and anthropogenic. However, in recent times, human activities have become the dominant force behind climate change. The major causes of climate change include:

Burning Fossil Fuels

The use of coal, oil, and natural gas for electricity, transportation, and heating generates a large volume of carbon dioxide (CO2). This gas traps heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming. Power plants, vehicles, and factories are major sources of these emissions, making fossil fuel combustion the largest contributor to climate change.

Deforestation

Forests play a crucial role in absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere. However, widespread deforestation, often for agriculture, urban development, and logging, reduces this capacity. The loss of trees means less CO2 is absorbed, leading to higher atmospheric CO2 levels. Additionally, the act of cutting and burning trees releases stored carbon, further exacerbating climate change.

Agricultural Practices

Agriculture contributes to climate changes through various activities. Livestock, such as cows and sheep, produce methane during digestion, a potent greenhouse gas. The use of nitrogen-based fertilizers leads to the release of nitrous oxide (N2O), another powerful greenhouse gas. Moreover, rice paddies, due to their waterlogged conditions, emit methane as well.

Industrial Processes

Many industries emit greenhouse gases during production processes. For example, cement manufacturing releases CO2 through the chemical transformation of limestone into lime. The steel and chemical industries also produce large amounts of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, contributing significantly to global emissions.

Waste Management

Poor waste management practices, particularly in landfills, lead to the emission of methane as organic waste decomposes. This methane, along with other greenhouse gases emitted from waste treatment and disposal, contributes to the overall greenhouse effect, accelerating climate changes.

Effects of Climate Change

The effects of climate changes are evident across the globe and manifest in various ways. Some of the most significant effects of climate changes include:

Rising Global Temperatures

Over the past century, the Earth’s average temperature has increased by about 1.2°C, primarily due to human activities. This rise leads to more frequent and prolonged heatwaves, which can cause droughts, wildfires, and severe impacts on agriculture and water supply. The warming also affects global climate patterns, such as the jet stream, leading to unpredictable and extreme weather.

Melting Ice Caps and Glaciers

The Arctic and Antarctic regions are experiencing rapid ice loss due to warming temperatures. Glaciers in mountainous regions are also retreating, contributing to rising sea levels. This melting disrupts habitats for polar species, reduces freshwater availability in some regions, and contributes to more significant global sea-level rise.

Sea-Level Rise

Sea levels have risen by about 20 centimeters (8 inches) since 1900, with the rate of increase accelerating in recent decades. This rise, driven by melting ice and the thermal expansion of seawater, leads to coastal erosion, inundation of low-lying areas, and increased salinity of freshwater aquifers. Coastal cities and small island nations are particularly vulnerable, facing threats to infrastructure, housing, and freshwater resources.

Extreme Weather Events

Climate change is making extreme weather events more frequent and severe. Hurricanes and typhoons are becoming more intense, with stronger winds and heavier rainfall, leading to catastrophic flooding and damage. Prolonged droughts are affecting regions like Sub-Saharan Africa and the western United States, while unseasonal and intense rainfall leads to floods in other parts of the world. These events disrupt economies, displace populations, and cause significant loss of life.

Disruption of Ecosystems

As temperatures rise, many species are forced to migrate to cooler areas, but not all species can adapt quickly enough. This shift leads to changes in species distribution, with some facing extinction. Coral reefs, for instance, are experiencing bleaching events due to warmer ocean temperatures, threatening marine biodiversity. Forests, wetlands, and other ecosystems are also at risk, which in turn affects the species that depend on them and disrupts ecological balance.

Impact on Agriculture

Climate change is altering growing seasons and reducing the predictability of weather patterns, which is crucial for agriculture. Crops are sensitive to temperature changes, and extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, can devastate harvests. In regions dependent on rain-fed agriculture, changes in precipitation patterns are threatening food security. Additionally, increased CO2 levels can reduce the nutritional value of some crops, exacerbating malnutrition in vulnerable populations.

Human Health Risks

The health impacts of climate changes are profound and multifaceted. Heatwaves increase the risk of heatstroke and other heat-related illnesses, particularly in the elderly and those with preexisting conditions. Climate changes is also expanding the range of vector-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue, and Zika virus, as warmer temperatures allow mosquitoes and other vectors to thrive in previously unsuitable areas. 

Strategies to Mitigate Climate Change

To combat climate changes, it is essential to adopt and implement effective strategies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance the resilience of communities and ecosystems. Key strategies to mitigate climate changes include:

• Transitioning to Renewable Energy: Shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydropower can significantly reduce carbon emissions.
• Reforestation and Afforestation: Planting trees and restoring forests can help absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, acting as a natural climate solution.
• Improving Energy Efficiency: Enhancing energy efficiency in buildings, transportation, and industry reduces the overall energy demand, leading to lower emissions.
• Promoting Sustainable Agriculture: Adopting sustainable farming practices, such as organic farming and agroforestry, can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector.
• Reducing Waste: Implementing waste reduction strategies, such as recycling and composting, can decrease methane emissions from landfills.
• Supporting Climate Policies: Governments play a crucial role in enacting policies that limit emissions, promote clean energy, and support climate adaptation initiatives.
• Encouraging Individual Action: Individuals can contribute by reducing their carbon footprint, adopting sustainable lifestyles, and advocating for climate action.

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time. Understanding climate changes and its causes is the first step towards addressing it. The effects of climate changes are already being felt worldwide, and without decisive action, the situation will only worsen. However, by implementing strategies to mitigate climate changes, we can reduce its impact and protect the planet for future generations. The time to act is now, and every individual, community, and nation must play their part in this global effort.

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Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis

The working group i contribution to the sixth assessment report addresses the most up-to-date physical understanding of the climate system and climate change, bringing together the latest advances in climate science., summary for policymakers.

The Summary for Policymakers provides a high-level summary of the current state of the climate, how it is changing, the role of human influence, and possible climate futures.

Technical Summary

The Technical Summary provides a synthesis of the key findings of the Report and serves as a bridge between the Summary for Policymakers and the chapters of the full report.

Full Report

The 13 chapters of the Working Group I report provide a comprehensive assessment of the current evidence on the physical science of climate change.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Frequently Asked Questions explain important aspects of the report for a broad audience. They are related to the specific Chapters where they appear, but can be relevant to multiple Chapters.

Fact Sheets

These outreach products provide an entry point for information relevant to regions and sectors. They are fully traceable to the underlying report and Interactive Atlas.

Interactive Atlas

The novel AR6 WGI Interactive Atlas allows for a flexible spatial and temporal analysis of both data-driven climate change information and assessment findings.

Framing, Context and Methods

Chapter 1 introduces the WGI contribution to AR6, its framing and context, and the methods used in the report.

Changing State of the Climate System

Chapter 2 provides evidence for large-scale past changes in selected components of the climate system.

Human Influence on the Climate System

Chapter 3 assesses human influence on the climate system and evaluates climate models on large scales.

Future Global Climate: Scenario-based Projections and Near-term Information

Chapter 4 assesses simulations of future global climate change over the near term, mid- to long term, and out to year 2300.

Global Carbon and other Biogeochemical Cycles and Feedbacks

Chapter 5 identifies biogeochemical feedbacks with potentially significant climatic effects.

Short-lived Climate Forcers

Chapter 6 discusses the evolution of reactive compounds and their effects on climate and global air quality.

The Earth’s Energy Budget, Climate Feedbacks, and Climate Sensitivity

Chapter 7 assesses the major physical processes affecting the evolution of Earth’s energy budget and the associated changes in temperature and the climate system.

Water Cycle Changes

Chapter 8 explores the changing water cycle and its sensitivity to multiple drivers.

Ocean, Cryosphere and Sea Level Change

Chapter 9 assesses the physical processes underlying global and regional changes in the ocean, cryosphere and sea level.

Linking Global to Regional Climate Change

Chapter 10 assesses the foundations of how regional climate information is distilled from multiple, sometimes contrasting, lines of evidence.

Weather and Climate Extreme Events in a Changing Climate

Chapter 11 assesses observed changes in weather and climate extremes, their attribution to human influence, and future projections at global warming levels of +1.5°C, +2°C and +4°C.

Climate Change Information for Regional Impact and for Risk Assessment

Chapter 12 assesses the climate information relevant to regional impact and risk assessment.

The Atlas provides a region-by-region assessment of climate change and includes an innovative online tool, the Interactive Atlas.

Front Matter, Annexes, and Index

Front matter, includes foreword, preface, dedication, and table of contents, observational products, radiative forcing, modes of variability, climatic impact-drivers and extreme indices, list of contributors, expert reviewers.

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Make Your Note

Agriculture and Changing Climate

• 06 Oct 2020
• GS Paper - 3
• Environmental Pollution & Degradation
• Conservation

The article is based on ‘Climate Change and Agriculture: Way Ahead for Low-Emission Growth’ published in Down To Earth on 25/09/20. It focuses upon how the Agriculture and Changing Climate are affecting each other and what steps can be taken to curb the worse.

As the climate continues to heat up and the impacts of global warming grow more frequent and severe, farmers and farm communities around the world have been increasingly challenged.

While the agriculture sector is responsible for climate change due to Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, it is also severely impacted by the effects of changing climate.

Climate change is also threatening India’s agricultural growth with frequent dry spells, heat waves and erratic rainfall. Besides, the changing rainfall patterns in the form of delayed onset or early withdrawal has adversely affected the cropping cycle and farm operations.

With increasing population and the need to enhance food production, one has to address the challenge of meeting the growing demand for food production while controlling and reducing the GHG emissions from agriculture.

Agriculture Affecting Climate

• It can also escape from stored manure and organic waste in landfills.
• Livestock is alone responsible for 44% of methane emissions.
• 53% of Nitrous oxide emissions are an indirect product of organic and mineral nitrogen fertilisers.
• Fertilisers rich in nitrogen pollute water and threaten the aquatic ecosystem.
• Monoculture cropping systems leave soil bare for much of the year, rely on synthetic fertilizer, and plow fields regularly.
• These practices leave soils low in organic matter and prevent formation of deep, complex root systems leading to reduced water holding capacity.
• Clearing uncultivated land for farming can lead to the destruction of natural ecosystems, which may have a devastating effect on the local wildlife and biodiversity and the micro-climate.
• Many agricultural sectors need large amounts of water, which may cause water scarcity and drought.

Changing Climate Affecting Agriculture

• Extreme heat: Crops need suitable soil, water, sunlight, and heat to grow. However, extreme heat events and reductions in precipitation and water availability have hampered the crop productivity.
• This is likely to mean more intense periods of heavy rain and longer dry periods, even within the same regions.
• Floods: Flooding in many agricultural regions of the country have been witnessed and these floods have devastated crops and livestock, accelerated soil erosion and have polluted water.

The Scenario of India

• India is the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases after China and the United States.
• This accounts for 7% of global GHG emissions.
• Agriculture and livestock account for 18% of gross national emissions.
• Efficient use of fertiliser
• Adoption of zero-tillage
• Management of water used to irrigate paddy.

Zero Tillage also called No-till Agriculture , is a cultivation technique in which the soil is disturbed only along the slit or in the hole into which the seeds are planted, the reserved detritus from previous crops covers and protects the seedbed.

• Convincing the farmers for switching to the alternate package of practices; changing their socio-economic perspective.
• Pursuing people to change their mindsets for agricultural areas; treating them as whole of an ecosystem rather than treating them as a crop producing factory.
• Ensuring that all the farmers are provided with better market linkages so that they are able to get higher returns for their produce.

Measures That Can Be Taken

• A combination of tools and techniques covering capacity building, field demonstration, extension and outreach will enable faster adoption.
• Concepts such as Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA) are receiving increased attention as a sustainable alternative to chemical farming.
• Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) : It encourages farmers to use low-cost locally sourced input and should be promoted to minimise the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
• For example, Cotton farmers in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district are making the shift to a package of practices that lower the use of water (through in-situ soil moisture conservation and other demand management measures), promote the use of biofertilizers and biopesticides as a means to reduce the cost of cultivation and lower the environmental footprint of cotton cultivation.

Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA)

• The term low-input agriculture has been defined as a production activity that uses synthetic fertilizers or pesticides below rates commonly recommended by the Extension Service. However, it does not mean elimination of these materials.
• Yields are maintained through greater emphasis on cultural practices, Integrated Pest Management , and utilization of on-farm resources and management.
• The LEISA concept seeks to optimize the use of locally available resources by maximizing the complementary and synergistic effects of different components of the farming systems. External inputs are used in a complementary way.
• The efforts to combat climate change will have to focus on mitigation and adaptation efforts across all sectors.
• For agrarian countries, the task will be to ensure increased production without increasing the environmental footprint of agriculture by enhancing the knowledge and skills of our farmers.

This editorial is based on ‘China drives QUAD’ published in ‘The Indian Express’ on October 10, 2020. Now watch this on our youtube channel.