With the global warming of 1.5 degree Celsius in the coming two decades, the world is likely to confront a grime climate situation. Such appears to be unavoidable in nature. Alarmingly, if we allow this situation to prevail for a short term, its results will be irreversible.
Social patterns around the world will witness severe risks which would include low-lying coastal settlements. Unfolding environment news updates India right here.
Further,we already see heatwaves, drought and floods and such have grown out of proportion for humans and animals to withstand. We see reports of mass mortalities of trees and coral breeds. In fact and in fast, weather extremes have taken a set pattern which invite hazards which are hard to bear. Making things worse, all across South America, Asia, Africa and small islands, food and water insecurity has taken an alarming shape.
Now, to deal with such unpleasant events (which are life threatening too) such as massive loss of life, biodiversity, infrastructure, an ambitious action is the need of the hour, in a bid to make climate change a moderate affair and to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions. However, till now, the progress towards climate adaptation is not satisfactory.
Verily, to manage climate change, adaptation is needed for which many remedies have been suggested but the real ground action is missing as it is still not upto the mark, as per the startling revelations made by this report.
The action is missing among the lower income societies.
Hoesing Lee says, “It emphasizes the urgency of immediate and more ambitious action to address climate risks. Half measures are no longer an option”.
Climate change needs to be adapted to and we have many ways lying ahead for this.
This new report teems with amazing insights highlighting nature’s potential to minimize the risks resulting from climate change as well as to emphasize improvement in people’s lives. There are numerous options available for adaptation for climate change.
IPCC Working Group Co-Chair Hans Otto Portner also contributes, “Healthy ecosystems are more resilient to climate change and provide life-critical services such as food and clean water”.
He went on to proclaim,”By restoring degraded ecosystems and effectively and equitably conserving 30 to 50 percent of Earth’s land, freshwater and ocean habitats, society can benefit from nature’s capacity to absorb and store carbon, and we can accelerate progress towards sustainable development, but adequate finance and political support are essential”.
Scientists observe that climate change becomes responsive to shifting patterns globally, such as under-utilization of natural resources, widening urbanization, social inequalities, losses recorded from extreme events and the pandemic that has hit us hard (and is still doing so).
At this occasion, Debra Roberts who is Co-Chair at IPCC Working Group II opined, “Our assessment clearly shows that tackling all these different challenges involves everyone- governments, the private sector, civil society – working together to prioritize risk reduction, as well as equity and justice, in decision-making and investment”.
She continued,”In this way, different interests, values and worldviews can be reconciled. By bringing together scientific and technological know-how as well as indigenous and local knowledge, solutions will be more effective. Failure to achieve climate-resilient and sustainable development will result in a suboptimal future for people and nature”.
This report lays down a detailed summary of climate change impacts, risks and widespread adaptations occurring in cities housing the majority of the world’s population. From environment news updates in India point of view, this holds a great significance.
Certain hazards which are commonly confronted like heatwaves, drought, storms and floods and how our health, livelihood, infrastructure are being affected by these events are unwanted by the human race.
“Together, growing urbanization and climate change create complex risks, especially for those cities that already experience poorly planned urban growth, high levels of poverty and unemployment, and a lack of basic services”.
“But cities also provide opportunities for climate action–green buildings, reliable supplies of clean water and renewable energy and sustainable transport systems that connect urban and rural areas can all lead to a more inclusive, fairer society”.
Ample evidence indicates adaptation that has given way to certain consequences which are harmful to us, such as destruction of nature, risking people’s lives and greenhouse gas emissions. Such a situation can be overcome when everyone becomes a part of our planning, equity and justice should be held supreme and local knowledge should be prioritized.
In the report, this is clearly stated that Climate Resilient Development is a remedy to existing warming levels. But such are likely to be more limited if warming crosses the 1.5 degree Celsius, while in some regions, it will be hard if we allow warming to over 2 degree Celsius. Such is the main insight which enhances the urgency for climate action, by fixing our focus on equity and justice.
But then, in order to implement beneficial climate change adaptation and emissions reductions, it calls for firm political will, adequate funds, tech innovation and equal public involvement.
In conclusion, Mr. Hans-Otto Portner said,” The scientific evidence is unequivocal: climate change is a threat to human wellbeing and the health of the planet. Any further delay in concerted global action will miss a brief and rapidly closing window to secure a liveable future”.
Senior Indian Climate Scientists Blame HUmans For Climate Change:
On the second day of the International Indian Ocean Science Conference, R. Krishnan, Director of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology reveals every hidden info he uncovered during his studies.
Callousness on the part of humans is solely responsible for driving climate change at an insanely uncommon rate and the current century records the highest temperature in 2000 years, opines Mr Krishnan. He is found as the director and senior climate scientist at IIM Pune and he expressed his opinion yesterday on March 15.
The occasion was the second day of IIOSC to focus upon “Monsoon hydrological cyclone response to global climate change” which is a part of the findings published in the IPCC.
He remarked, “More than natural drivers like solar heating or volcanic activities, it is the human influence on climate change that has been growing since the 1850s”.
He made an addition, “Since the middle of the 20th century, global warming can be attributed to greenhouse gasses along with other influences like sulphur dioxide, organic carbon and other non-greenhouse gasses. Aerosols, too, contribute to climate change and hydrological changes”.
Making reference to AR6 report, the veteran climate scientist expressed concern about the rise in temperature between 1850-1900 and 2010-2019 which was at 1.1 degrees.
“But this has been offset by anthropogenic drivers like sulphur dioxide and other drivers, particularly important for understanding hydrological scenarios and monsoon”.
As a result of heightened warming, Arctic sea ice has been depleted which caused a rise in sea levels. Now, due to the enhanced smoldering on earth, we find wetter seasons dotted across the world in many parts, on a more frequent basis.
Besides, the AR6 report again put the onus on the human activities for the build up in global precipitation since the mid 20th century that is common to sight in lands with high and mid latitude.
Not only the land and sea surface get hotter but the high temperatures are recorded deep inside the oceans too, at a scary rate. the
He highlighted, “Even the surface oceans at 700 m or below (base values calculated for the period 1971-2018) are fast warming. The ocean heat content recorded at deeper layers from 0 to 2,000 m depth is high. Significant heating was observed along the Indian ocean compared to the Pacific ocean or north Atlantic ocean region, where the warming is more spatially varying”.
The report indicates wetter monsoons to prevail over South Asia, southwest Asia, Africa alongside the precipitation due to increase over the regions that are already wet. Besides, dry and arid seasons unfolded in subtropical areas which would be attributed to rainfall decrease in areas surrounding Mediterranean Sea and Southwest Australia.
