Kamayani Solanki, intern at APCTT in Delhi
Climate change is upon us – it is real and it is happening. In countries like India, where the majority depend on rain-fed farming, climate change challenges to agriculture seriously threaten people’s livelihoods.
It is widely recognised that the impact of climate change will not be uniform across the world. According to Professor M.S. Swaminathan, chairman of the M.S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in Chennai India, South Asia is especially susceptible to the negative consequences of climate change compared to other regions, due to the sheer number of vulnerable people. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has also found an upward trend in average temperatures, a downward trend in humidity, and a decrease not only in annual rainfall, but also in the number of days of precipitation per year.
Climate change affecting monsoon in India
The monsoon is essential for maintaining farming conditions in India. It is a seasonal prevailing wind that lasts for several months, caused by temperature differences between the land and the sea. However, changes in the monsoon patterns have lead to more scattered rainfall, droughts, floods, heat waves, storms and out-of-season flowering of certain plants. Whether or not these occurrences and incidents can be exclusively attributed to climate change, it is evident that our capacity to address the challenges caused by changes in rainfall patterns is currently limited.
At present, water emergencies threaten several parts of India, with about 246 districts suffering from drought or drought-like conditions. Usually the monsoon starts in early June, but this year the rainy season began in late August in some parts of the country. This limits opportunities for sowing crops, as rainfall distribution is essential for India’s agriculture. Losses caused by uneven rainfall can be seen especially in areas where the soil has a limited water holding capacity. Crop failures further threaten food and income security in these drought stricken areas. It is important to note that over 70 per cent of the Indian population lives in rural areas, where agriculture is the primary source of income. Crop failures would therefore have a serious adverse effect on the country’s GDP.
Initiatives to address climate change in India
The G8 Summit in Italy this July, which India attended, reached a decision to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent by 2020, in effect limiting the rise of temperature to two degrees Celsius. The magnitude of the problem, however, requires more than just a reactive response to change. Adaptation to climate change refers to a proactive approach - getting prepared for what might be ahead of us and attempting to minimise the negative consequences of climate change.
The Government of India has demonstrated its willingness to address the threat of climate change by setting up a National Disaster Management Centre (NDM India) under the supervision of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The centre was created to deal with disasters caused by climate change, which are already occurring in places like Maharashtra, Orrisa and Bihar. Nevertheless, despite significant advances in technology, Indian agriculture continues to be rain-dependent and fluctuations in agricultural production continue to be driven by variations in the spread and intensity of the monsoon, which results in drought-like situations.
To meet the environmental challenges, the Government of India has strengthened and re-engineered the existing institutional framework at both national and state level. The Ministry of Environment and Forest has taken many initiatives regarding climate change. For example, there will be a global conference that will help to define a roadmap for enabling technology development and transfer to developing countries to meet their needs in climate change adaptation in support of the UNFCCC process.
At the same time the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is initiating several projects to counter climate change. In India, UNDP's climate change work falls into four main areas: adaptation, information, carbon finance and supporting the MDGs.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests of the Government of India, with support of the UNDP in India has been working in the region with community members and other stakeholders to evolve lasting solutions for conserving the biosphere.
In my opinion, the challenges posed by climate change require strategic interventions and creative solutions. The initiatives taken by the government of India are examples of positive steps that have been taken to tackle climate change. However, a lot still has to be done to fully address the threats climate change presents to Indian agriculture and the livelihoods of the people. We must fight this battle together: “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness”. ■
Image: UN_Photo-Benoit_Marquet
Climate change is upon us – it is real and it is happening. In countries like India, where the majority depend on rain-fed farming, climate change challenges to agriculture seriously threaten people’s livelihoods.
It is widely recognised that the impact of climate change will not be uniform across the world. According to Professor M.S. Swaminathan, chairman of the M.S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in Chennai India, South Asia is especially susceptible to the negative consequences of climate change compared to other regions, due to the sheer number of vulnerable people. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has also found an upward trend in average temperatures, a downward trend in humidity, and a decrease not only in annual rainfall, but also in the number of days of precipitation per year.
Climate change affecting monsoon in India
The monsoon is essential for maintaining farming conditions in India. It is a seasonal prevailing wind that lasts for several months, caused by temperature differences between the land and the sea. However, changes in the monsoon patterns have lead to more scattered rainfall, droughts, floods, heat waves, storms and out-of-season flowering of certain plants. Whether or not these occurrences and incidents can be exclusively attributed to climate change, it is evident that our capacity to address the challenges caused by changes in rainfall patterns is currently limited.
At present, water emergencies threaten several parts of India, with about 246 districts suffering from drought or drought-like conditions. Usually the monsoon starts in early June, but this year the rainy season began in late August in some parts of the country. This limits opportunities for sowing crops, as rainfall distribution is essential for India’s agriculture. Losses caused by uneven rainfall can be seen especially in areas where the soil has a limited water holding capacity. Crop failures further threaten food and income security in these drought stricken areas. It is important to note that over 70 per cent of the Indian population lives in rural areas, where agriculture is the primary source of income. Crop failures would therefore have a serious adverse effect on the country’s GDP.
Initiatives to address climate change in India
The G8 Summit in Italy this July, which India attended, reached a decision to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent by 2020, in effect limiting the rise of temperature to two degrees Celsius. The magnitude of the problem, however, requires more than just a reactive response to change. Adaptation to climate change refers to a proactive approach - getting prepared for what might be ahead of us and attempting to minimise the negative consequences of climate change.
The Government of India has demonstrated its willingness to address the threat of climate change by setting up a National Disaster Management Centre (NDM India) under the supervision of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The centre was created to deal with disasters caused by climate change, which are already occurring in places like Maharashtra, Orrisa and Bihar. Nevertheless, despite significant advances in technology, Indian agriculture continues to be rain-dependent and fluctuations in agricultural production continue to be driven by variations in the spread and intensity of the monsoon, which results in drought-like situations.
To meet the environmental challenges, the Government of India has strengthened and re-engineered the existing institutional framework at both national and state level. The Ministry of Environment and Forest has taken many initiatives regarding climate change. For example, there will be a global conference that will help to define a roadmap for enabling technology development and transfer to developing countries to meet their needs in climate change adaptation in support of the UNFCCC process.
At the same time the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is initiating several projects to counter climate change. In India, UNDP's climate change work falls into four main areas: adaptation, information, carbon finance and supporting the MDGs.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests of the Government of India, with support of the UNDP in India has been working in the region with community members and other stakeholders to evolve lasting solutions for conserving the biosphere.
In my opinion, the challenges posed by climate change require strategic interventions and creative solutions. The initiatives taken by the government of India are examples of positive steps that have been taken to tackle climate change. However, a lot still has to be done to fully address the threats climate change presents to Indian agriculture and the livelihoods of the people. We must fight this battle together: “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness”. ■
Image: UN_Photo-Benoit_Marquet
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