‘India is most vulnerable’

As the world gets ready for another climate summit later this month in Mexico, a new government report has categorised India as one of the most globally vulnerable nations to climate change.

As the world gets ready for another climate summit later this month in Mexico, a new government report has categorised India as one of the most globally vulnerable nations to climate change.

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India’s temperature is predicted to rise by two degree Celsius by 2030 unlike Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, which projected similar rise in temperature for south Asia by 2050.

In extreme cases, the report says temperature will rise by four degree if global carbon emissions continue to grow at the existing rate.

Depicting scenarios for 2030 period as compared with 1970, country’s first indigenous climate change science assessment report, Climate Change and India, has predicted increase in overall rainfall but lesser number of rainy days.

“The incidence of cloud bursts in Himalayan regions and flash rainfall in other areas except central and northern India will increase,” the report said.

This variation in rainfall pattern will mean that India’s main agriculture states such as Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and Orissa will face more severe droughts, the report prepared by Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment (INCCA), said.

Its probable impact on agriculture could be huge, with the report, predicting fall in rice and maize production between five to 20% and in certain areas such as coast of Andhra Pradesh by up to 35%. India needs an average rise in agriculture production of about 4% every year to ensure food at reasonable price to all the citizens.

“It (the report) indicates that we are one of the most vulnerable nations to global warming,” environment minister Jairam Ramesh said, while releasing the report with science and technology minister Kapil Sibal. The INCAA is an attempt of the Indian government to thwart international climate science politics.

Region wise temp variation