climate change essay upsc 2021

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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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Current Affairs for UPSC: environment, pollution biodiversity from November Week2: Climate Change Performance Index

• – Environment/Pollution: Rich countries, including the United States, Canada, Japan, and much of western Europe, account for just 12 per cent of the global population today but are responsible for 50 percent of all the planet-warming greenhouse gases released from fossil fuels and industry over the past 170 years. So they need to be more responsible for combating the climate change but they are yet to release the 100 bn dollars promised in the previous round of climate talks.(जलवायु परिवर्तन के ख़िलाफ़ लड़ाई में अमीर देशों की भूमिका ज़्यादा होनी चाहिए क्योंकि पिछले डेढ़ सौ से ज़्यादा सालों में सबसे ज़्यादा प्रदूषण तो उन्हें ने किया है)
• – Environment/Pollution: EUROPEAN Commission has decided to sue its member country Portugal for its poor air quality caused by high levels of nitrogen dioxide. 🤔Points to Reflect for Essay/Interview: it is wrong to think SAARC IS EPICFAIL BUT EU model bahut mahaan hai. 1) Britain exited for economic/political/migrants reasons in BREXIT. 2) EU itself suing member Portugal for pollution. Will Portugal industry lobby also start PORTUEXIT? 3) EU passing resolution against member-Poland for LGBTQ. If EU fails to protect Poland against the Belarus ki ‘weaponisation of migrant strategy’ will Poland sit in the lap of Russia who also shares homophobic laws? Excessive “WOKIsm” “Greta-Thurnbug-giri” may become a concern for integrity of the union. Whereas India, despite all challenges, helped the neighbouring countries in the corona . (SAARC संगठन संपूर्ण रूप से विफल हुआ और यूरोपीय संघ का मॉडल बोहोत महान है ऐसा मानना ग़लत वहाँ पर भी समस्याएं हैं। ब्रिटेन यूरोपियन संघ से अलग हो चुका है। EU द्वारा सदस्य देश पुर्तगाल पर ही प्रदूषण का मुक़दमा चलाया जा रहा है। सदस्य देश पोलैंड के ख़िलाफ़ समलैंगिकता अधिकारों के बारे में प्रस्ताव पारित किए जा रहे हैं। यह सब पर्यावरण अति सक्रियता और समलैंगिक अति सक्रियता संघ के कुछ और सदस्यों के विघटन का भविष्य में कारण हो सकती है)
• – Pollution: Non-legally binding Declaration for only zero-emission cars and vans are sold by the year 2040. Venue? Sideline of COP26, Glasgow UK, 2021. 😍 Members: India, 30 other members, big car marker companies including Ford, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar Land Rover and Volvo 😥 United States, China and Japan — are not a part of this initiative. वर्ष 2040 के बाद केवल शून्य उत्सर्जन करने वाली गाड़ियों को ही बेचा जाए ऐसे एक घोषणा पत्र पर भारत सहित विभिन्न देशों ने हस्ताक्षर किए हैं हालाँकि यह क़ानूनी रूप से बाध्य नहीं है।
• – Pollution: Global Resilience Index Initiative (GRII) at COP26, Glasgow-UK. Members? United Nations office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), Insurance Development Forum (IDF), University of Oxford, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). 😍 Benefit? open-source reference index to provide data for economic planning. (वैश्विक लचीलापन सूचकांक पहल)
• – Pollution: USA joined the International Solar Alliance, as the 101st member.
• – environment protection versus national defence: CHARDham project to widen 889 km of hill roads for all-weather connectivity. Environment groups find a PIL that it will damage the environment and fragile ecology. Govt’s stand: required for faster movement of army because on the other side even China is also developing infrastructure at a rapid level. Judge reflected: : “We cannot deny the fact that at such a height, the security of the nation is at stake. Can the highest constitutional court say that we will override defence needs particularly in the face of recent events? Can we say that environment will triumph over the defence of the nation? Or we say that defence concerns be taken care of so that environmental degradation does not take place?” (चारधाम हाईवे निर्माण के चलते पर्यावरण को ख़तरा लेकिन राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा के लिए भी बहुत ज़रूरी है क्योंकि दूसरी तरफ़ चीन के सीमावर्ती इलाकों में काफ़ी निर्माण कर रहा है)
• – Flood in Smart Cities like Chennai: 1) unplanned urbanisation, Mall construction, road construction, housing Society construction is blocking the natural flow of water.
• – 17TH EDITION of the Climate Change Performance Index 2021, compiled by Germanwatch, the New Climate Institute, and the Climate Action Network. first three ranks of the overall rankings were kept empty because no country had performed well enough in all index categories to achieve an overall very high rating. #4 Sweden. #10 India.
• – Red Dust: pollution from the Chinese-owned steel mill in Serbian town. Known to cause cancer.

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• NCERT Notes for UPSC
• Climate Change In India UPSC Notes

Climate Change In India [UPSC Notes GS III]

The effect of climate change has recently been seen in some cities of India like Delhi, Hyderabad, and especially Chennai where the city was facing a water crisis and was relying on alternative water sources such as distant, unreliable public water pumps, and costly private water tankers. Therefore, the topic is important in the UPSC mains exam.

This article will abrest you with evidence of rapid climate change in India, its potential effect on the country, and how to cope with the climate change effects.  IAS Exam aspirants can find more notes for UPSC Mains General Studies topics from the links given at the end of the article.

About Climate Change in India

• India has questioned the rush at the United Nations (UN) to declare climate change an international security issue, potentially giving the Security Council the right to take action on it, and pointed out the pitfalls in the approach.
• According to India, A “mere decision of the Council” to take over enforcement of climate change action would disrupt the Paris Agreement and multilateral efforts to find solutions.
• Climate change is a global threat to security in the 21st century. We must act now to limit future risks to the planet we share and the peace we seek.

For NCERT Notes on Climate Change , aspirants can visit the linked page.

Evidence For Rapid Climate Change In India

• Global Temperature Rise: The planet’s average surface temperature has risen about 1.62 degrees Fahrenheit (0.9 degrees Celsius) since the late 19th century, a change driven largely by increased carbon dioxide and other human-made emissions into the atmosphere. Most of the warming occurred in the past 35 years, with the five warmest years on record taking place since 2010.
• Warming Oceans: The oceans have absorbed much of this increased heat, with the top 700 meters (about 2,300 feet) of ocean showing warming of more than 0.4 degrees Fahrenheit since 1969.
• Shrinking Ice Sheets: The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have decreased in mass. Data from NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment show Greenland lost an average of 286 billion tons of ice per year between 1993 and 2016, while Antarctica lost about 127 billion tons of ice per year during the same time period. The rate of Antarctica ice mass loss has tripled in the last decade.
• Glacial Retreat: Glaciers are retreating almost everywhere around the world — including in the Alps, Himalayas, Andes, Rockies, Alaska, and Africa.
• Decreased Snow Cover: Satellite observations reveal that the amount of spring snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere has decreased over the past five decades and that the snow is melting earlier.
• Sea Level Rise: Global sea level rose about 8 inches in the last century. The rate in the last two decades, however, is nearly double that of the last century and is accelerating slightly every year.
• Declining Arctic Sea Ice: Both the extent and thickness of Arctic sea ice has declined rapidly over the last several decades.
• Extreme Events: The number of record high-temperature events in the United States has been increasing, while the number of record low-temperature events has been decreasing, since 1950. The U.S. has also witnessed increasing numbers of intense rainfall events.
• Ocean Acidification: Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the acidity of surface ocean waters has increased by about 30 percent. This increase is the result of humans emitting more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and hence more being absorbed into the oceans. The amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the upper layer of the oceans is increasing by about 2 billion tons per year.

Climate Fragility Risks in India

“A New Climate for Peace: Taking Action on Climate and Fragility Risks” , an independent report commissioned by members of the G7 , identifies seven compound climate-fragility risks that pose serious threats to the stability of states and societies in the decades ahead:

• Local resource competition: As the pressure on natural resources increases, competition can lead to instability and even violent conflict in the absence of effective dispute resolution.
• Livelihood insecurity and migration: Climate changes will increase the human insecurity of people who depend on natural resources for their livelihoods, which could push them to migrate or turn to illegal sources of income.
• Extreme weather events and disasters: Extreme weather events and disasters will exacerbate fragility challenges and can increase people’s vulnerability and grievances, especially in conflict-affected situations.
• Volatile food prices and provision: Climate change is highly likely to disrupt food production in many regions, increasing prices and market volatility, and heightening the risk of protests, rioting, and civil conflict.
• Transboundary water management: Transboundary waters are frequently a source of tension; as demand grows and climate impacts affect availability and quality, competition over water use will likely increase the pressure on existing governance structures.
• Sea-level rise and coastal degradation: Rising sea levels will threaten the viability of low-lying areas even before they are submerged, leading to social disruption, displacement, and migration, while disagreements over maritime boundaries and ocean resources may increase.
• Unintended effects of climate policies: As climate adaptation and mitigation policies are more broadly implemented, the risks of unintended negative effects—particularly in fragile contexts—will also increase.

Policy Analysis: The Need for an Integrated Agenda

The best way to diminish the threat posed by these climate-fragility risks is to mitigate climate change. However, changes to the climate are already underway, so we must take steps to manage and minimize these risks today. To break down the sectoral barriers that hamper efforts to address climate-fragility risks, we need to address key policy and institutional gaps in three areas:

• Climate change adaptation: programs help countries anticipate the adverse effects of climate change and take action to prevent, minimize, and respond to their potential impacts.
• Development and humanitarian aid programs help states and populations build their economic, governance, and social capacities and improve their resilience to shocks.
• Peace-building and conflict prevention programs address the causes and effects of fragility and conflict by reducing tensions and creating an environment for sustainable peace.

Why is climate change relevant to India?

India is among the countries 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 base for their livelihoods, with a high dependence on rainfall. By 2020, pressure on India’s water, air, soil, and forests is expected to become the highest in the world.

One of the most significant ways that climate change will impact the lives of people in India will be through its water resources. While water sustains life, it all too often wreaks havoc through devastating floods and droughts . A changing climate will only aggravate these shocks.

Potential Effects of climate change in India

• Extreme Heat : India is already experiencing a warming climate. Unusual and unprecedented spells of hot weather are expected to occur far more frequently and cover much larger areas. Under 4°C warming, the west coast and southern India are projected to shift to new, high-temperature climatic regimes with significant impacts on agriculture.
• Changing Rainfall Patterns : A decline in monsoon rainfall since the 1950s has already been observed. A 2°C rise in the world’s average temperatures will make India’s summer monsoon highly unpredictable. At 4°C warming, an extremely wet monsoon that currently has a chance of occurring only once in 100 years is projected to occur every 10 years by the end of the century. Dry years are expected to be drier and wet years wetter.
• Droughts : Evidence indicates that parts of South Asia have become drier since the 1970s with an increase in the number of droughts. Droughts have major consequences. In 1987 and 2002-2003, droughts affected more than half of India’s crop area and led to a huge fall in crop production. Droughts are expected to be more frequent in some areas, especially in north-western India, Jharkhand, Orissa, and Chhattisgarh. Crop yields are expected to fall significantly because of extreme heat by the 2040s.
• Groundwater: Even without climate change, 15% of India’s groundwater resources are overexploited. Falling water tables can be expected to reduce further on account of increasing demand for water from a growing population, more affluent lifestyles, as well as from the services sector and industry.
• Glacier Melt : Most Himalayan glaciers have been retreating over the past century. At 2.5°C warming, melting glaciers and the loss of snow cover over the Himalayas are expected to threaten the stability and reliability of northern India’s primarily glacier-fed rivers. Alterations in the flows of the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra rivers could significantly impact irrigation, affecting the amount of food that can be produced in their basins as well as the livelihoods of millions of people
• Sea level rise: With India close to the equator, the sub-continent would see much higher rises in sea levels than higher latitudes. Sea-level rise and storm surges would lead to saltwater intrusion in the coastal areas, impacting agriculture, degrading groundwater quality, contaminating drinking water, and possibly causing a rise in diarrhoea cases and cholera outbreaks, as the cholera bacterium survives longer in saline water. Kolkata and Mumbai, both densely populated cities, are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of sea-level rise, tropical cyclones , and riverine flooding.
• Apart from this food and energy security are also major concerns. Water scarcity, health hazards among the masses, and migration and political conflicts are expected to grow.

India’s response to Climate Change

• National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) : outlines existing and future policies and programs addressing climate mitigation and adaptation. The Action Plan identifies eight core “national missions” running through to 2017: Solar Energy; Enhanced Energy Efficiency; Sustainable Habitat; Water; Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem; Green India; Sustainable Agriculture; and Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change. Most of these missions have strong adaptation imperatives.
• National Clean Energy Fund: The Government of India created the National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) in 2010 for financing and promoting clean energy initiatives and funding research in the area of clean energy in the country. The corpus of the fund is built by levying a cess of INR 50 (subsequently increased to INR 100 in 2014) per tonne of coal produced domestically or imported.
• Paris Agreement: Under the Paris Agreement, India has made three commitments. India’s greenhouse gas emission intensity of its GDP will be reduced by 33-35% below 2005 levels by 2030. Alongside, 40% of India’s power capacity would be based on non-fossil fuel sources. At the same time, India will create an additional ‘carbon sink’ of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of Co2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
• International Solar Alliance: ISA was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris on 30 November 2015 by India and France, in the presence of Mr. Ban Ki Moon, former Secretary-General of the United Nations.
• Bharat Stage (BS) Emission Norms: Emissions from vehicles are one of the top contributors to air pollution, which led the government at the time to introduce the BS 2000 (Bharat Stage 1) vehicle emission norms from April 2000, followed by BS-II in 2005. BS-III was implemented nationwide in 2010. However, in 2016, the government decided to meet the global best practices and leapfrog to BS-VI norms by skipping BS V altogether.

All these efforts need to be implemented well to mitigate the effects of climate change.

How can India cope with climate change effects?

An ‘adaptation’ approach is the way to go. For this, a big push must be given to the interlinking of rivers and the use of GM crops . Climate action has globally been ‘mitigation-centric’ — most of the programs (such as a push for renewable energy and electric vehicles) are aimed at slowing down future global warming. ‘Mitigation’ is more important to developed countries, but for countries like India, the focus should be on ‘adaptation’, or measures are taken to cope with the inevitable effects of climate change that has already happened, such as nasty storms, floods, and droughts.

‘Adaptation’ is like protecting yourself against a punch that will land. India has also been mitigation-centric; it is time to bring focus on ‘adaptation’. And for adaptation, the time has come for two major steps.

• The first is to give a big push to a 150-year-old idea — inter-linking of rivers (ILRs). With floods and droughts likely to occur in different parts of the countries, possibly alongside each other, there is no option but to make ILR happen, and fast. Here are two components of it: the Himalayan and the Peninsular, with 14 and 16 links respectively. The idea is to build a dam on one river so that the water level rises at the head of the canal, allowing water to flow by gravity to the next river. India today has 5,100 large dams, which have walls at least 15 meters tall; ILR will require 3,000 more. The project will also involve building 15,000 km of new canals. If brought to fruition, ILR will bring 35 million hectares — over twice the size of Andhra Pradesh — of additional land into cultivation, and 34,000 MW more of hydroelectricity.
• The other adaptive measure is genetically modified crops. GM technology is a major component of ‘climate-smart agriculture’. We would need drought-resistant crops, and crops that produce more on the same patch of land so that climate-impairing ‘land use’ is minimized. India has been saying ‘no’ to GM technology. However, GM technology has been in use globally for over two decades and millions of people have been eating GM foods for years.

World Bank on Climate Change

Climate change could push more than 100 million people into extreme poverty by 2030 by disrupting agriculture and fueling the spread of malaria and other diseases, the World Bank said in a report.

These UPSC Notes on climate change in India are aligned with the UPSC Syllabus and aspirants should prepare this topic for General Studies Paper III.

Climate Change in India [UPSC Notes GS-III]:- Download PDF Here

Aspirants of the UPSC exam are advised to check other relevant topics for the Essay and GS III paper.

Aspirants can check the  UPSC Notes  page for free GS1, GS2, and GS 3 notes.

For more UPSC related preparation materials and articles, visit the links given in the table below:

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Frequently asked Questions about Climate Change in India

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Economics of Climate Change

Why in News?

• Last week, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) announced that global temperatures are likely to surge to record levels in the next five years, fuelled by heat-trapping greenhouse gases (GHGs) and an El-Niño event.
• The WMO warned that the economic cost of extreme weather, climate and water-related events has been rising.

What is Climate Change?

• Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns.
• Such shifts can be natural, due to changes in the sun’s activity or large volcanic eruptions.
• But since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change , primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas.
• As per current standing,close to 12,000 climate change induced disasters/extreme weather events have been reported between 1970 and 2021, resulting in over 2 million deaths and $4.3 trillion in economic losses.
• For perspective, the total losses are roughly 25% more than India’s annual GDP.

Some Visible Evidences of the Climate Change

• Annual average temperature in India has been increasing gradually .
• RBI’s latest report on currency and finance states that the rise has been significantly sharper during the last 20 years than during any other 20-year time interval since 1901.
• The south west monsoon is more erratic.
• While the average annual rainfall at the all-India level during 2000-2020 saw a rise over that during 1960-1999, annual average rainfall in India has gradually declined.
• Increased Dry and Wet Spells: RBI’s research suggests that while dry spells have become more frequent during the last several years, intense wet spells have also increased.
• Research about natural disasters since 1975 has shown that India is relatively more exposed to floods and storms (cyclones and hailstorms) than droughts and heatwaves.
• “Such incidences pose significant risks to agricultural production and food price volatility,” states the RBI.

How Vulnerable is India?

• The Global Climate Risk Index 2021 had ranked India 7th in the list of most affected countries in terms of exposure and vulnerability to climate risk events.
• India’s diverse climate is not only exposed to different temperature and precipitation patterns, but is also vulnerable to extreme weather events, posing wide-ranging spatial and temporal implications for the economy.

Economic Vulnerability

• The structure of the Indian economy has evolved since independence.
• Bulk of economic activity now happens in the services sector as against the agriculture and allied sectors. This has implications for carbon emissions.
• According to the RBI, ‘Services’ are globally considered to be emission-light with relatively lower energy intensity of output.
• A sectoral break-up shows that the highest emission-intensive sectors — metal industries, electricity, andtransports (air, land, andwater)— together account for around just 9% of India’s total GVA (gross value added) in 2018-19.
• This implies that the sectoral composition of the Indian economy helps reduce its carbon emissions.

The Macroeconomic Impact

• Can affect supply and Demand: Climate change can adversely impact both the supply side as well as the demand side. It can stroke inflation, reduce economic output, trigger uncertainty and change consumer behaviour.
• Employment Loss: In 2020, the World Bank said that India could account for 34 million of the projected 80 million global job losses from heat stress-associated productivity declineby2030.
• In 2022, the Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change (IPCC) stated that India is one of the most vulnerable countries globally in terms of the population that would be affected by the sea level rise .
• By the middle of the present century, around 35 million people in India could face annual coastal flooding, with 45-50 million at risk by the end of the century.

Government's Policies to Fight Climate Change

• On 30th June 2008, the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) was released. It is a national strategy of 8 sub-missions to help adapt and magnify ecological sustainability in India’s development path.
• National Solar Mission (NSM),
• National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency (NMEEE),
• National Mission on Sustainable Habitat (NMSH),
• National Water Mission (NWM),
• National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE),
• National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC),
• National Mission for a Green India (GIM),and
• National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).
• On 3 August 2022, the Union Cabinet under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister passed the updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for consideration by the UNFCCCunder the Paris Agreement , to reach India’s goal of net zero emissions by 2070.

Policy Actions' Impact on GDP Growth Rate and Inflation

• The Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) have created an analytical framework called the National Institute Global Econometric Model (NIGEM)“to produce policy insights”.
• In this model, the researchers looked at how GDP growth rate and inflation would be affected under different policy stances when compared to the baseline (which is the best-case scenario involving no impact of climate change).

Impact on GDP growth rate

• Policy actions have a negative impact on India’s GDP no matter what.
• By 2050, India’s GDP is likely to lower by anywhere between 8.5% to almost 10% under current policy scenario , if India follows the NDCs) path of achieving net zero by2070.
• However, if the globalCO2 emissions reach net zero by 2050,then the hit to India GDP will be the lowest.

Impact on Inflation

• The effect of stricter policy action will be opposite.
• No change policies will keep inflation low at present but higher later.
• Policies to achieve net zero by 2050 will result in higher inflation in the near-term .
• In 2020, India was the third biggest emitter of green house gases.
• As per climate analysts, India will not hit the peak of emissions by 2030, but instead, achieve the same between 2040-2045.
• This trend may create hindrance for India’s energy transition plans for the second half of this century and therefore a pragmatic and far-sighted approach is necessary.

Q1) How can people reduce the risks of climate change?

People can reduce the risks of climate change by making choices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and by preparing for the changes expected in the future. Decisions that people make today will shape the world for decades and even centuries to come. Communities can also prepare for the changes in the decades ahead by identifying and reducing their vulnerabilities and considering climate risks in planning and development. Such actions can ensure that the most vulnerable populations—such as young children, older adults, and people living in poverty—are protected from the health and safety threats of climate change.

Q2) Why should one be wary of a change of one or two degrees in the global temperature? 

A degree or two change in average global temperature might not sound like much to worry about, but relatively small changes in the earth’s average temperature can mean big changes in local and regional climate, creating risks to public health and safety, agriculture, water resources, infrastructure, and ecosystems.  As per a report, an increase in heat waves and days with temperatures above 90°F; more extreme weather events such as storms, droughts, and floods; and a projected sea level rise of 1 to 4 feet by the end of this century, which could put certain areas of the country underwater.

Source:  The Indian Express

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Climate Change: Causes, Impacts on India & World

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This topic of “Climate Change: Causes, Impacts on India & World” is important from the perspective of the UPSC IAS Examination , which falls under General Studies Portion.

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.

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What are the factors that cause climate change?

Climate change is caused by natural factors as well as anthropogenic factors. However, anthropogenic factors create a higher impact on contemporary climate change.

Natural Factors:

There are numerous natural factors that cause the Earth’s climate to change. They affect the climate over a period of thousands to millions of years.

Continental Drift:

• The present-day continents were not the same prior to 200 million years.
• They have formed millions of years ago when the landmass began to drift apart due to plate displacement.
• This movement had an impact on climate change due to the change on the landmass’s physical features and position and the change in water bodies’ position like the change in the follow of ocean currents and winds.
• The drifting of the landmass is continued today. The Himalayan range is rising approximately 1 millimetre every year as the Indian landmass is moving towards the Asian landmass.

Variation of the Earth’s orbit:

• The Earth’s orbit has an impact on the sunlight’s seasonal distribution that is reaching the Earth’s surface.
• A slight change in the Earth’s orbit can lead to variation in distribution across the world.
• There are very few changes to the average sunshine. However, it causes a high impact on the geographical and seasonal distribution.
• There are three types of orbital variations – variations in Earth’s eccentricity, variations in the tilt angle of the Earth’s axis of rotation and precession of Earth’s axis.
• These together can cause Milankovitch cycles, which have a huge impact on climate and are well-known for their connection to the glacial and interglacial periods.
• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change finding showed that the Milankovitch cycles had influenced the behaviour of ice formation

Plate tectonics:

• Due to the change in the temperature in the core of the Earth, the mantle plumes and convection currents forced the Earth’s Plates to adjust leading to the rearrangement of the Earth Plate.
• This can influence the global and local patterns of climate and atmosphere.
• The oceans’ geometry is determined by the continents’ position. Therefore, the position of the continents influences the pattern of the ocean.
• The location of the sea also plays a crucial role in controlling the transfer of heat and moisture across the globe and determines the global climate.
• The recent example of the tectonic control on ocean circulation is the formation of the Isthmus of Panama about 5 million years ago, leading to the prevention of direct mixing of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Volcanic Activity:

• When a volcano erupts, it emits gases and dust particles, causing a partial block of the Sunrays. This can lead to the cooling of the weather.
• Though the volcanic activities last only for a few days, the gases and ashes released by it can last for a long period, leading to it influencing climate patterns.
• Sulphur oxide emitted by the volcanic activities can combine with water to form tiny droplets of sulphuric acid. These droplets are so small that many of them can stay in the air for several years.

Ocean Currents:

• Ocean current is one of the major components of the climate system.
• It is driven by horizontal winds causing the movement of the water against the sea surface.
• The temperature differences of the water influence the climate of the region.

Anthropogenic Factors:

Scientists, since the beginning of the 20 th century, have studied the impact of climate change caused by human activities. Global warming, the long-term rise in the average temperature of the Earth’s climate system, is a major aspect of climate change. It is mainly a human-caused increase in global surface temperature. The anthropogenic factors causing climate change are as follows:

Greenhouse Gases:

• The greenhouse gases absorb heat radiation from the sun. Following the initiation of the Industrial Revolution, the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere has increased exponentially.
• This has led to more absorption and retaining the heat in the atmosphere. This resulted in an increase in Global Temperature.
• The greenhouse gases mostly do not absorb the solar radiation but absorb most of the infrared emitted by the Earth’s surface.
• water vapour (the majority of the GHG in the atmosphere but the impact is less)
• Carbon dioxide released due to natural and anthropogenic factors spends more time in the atmosphere, leading to an increase in its impact. There has been a 30% increase in the concentration of CO 2 since the start of the industrial revolution. Apart from the industrial revolution, deforestation also contributes to the increase in the CO
• Chlorofluorocarbons , used for industrial purposes, especially in refrigerants and air conditioning, is a man-made compound regulated under the Montreal Protocol due to their adverse effects on the Ozone layers.
• Methane is released due to decomposition of organic matter. It is stronger than CO 2 because of its capacity to absorb more heat.
• Nitrous oxide is produced by the agricultural sector, especially in the production and use of organic fertilizers and while burning fossil fuels.

Change in the land use pattern:

• Half of the land-use change is said to have happened during the industrial era.
• Most of the forests were replaced by agricultural cropping and grazing of lands.
• The increased albedo (reflectivity of an object in space) in the snow-covered high altitude regions due to deforestation led to the cooling of the planet’s surface. The lower the albedo, the more of the Sun’s radiation gets absorbed by the planet and the temperatures will rise. If the albedo is higher and the Earth is more reflective, the more of the radiation is returned to space, leading to the cooling of the planet.
• The tropical deforestation changes the evapotranspiration rates (the amount of water vapour put in the atmosphere through evaporation and transpiration from trees), causes desertification and affects soil moisture characteristics.
• From the satellite imagery, it is seen that the clearing of forest cover for agriculture and irrigated farming in arid and semi-arid lands can increase solar energy absorption and the amount of moisture evaporated into the atmosphere.

Atmospheric aerosols:

• Atmospheric aerosol can:
• scatter and absorb the solar and infrared radiation
• change microphysical and chemical properties of the clouds
• Solar radiation, when scattered, cools the planet. On the other hand, when the aerosols absorb solar radiation, it causes an increase in the temperature of the air instead of allowing the sunlight to be absorbed by the Earth’s surface.
• Aerosols can directly affect climate change by absorbing or reflecting solar radiation. They can also produce indirect effects by modifying the cloud’s formation and properties.
• They can even be transported thousands of kilometres away from its source through wind and upper-level circulation in the atmosphere.
• There are two types of aerosols – Natural aerosols and Anthropogenic aerosols.
• The sources of natural aerosols include volcanic eruptions (produces sulphate aerosols) and biogenic sources like planktons (can produce dimethyl sulphide).
• The anthropogenic aerosols include:
• The ammonia used for fertilizers or released by the burning of plants and other organic materials forms a major source for Nitrate aerosols.
• Burning of coal and oil produces sulphur dioxide that forms a major source of sulphate aerosols
• Burning of biomass can release a combination of organic droplets and soot particles.
• Industrial activities cause the release of wide-ranging aerosols into the atmosphere.
• Vehicle emissions can produce numerous pollutants that are aerosol from the beginning or becomes one due to chemical reactions in the atmosphere.
• It is found that the concentration of aerosols is about three times higher in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere, leading to Northern Hemisphere’s radiation concentration being 50% higher than that of the Southern Hemisphere.

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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. The planet’s ocean and glaciers have felt some significant changes. Oceans are currently warming and becoming more acidic. The ice caps are melting, causing the sea levels to rise. These changes are predicted to be more prominent in the coming decades, threatening our environment and existence. Some of the current impacts of rapid climate change are as follows:

A rise in atmospheric temperature:

• The greenhouse gases released due to human activities are increasing the temperature of the Earth.
• The last 6 years topped the list of hottest years ever recorded.
• The increase in temperature is the major cause of the current increase in heat-related deaths and illnesses, rise in sea levels and an increase in the intensity of natural disasters.
• The 20 th century saw an increase in the Earth’s average temperature by 1°F. This is believed to be the fastest rise in a thousand years.
• Research estimates predict that if the GHGs are not reduced, the average surface temperature could increase to 3-5°F by the end of this century.

Change in landscapes:

• Increasing temperature and changing climate and weather patterns across the globe led to the shift of trees and plants towards Polar Regions and mountains.
• As the vegetation tries to adapt to climate change by moving towards colder regions, the animals that are dependent on them will be forced to follow them for survival. While some survive, many perish in the attempt.
• Other species like polar bears dependent on cold terrains will not have any habitat due to the melting of ice, causing a risk to their survival.
• Thus, the current hasty change in the landscape causes a considerable risk to the survival of many species, including the human population.

A risk to the ecosystem:

• An increase in the temperature across the globe is changing the weather and vegetation patterns, making the species to migrate to cooler areas for survival.
• This poses a threat to the survival of numerous species. It is projected that by 2050, one-fourth of the Earth’s species may become extinct if the current trend continues.

Rising sea levels:

• An increase in the temperature of the Earth leads to a rise in sea level due to the thermal expansion (a condition wherein the warm water takes up more area than cooler water). The melting of glaciers adds to this problem.
• The population living in under-lying areas, islands and coasts are threatened by the rising sea levels.
• It erodes shorelines, damage properties and destroys ecosystems like mangroves and wetlands that protect coasts from storms.
• In the last 100 years, the sea level has risen to 4-8 inches and will continue to rise between 4 and 36 inches in the next 100 years.

Ocean Acidification:

• The increase in the CO 2 concentration in the atmosphere has increased the CO 2 absorption in the ocean. This makes the ocean acidic.
• The increase in the acidification of the ocean can be harmful to many marine species like plankton, molluscs, etc. The corals are especially susceptible to this as they find it difficult to create and maintain the skeletal structures needed for their survival.

Increase in the risk of natural and manmade disasters:

• The moisture from land and water is rapidly evaporating due to the high atmospheric temperature.
• This causes drought. Those areas that are affected by drought are highly susceptible to the negative effects of flooding.
• As this current condition, the droughts may become more frequent and more severe. This may lead to distressing consequences for agriculture, water security, and health.
• Countries in Asia and Africa are already facing this phenomenon, with droughts becoming longer and more intense.
• The increased temperature is not only causing droughts but also increasing the cases of forest fires across the globe.
• Climate change is also causing increased and intensified hurricanes and tropical storms, causing a devastating impact on human societies and the environment.
• The cause of this is the rise in the ocean temperature as warm waters influence the hurricanes and tropical storms energies.
• The other factors that cause intensified hurricane and tropical storms are raising sea levels, disappearing wetlands and increased coastal development.

Health issues:

• The high temperature across the globe can pose health risks and deaths.
• The increased heat waves caused by climate change have led to the deaths of many globally.
• For instance, in 2003, the extreme heatwaves led to the death of more than 20,000 people in Europe and caused more than 1,500 deaths in India.
• Climate change increases the spreading of contagious diseases as the long-term warm weather allows disease-carrying insects, animals and microbes to survive longer.
• Disease and pests that were once confined to the tropics may find it habitable in the colder regions that were previously inhospitable.
• Currently, there is an increase in death due to extreme heat, natural disasters and diseases due to climate change.
• World Health Organisation estimates that between 2030 and 2050, climate change may cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year due to malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and extreme heat.

Economic impacts:

• It is estimated that if action is not taken to address the carbon emissions, climate change could cost about 5 to 20% of the annual global GDP.
• In contrast, the cost to lessen the most damaging effects of climate change is just 1% of the GDP.
• Climate change can alter shoreline habitats. This may lead to the need for relocation of ports and near-shore infrastructures and habitats, costing about millions of dollars.
• The increased hurricanes and other related natural disasters can bring forth extreme economic losses caused by damaged properties and infrastructures.
• Declining crop yields due to the lengthy droughts and high temperatures can lead to a risk of starvation of thousands of people.
• Coral reefs generate approximately $375 billion each year in goods and services. Their very survival is currently under threat.

Agriculture productivity and food security :

• The crop cultivation is dependent on solar radiation, favourable temperature and precipitation.
• Hence, agriculture has always been dependent on climate patterns.
• The current climate change
• has affected agricultural productivity, food supply and food security.
• These effects are biophysical, ecological and economic.
• They resulted in:
• Climate and agricultural zones are moving towards poles
• There is a change in the agricultural production pattern due to increased atmospheric temperature
• Agricultural productivity has increased due to the rise in CO 2 in the atmosphere.
• Unpredictable precipitation patterns
• The vulnerability of the landless and the poor has increased.

How is climate change affecting India?

• One of the major areas that will be extremely vulnerable to climate change in the future is South Asia.
• India especially will be vulnerable to climate change due to its diverse terrain, rapid use of natural resources due to the current trend of precipitous urbanisation, industrialisation and economic growth.
• Currently, India, in its effort to protect its fast diminishing natural resources, is facing environmental and socio-economic challenges.
• Water and air quality are worsening each day due to environmental pollution.
• Those that are especially susceptible to climate change are the country’s coastal ecosystems, biodiversity and agricultural productivity.
• The natural disasters’ increasing frequency and intensity are causing negative effects to the already struggling Indian economy .
• The adverse effects of such disasters range from poverty, vulnerability to diseases, loss of income and livelihoods.
• According to the World Bank, an increase of 2°C in the world’s average temperature in the next few decades will only make India’s monsoon more unpredictable.
• The changing rain patterns in India are predicted to leave many areas flooded and others without water scarcity.
• More than 60% of India’s agriculture is dependent on rain and the majority of the population are dependent on the agriculture sector for survival. This makes India more vulnerable to climate change.
• It is estimated that by the 2050s, with a temperature increase of 2-2.5°C, water in the river basins of Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra will be reduced. This may threaten the food security of about 63 million people.
• The poverty reduction rate will also be slowed down due to the rise in the atmospheric temperature.
• Poor will be more vulnerable to climate change since many of them are dependent on the rain-dependent agriculture.
• An increase of 2°C by the 2040s is going to affect crop production and will reduce the crop output by 12%, requiring more imports to meet the domestic demands.
• Furthermore, the decreasing availability of food can give rise to considerable health issues especially among women and children.
• The melting glaciers and loss of snow can pose a risk to reliable water resources in India.
• Main rivers like Ganges, Indus, and Brahmaputra mostly depend on snow and glacial meltwater. This makes them vulnerable to global warming.
• Climate change can further increase the risk of flooding of low areas and threatens agriculture.
• Impact on Drainage System: With the Indo-Gangetic Plains as its “breadbasket,” India withdraws 34% of its available water each year. Himalayan glaciers are melting faster and faster as temperatures rise and seasonal variability increases. If the rate rises, glacial lakes will burst their natural boundaries, causing flooding in river valleys fed by these glaciers, followed by reduced flows, resulting in water scarcity.

Government measures’ limitations:

• From the recent cases of natural disasters like the Chennai Floods, 2015, 2016 drought, 2019 Kerala floods , etc., it is evident that there are no adequate arrangements made to mitigate them.
• For instance, in the case of Uttarakhand or the Chennai rains, the arrangements weren’t adequate to allow the flow of rainwater due to the illegal constructions.
• From the 2016 drought, there were increased deaths, most of them were economically poor and the underprivileged.
• The government failed to ensure long-term mitigation and the big corporate houses that contribute to large-scale pollution of air and water escape with a mere “corporate social liability” clauses. These are some of the major causes of the devastating impact of these natural disasters.
• India does not have stringent laws to ensure protection against climate change.
• The authorities will not be prosecuted for their negligence of duty and the cases that manage to reach the Supreme Court through the public interest litigation were only able to bring about small changes in averting the future crisis.
• Each year, India is facing the negative impact of climate change and the government is taking measures to address it. Yet the measures taken will not be enough to solve the issue due to poor implementation and lack of accountability.

What are the efforts taken at the international level to combat climate change?

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

• The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) founded the IPCC to provide for a mechanism to study the effects of global warming at a governmental level.
• IPCC is a UN body that assesses the science related to climate change.
• It provides the policymakers with regular scientific assessments on climate change, its implications and potential future risks while also providing adaptation and mitigation options.
• It complements UNFCCC and vice versa.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC):

• It came to force on 21 st March 1994.
• The 195 countries that have ratified it are called the Parties to the Convention.
• The UNFCC is a Rio Convention, one of the three adopted at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. The others include the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification .
• The Joint Liaison Group was established to ensure cooperation among the three Conventions.
• Currently, it also consists of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
• The ultimate aim of the Convention is to stabilize the greenhouse gas concentration “at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”.
• It also aims to achieve the said level within a specific period so that the ecosystem is allowed to adapt naturally to climate change while also ensuring food security and sustainable economic development.
• Following its establishment, the COP1 (first Conference of Parties) was held in Berlin, COP2 was held in Geneva and the COP3 was held in Kyoto to adopt the “Kyoto Protocol” that ensures the implementation of the UNFCCC’s objective.

Kyoto Protocol:

• Kyoto Protocols was adopted in Kyoto, Japan on 11 th December 1997 and came to force on 16 th February 2005
• Its signatories are committed towards the achievement of emission reduction targets.
• COP 7 held in Morocco in 2001 saw the adoption of the detailed rules for the implementation of the protocol. These are referred to as “Marrakesh Accords”.
• This protocol holds the developed countries are accountable for the current high levels of GHG emissions into the atmosphere due to their role in the industrial revolution.
• Kyoto Mechanism, also known as Flexible Mechanism, is defined under the Kyoto Protocol to lower the overall cost of achieving the emission targets. It includes Emission Trading, the Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation.
• On December 2012, the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol was adopted. The changes made include:
• New commitments were made by Annex I Parties (developed nations and Economies in Transition) to be implemented between the period of 1 st January 2013 and 31 st December 2020.
• A revised list of GHG that is to be reported by the Parties during the second commitment period
• Amendments were made to update several articles of the Kyoto Protocol to be on par with the second commitment period.
• The Kyoto Protocol is a significant step towards the reduction of global emission regime that will allow the stabilisation of GHG emissions.

Paris Agreement:

• Signed in 2016, it is considered to be the world’s first comprehensive climate agreement.
• It aims to:
• Keep the global temperature well below 2°C above preindustrial times and endeavour to limit them even more to 1.5°C.
• Strengthen the nations’ ability to combat the adverse impacts of climate change.
• The Paris Accord calls for a reduction of the GHGs emitted due to human activities equal to that of the trees, soil and oceans so that they can be absorbed naturally.
• As per the Agreement, each country’s contribution towards cutting emission must be reviewed every 5 years.
• It also states that rich countries must help the poorer nations by providing them with “Climate finances” to make them shift towards renewable energy usage.
• The agreement is binding in some elements like reporting requirements. Other elements of the agreement are non-binding like the emission targets of the individual nations.
• The Paris Agreement necessitates all Parties to put forth their best efforts through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and to strengthen these efforts in the future.
• This also includes the need for regular reporting emissions and implementation by the parties.
• India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) includes the reduction in the intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35% by 2030 from 2005 level. Additionally, it has pledged to increase the share of non-fossil fuel-based electricity by 40% by 2030. It has also agreed to enhance its forest cover, which will absorb 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO 2 by 2030.
• Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) is a mechanism developed by Parties of the UNFCCC.
• It creates financial value for the carbon stored in forests to offer incentives for the developing nations to reduce emissions from forested lands and invest in low-carbon paths.
• The developing nations will receive results-based payments for results-based actions.
• The REDD+ goes beyond simply deforestation and forest degradation by including the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.
• It is estimated that the financial flows for the GHG emission reduction from REDD+ could reach up to $30 billion per year.
• This improved North-South flow of funds can ensure a significant reduction of carbon emissions and the promotion of inclusive development. It could also improve biodiversity conservation and secure vital ecosystem services.
• Forests are vital carbon sink and thus, it is vital to increase its resilience to climate change.

What are the measures taken by the Indian government to combat climate change?

• India is this fifth-largest emitter of GHG, accounting for approximately 5% of global emission.
• Emissions from India have increased by 65% during 1990-2005 and are estimated to increase by another 70% by 2020.
• As previously mentioned India is especially vulnerable to climate change because of the increased natural disasters, depleting natural resources and high dependence on agriculture and rain.
• Regardless of the resource limitations, India is taking numerous measures to adapt and mitigate climate change by increasing energy efficiency, promoting circular economic model , promoting the use of renewable energy
• India is among the few countries that have increased the Clean Energy Cess on coal.
• Clean Energy Fund worth approximately $3 billion is used to promote the use of clean technologies.
• The government is also increasing the investments for afforestation to increase the carbon sink.
• India has set a target of 33% of its geographical area under forest cover. According to the biennial State of India’s Forest Report 2019 (SoFR 2019), India’s total forest cover is 21.67% of the total geographical area of the country.
• India has allocated about $200 million for the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC).
• It aims to support adaptation activities that can mitigate the adverse impact of climate change.
• The scheme’s activities are implemented in the project mode and the projects are related to adaptation in sectors like agriculture, animal husbandry, water, forestry, tourism, etc.
• Other initiatives include 100 smart cities , National Mission for Clean Ganga, National Air Quality Scheme, etc. Other major government measures are as follows:

National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)

• As a part of the NAPCC, the Indian government had launched 8 missions on focused areas. They are:
• National Solar Mission
• National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency
• National Mission on Sustainable Habitat
• National Water Mission
• National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem
• National Mission for a “Green India” Goals
• National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
• National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change

National Action Programme to Combat Desertification:

• India is one of the parties of UNCCD .
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is the National Coordination Agency for the implementation of the UNCCD at the national level.
• India has framed the 20-year comprehensive National Action Programme (NAP) to address the problem of desertification within the nation. The objectives include:
• Drought management, preparedness, and mitigation
• Development based on a community approach
• Promote the improvement of local communities’ quality of life
• Promote awareness
• Promote suitable research and development initiatives and interventions.
• Promoting self-governance to empower local communities so that they can deal with issues pertaining to climate change.

India in the international forums on climate change:

• India is currently setting up voluntary targets in the international forums to commit itself to the mission to combat climate change. It is also playing a major role in climate change mitigation.
• India’s proactive role in mitigating climate change is due to the domestic compulsion of tackling issues like the need for poverty eradication, food and nutritional security , universalization of health and education , water security, sustainable energy, employment
• India is of the opinion that the developing countries’ need for inclusive growth, sustainable development , poverty eradication and universal access to energy must be made the fundamental differentiation between them and the developed nations. Currently, the Conventions recognise that the historical emissions of the developed nations as the basis for differentiation between the developed and developing nations.

What is stopping us from mitigating climate change?

The numerous decision-making barriers that currently exist are preventing the desired level of adaptation. The 5 th Assessment Report of the IPCC has comprehensively identified the economic barriers that are preventing government decision on adaption to climate change. They are:

• 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.
• 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.
• Behaviour obstacles to adaption : Irrational decisions, social norms, and cultural factors also pose as obstacles to adaption decision making.
• 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.
• 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. Politics on whether or not climate change is real is also preventing the governments from undertaking adaption decision-making.
• 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.

Climate change is happening. This should be accepted and not politicised. International cooperation to address climate change is vital to mitigate the adverse impact. Additionally, mitigation must be complemented with climate change-related adaption since mitigation alone cannot address the adverse effects we are facing right now. An international level comprehensive plan of action is necessary for inclusive and sustainable growth of the global community.

Test yourself

Scientific consensus and public protests are doing little to motivate the governments’ policies towards climate change mitigation. Discuss. (250 Words)

• The seventeenth edition of the Climate Change Performance Index 2022 was published on 10 November 2021. India ranked 10th while Denmark is the highest performing country in the index. The top ten nations in the index are– Denmark (4th position), Sweden (5th position), Norway (6th position), United Kingdom (7th position), Morocco (8th position), Chile (9th position), and India (10th position).
• The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) is an annual report released by Germanwatch, Climate Action Network (CAN) and New Climate Institute since 2005.
• CCPI is an independent tool that monitors the climate protection performance of about 60 countries and the European Union. These countries collectively produce around 90% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• It seeks to improve transparency in international climate politics and enables a comparison of climate protection initiatives and progress achieved by individual nations.
• The report studies countries in 4 categories having 14 indicators – Greenhouse gas emissions (40% of total score), Renewable energy (20%), Energy use (20%) and Climate policy (20%).
• 2022 was the fifth warmest year on record.   Earth’s average surface temperature in 2022 effectively tied with 2015 as the fifth warmest on record, according to an analysis by NASA.
• Arctic  sea ice reached its annual minimum extent in September  2022, shrinking to an area of 4.67 million square kilometers (1.80 million square miles).  This extends a long-term downward trend due to global warming.
• New research on Antarctica  doubles the previous estimates of loss from ice shelves.  The study, published in the journal Nature, found that ice shelves in Antarctica are losing ice at an alarming rate, with some losing up to 100 meters of ice per year.
• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report in March 2023 that warned that global warming is already having a significant impact on the planet.  The report found that climate change is causing more extreme weather events, such as heat waves, droughts, floods, and wildfires. It also found that climate change is causing sea levels to rise, which is threatening coastal communities around the world.

The Climate Action Tracker (CAT) is an independent scientific analysis that tracks government climate action and measures it against the globally agreed aim of holding warming well below 2°C, and pursuing efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C.

It is produced by two research organisations, Climate Analytics and NewClimate Institute.

In its most recent assessment, the CAT found that global emissions are on track to increase by 3.6% in 2022. This is far from the level of ambition needed to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The CAT also found that many countries are not on track to meet their Paris Agreement pledges.

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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.

• 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

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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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• Year in Review
• Published: 04 April 2024

Climate chronicles

Global carbon emissions in 2023

• Zhu Liu   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8968-7050 1 , 2 , 3 ,
• Zhu Deng   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6409-9578 1 , 2 , 4 ,
• Steven J. Davis   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-9338-0844 5 &
• Philippe Ciais   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8560-4943 6  

Nature Reviews Earth & Environment volume  5 ,  pages 253–254 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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Global CO 2 emissions for 2023 increased by only 0.1% relative to 2022 (following increases of 5.4% and 1.9% in 2021 and 2022, respectively), reaching 35.8 Gt CO 2 . These 2023 emissions consumed 10–66.7% of the remaining carbon budget to limit warming to 1.5°C, suggesting permissible emissions could be depleted within 0.5–6 years (67% likelihood).

Data from the Carbon Monitor indicate 35.8 Gt CO 2 were emitted globally in 2023.

Although the trend is upwards, the pace of growth has been slowing, suggesting global emissions might have plateaued.

India overtook the EU as the third highest emitter globally.

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Liu, Z. et al. Global patterns of daily CO2 emissions reductions in the first year of COVID-19. Nat. Geosci. 15 , 615–620 (2022).

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Liu, Z., Deng, Z., Davis, S. J., Giron, C. & Ciais, P. Monitoring global carbon emissions in 2021. Nat. Rev. Earth Environ. 3 , 217–219 (2022).

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Liu, Z., Deng, Z., Davis, S. & Ciais, P. Monitoring global carbon emissions in 2022. Nat. Rev. Earth Environ. 4 , 205–206 (2023).

Friedlingstein, P. et al. Global Carbon Budget 2023. Earth Syst. Sci. Data 15 , 5301–5369 (2023).

IEA. World Energy Outlook 2023 (IEA, 2023); https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2023 .

IPCC. Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2021).

Lamboll, R. D. et al. Assessing the size and uncertainty of remaining carbon budgets. Nat. Clim. Change. 13 , 1360–1367 (2023).

Crippa, M. et al. Fossil CO 2 and GHG Emissions of All World Countries - 2020 report . (Publications Office of the European Union, 2020).

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Ke, P. et al. Carbon Monitor Europe near-real-time daily CO 2 emissions for 27 EU countries and the United Kingdom. Sci. Data 10 , 374 (2023).

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Zhu Liu & Zhu Deng

Department of Geography, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

Alibaba Cloud, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

Department of Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA

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Liu, Z., Deng, Z., Davis, S.J. et al. Global carbon emissions in 2023. Nat Rev Earth Environ 5 , 253–254 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-024-00532-2

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Donuru Ananya Reddy UPSC Topper 2023, Complete Details

Donuru Ananya Reddy Secured AIR 3rd in UPSC CSE 2023. Check out Biography of Donuru Ananya Reddy (Rank 3) UPSC 2023 Topper

Table of Contents

Donuru Ananya Reddy, born and raised in Telangana, India, emerged as a beacon of inspiration for aspirants of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination, securing the remarkable third rank in her very first attempt in the year 2023. Her journey to success is a testament to dedication, resilience, and a steadfast commitment to public service.

Donuru Ananya Reddy UPSC Topper Biography

Check here: UPSC CSE Final Result 2023

Early Life and Education

Ananya’s academic journey began with a strong foundation laid by her family, particularly her grandfather, who introduced her to the world of civil services at a young age. Born with a keen intellect and a drive to serve her nation, she pursued her undergraduate studies in geology, graduating with honors from Delhi University’s esteemed Miranda House college in 2021.

Career Aspirations

Driven by a desire to make a meaningful impact on society and inspired by the prospect of contributing to the nation’s governance, Ananya embarked on her journey to prepare for the UPSC examinations soon after completing her graduation. The unique blend of serving her country while engaging in administrative duties captivated her, leading her to set her sights on joining the esteemed Indian Administrative Service (IAS).

Check here:  UPSC Topper Aditya Srivastava

Donuru Ananya Reddy UPSC Journey

Ananya’s dedication and perseverance bore fruit when she cracked the UPSC Civil Services Examination in her maiden attempt, securing an impressive third rank nationwide. Her success not only exemplifies her academic prowess but also underscores her ability to navigate the rigorous selection process with confidence and grace.

During the intimidating interview round of the civil services final examination, Ananya’s confidence shone through, despite facing rigorous questioning from the panel. Her ability to stay composed under pressure and provide thorough, well-thought-out answers impressed the board members, further cementing her credentials as a formidable candidate.

Ananya’s approach to preparation reflects her pragmatic philosophy towards success. She advocates for a personalized approach to UPSC exam preparation, emphasizing the importance of identifying individual strengths and weaknesses. Her advice to aspirants highlights the need to adapt and evolve strategies according to one’s unique circumstances, rather than blindly following conventional methods.

Check here:  UPSC Topper Animesh Pradhan  

Donuru Ananya Reddy Legacy

Ananya’s journey serves as an inspiration to countless aspirants across the country, demonstrating that with dedication, perseverance, and a strategic approach, even the most formidable challenges can be overcome. Her success not only symbolizes individual achievement but also embodies the spirit of service and excellence that defines the civil services.

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Donuru Ananya Reddy (Rank 3) UPSC 2023 Topper FAQs

Who is donuru ananya reddy.

Donuru Ananya Reddy is a top-ranking civil servant who secured the third rank in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination of 2023 in her first attempt.

What is Ananya Reddy's educational background?

Ananya graduated with a BA (Honours) in Geology from Miranda House, Delhi University, in 2021.

What are Ananya Reddy's career aspirations?

Ananya aims to join the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) to contribute to governance and public service.

Greetings! I'm Piyush, a content writer at StudyIQ. I specialize in creating enlightening content focused on UPSC and State PSC exams. Let's embark on a journey of discovery, where we unravel the intricacies of these exams and transform aspirations into triumphant achievements together!

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SC: Right against adverse Climate Impacts as integral to Right to Life and Equality

Syllabus: Polity: Fundamental Rights

Source:  DTE

  Context: The Supreme Court has for the first time recognizedthe right against adverse climate impacts as integral to the right to life and equality.

What is the background of the case?

The recent judgment stemmed from a petition by wildlife activists aiming to safeguard the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB) , found only in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

In April 2021 , the Supreme Court issued an order imposing restrictions on overhead transmission lines within a vast area, proposing their conversion into underground power lines.

However, the government, citing concerns about hindering India’s global commitments to reduce carbon emissions, requested a modification of the directives.

In March 2024, the Supreme Court revisited the ruling , acknowledging practical challenges such as technical complexities and high costs. Consequently, the court modified its order, emphasizing the importance of balancing GIB conservation with promoting renewable energy and environmental preservation .

Key highlights of the Supreme Court judgment include:  

• SC emphasized constitutional provisions, including Articles 48A ( to protect the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife ), 51A(g) ( to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have compassion for living creatures )
• Expansion of Fundamental Rights : The scope of fundamental rights is expanded to include the right against adverse effects of climate change , with failure to ensure a stable, clean environment impacting the right to life, health, and equality.
• The intersection of Climate Change and Human Rights : The court emphasizes the intersection between climate change and human rights, underscoring the imperative for states to address climate impacts through the lens of rights .
• Technical Challenges in Implementation: The court pointed out technical challenges in implementing the April 2021 order, including limitations of underground power transmission cables and lack of provisions in the Electricity Act for land acquisition.
• Formation of Committee : A nine-member committee of experts was formed to assess the feasibility of undergrounding power lines in specific areas , with a deadline to submit a report by July 31, 2024.
• India’s Commitment to Renewable Energy : The court highlighted India’s commitment to renewable energy, aiming for 175 GW by 2022 and 450 GW by 2030 , viewing the transition to non-fossil fuels as a fundamental necessity for environmental preservation.
• Benefits of Renewable Energy Promotion : The promotion of renewable energy sources is seen as crucial for promoting social equity, poverty alleviation, enhancing quality of life, and fostering inclusive growth and development.

Referral to important Supreme Court judgments:

• C. Mehta v. Kamal Nath (1996): Acknowledgment that any disturbance of basic environmental elements is hazardous to “life” within the meaning of Article 21.
• Virender Gaur v. State of Haryana (1994): Recognition that the right to a clean environment is an integral facet of the right to a healthy life.

Impact of Climate Change on Human Rights:

Effects of Mitigation and Adaptation Measures on Human Rights:

• Hydroelectric projects can displace local communities, destroy ecosystems, and harm downstream populations.
• Biofuel policies may lead to food shortages, water scarcity, deforestation, and displacement of indigenous peoples and farmers.
• Some adaptation measures may benefit certain groups while disadvantaging others, such as coastal fortifications.
• Relocation and resettlement programs can pose risks of human rights violations for affected communities.

Measures Taken by India and the World to Protect Human Rights Against Climate Change:

• Implementation of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), which includes various missions targeting climate change mitigation and adaptation.
• Adoption of renewable energy initiatives like the National Solar Mission and promotion of clean energy sources.
• Integration of climate change considerations into national policies and programs, including water resource management and disaster preparedness.
• Promotion of sustainable agriculture practices to enhance resilience to climate change impacts.
• Implementation of the Afforestation and Reforestation programs to combat deforestation and enhance carbon sequestration.
• The United Nations (through a resolution in 2022) declared access to a clean, healthy environment as a  universal human right.
• Establishment of frameworks for climate finance, such as the Green Climate Fund , to support developing countries in their climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts.
• Promotion of climate-resilient infrastructure and urban planning to enhance resilience to extreme weather events and sea-level rise.
• Support for capacity-building initiatives to enhance the ability of vulnerable communities to adapt to climate change impacts.

UNEP recommendations:

• International Cooperation : Recognize the link between climate change and human rights in the Paris Agreement.
• Ensure climate funds’ safeguards fully consider human rights.
• Increase financial assistance to developing countries , especially for adaptation measures.
• Pursue domestic GHG reductions and align adaptation objectives with human rights.
• Incorporate human rights norms into domestic legal frameworks, including climate change laws.
• Local Governments and Private Actors: Local governments should reduce GHG emissions and pursue adaptation objectives. Private actors should adopt policies in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights .

Conclusion:

Climate change and its responses will significantly impact human rights worldwide, affecting both individuals and ecosystems. States must fulfil their obligations to mitigate GHG emissions, protect citizens from climate change, and ensure responses do not violate human rights. More ambitious actions and global cooperation are needed to safeguard human rights effectively.

Mains Link:

Though the Human Rights Commissions have contributed immensely to the protection of human rights in India, yet they have failed to assert themselves against the mighty and powerful. Analysing their structural and practical limitations, suggest remedial measures. (UPSC 2021)

Prelims Link:

Other than the Fundamental Rights, which of the following parts of the Constitution of India reflect/ reflects the principles and provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)? (UPSC 2020)

• Directive Principles of State Policy
• Fundamental Duties

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

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