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Extreme weather events impacted 62 million people in 2018 worldwide and
forced two million people to relocate as man-made climate change worsened.
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Since
1998, about 4.5 billion people around the world have been hurt due to extreme weather events.
According to the United Nation’s Agency world meteorological
organization Global Climate Report 2018 says Earth is nearly 1 degree Celsius
warmer than when the industrial age started.
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The planet may see temperature increase 3-5C by
the end of the century report stated.
Highlight of the report
2018 witnesses a record sea level rise and high land and
ocean temperatures. 2018 was the fourth warmest year on record, and four
warmest years in record all took place between 2015 and 2018. The average
global temperature is now around one degree Celsius above pre-industrial
levels.
2018 also sets a new record for ocean heat in the top 700
meters which was approximately 2,297 feet and top 2,000 meters approximately 6,562 feet.
The global
mean sea level hit a new record and was around 3.7 millimeters higher than in
2017. Arctic sea ice extent registered record lows in February and January of
2018.
Carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere have jumped
from 357 parts per, million in 1994 to 405.5 parts per million in 2017.
The physicals
signs and socio-economic impacts of climate change are accelerating as record
green house gas concentration drive global temperatures towards increasingly
dangerous levels.
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Around 125 million more people were exposed to heat waves
between 2000 and 2016 and the average heat wave grew 0.37 days longer compared
to heat waves between 1986 and 2008.
Climate change could reverse progress made in fighting
global malnutrition. In 2017, the number of people suffering from malnutrition
increased to 821 million, and this was partly due to by droughts related to EI
Nino.
Flooding which was the climate-related disaster that
impacted the largest number of people in 2018 more than 35 million.
Climate change indicators are becoming more pronounced
Carbon dioxide levels, which were at 357 parts per million when the WMO statement was the first published in 1994, kept on rising and stood 405.5 parts per million in 2017. For 2018 and 2019, greenhouse gas concentration is expected to increase further.
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Carbon dioxide levels, which were at 357 parts per million when the WMO statement was the first published in 1994, kept on rising and stood 405.5 parts per million in 2017. For 2018 and 2019, greenhouse gas concentration is expected to increase further.
Extreme weather events have continued to haunt the humanity since the early 2019 itself, most
recently with tropical cyclone Idai, which cause devastating floods and tragic loss
of life in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi.
The start of 2019 has already seen warm record daily winter
temperatures in Europe, unusual cold in North America and searing heat waves in
Australia WMO’s report stated.
Rise in extreme weather events in India raises
concerns over climate change impact
In 2018 Kerala faced very heavy rainfall which brought chaos
in the state and affected lakhs of people. IMD researchers have observed that
the intensity of daily rainfall is indeed increasing, especially along with
western coast and in the north eastern states.
Vulnerability to extreme rainfall is increasing as more
people are living in low-lying areas and land development is changing drainage patterns.
When there is more rain than the soil can absorb, water will quickly run-off
overwhelming streams, drains and rivers, and causing flash floods.
In Uttar Pradesh, 590 people died due to extreme weather
events. The state with the largest population in the country saw 158 deaths due
to flood and heavy rainfall, 166 deaths due to thunderstorm, lightening (39
deaths), dust storm (92 deaths) and cold wave took 135 lives.
Severe weather events have caused catastrophic loss of life
and property across the country in recent years. Torrential rainfall caused
floods in Jhelum and Chenab 2014, causing nearly village in Kashmir to
submerge. Chennai bore the brunt next year in November 2015, Assam in 2016. In 2017,
Mumbai and Gujarat were forced to shut down because of record heavy rainfall.
According to the study, there have been 285 reported flooding
events in India over 1950-2017 affecting about 850 million people, leaving 19
million homeless and killing about 71,000 people.
US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
also raise concerns about the number of causalities in India because of extreme
rainfall events.
India is more vulnerable
India is more vulnerable because of its wide geographical
and demographic variations. More than 40 million hectares or 12% of the country’s
land prone to flood and river erosion, according to the National Disaster
Management Authority which says disasters seriously threaten India’s economy,
its population and sustainable development, mainly because of its increasing vulnerabilities
related to changing demographics and socio-economic conditions and unplanned
urbanization.
Serious implications for India
Summer has arrived with a vengeance with temperature already
exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in some parts of the country by the end of March. Even
more increases in temperature due to climate change would lead to a dramatic
rise in intense heat waves that could be many more people dying during the long
Indian summer.
A way Forward
UN shown serious concern over climate change, government
already understands that climate solution can strengthen economies, improve air
quality and public health and protect the environment. This will involve a commitment
to enhancing national pledges contained in the Paris Agreement by 2020. Every
country must come with innovative ideas to reduce greenhouse gas emission by
45% over the next decade and to get to net zero emission globally by 2050.
Developing countries like India where there are weak government
policies over climate change issue; India is a least aware country when it’s about
climate change. Currently India is facing highest level of pollution,
communicable and non communicable diseases due to pollution.
Initiatives could come from a range of areas “such as
energy, sustainable agriculture, forests and oceans and resilience to climate
impacts. Moreover radical steps must be
taken as the numbers and data are extremely worrisome globally.
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