Climate Change Where are we heading?

In my lifetime, the calls of warning about Global Warming/Climate Change began as a few voices. By
the time I was in high school in the 1990's, the voices of warning grew louder. Now, in the early part
of the 21st century, global Climate Change has become one of the key issues facing the planet today,
and is gaining ground as a society-wide fear.
The worst being Will climate Change (man-made or not) will fuel future wars? Will it be difficult for
our children and their grand children to find the place to live peaceful and happy lives?
Conflict between different groups of humans is as old as the species, and back in the dark epoch of
time, Climate Change was a genesis of some of the first conflicts.
If there was a lack of rainfall, increase of heat, increase of cold, the animal population would move
out of range of these hunter-gather groups, and these same environmental changes could also
disrupt the vegetation that these humans depended on. Without this supply of food and water, their
lives were in a critical state. This lead the group to seek out other regions with better hunting
grounds and supplies of water.. If this area had good hunting and good water, it is likely that
someone else owned it, and there was going to be a fight.
Our answers lie in the time. But today, we can analyse the impact happening on the climate due to
activities done by mankind and the race to make more money.
We have made this short documentary to increase awareness about the impacts and solutions of
climate change, and to encourage positive actions for safe-climate in coming future for our future
generations; one step at a time.
Scientists are not the only ones talking about these changes. From the apple growers in Himachal to
the farmers in Vidharbha and those living in disappearing islands in the Sunderbans are already
struggling with the impacts of climate change.
Climate ASIA - the largest ever study of peoples experience of climate changes in seven countries
did the survey in India on peoples experience of climate changes. The results are eye openers
87% of the people have noticed the increase in temperature
82% of the people have noticed decrease in the rainfall.
25% of the people have noticed increase in extreme weather events.
79% of the people have noticed the decrease in trees & forests.
90% of the people have felt the effect of climate change on health.
90% of the people have felt the effect of climate change on ability to earn money.
No one knows how much warming is happening.?
No one knows how much climate change is happening?
But, it is happening for sure & it is happening at the alarming rate.
What we do know is that climate change is already harming people and ecosystems. Its reality can
be seen in melting glaciers, disintegrating polar ice, thawing permafrost, changing monsoon
patterns, rising sea levels, changing ecosystems and fatal heat waves.
Mumbai, is amongst the cities most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) releases the final part of its Fifth Assessment
Report, which further discusses the possible future impacts of climate change. We can see the rapid
emergence of China and India. These nations, with their enormous populations, are now becoming
industrialised at a phenomenal rate, creating a huge increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
In June 2013 several days of extremely heavy rain caused devastating floods in Uttarakhand;
resulting in more than 5000 people missing and presumed dead. The flooding was referred to in the
Indian media as a "Himalayan Tsunami".
Increasing Trend of Extreme Rain Events Over India, in a Warming Environment is the point of
extreme concern. A substantial increase in hazards related to heavy rain is expected over central
India in the future.
The National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), in one of its first reports on the Uttarakhand
floods in June 2013, has blamed climatic conditions combined with haphazard human intervention
in the hills for the disaster. Climate models, analyzed by experts, predict that India will be hit more
and more by extreme rainfall events in future and J&K is certainly among the most vulnerable ones
due to impact of global warming on Himalayan glaciers.
In the last 10 years, several extreme rainfall events have rocked the country, and floods of 2014
monsoon in Jammu and Kashmir is the latest calamity in that series. We will have to see the linkages
between climate change and the events such as those unfolding in J&K. We will have to accept that
climate change is going to affect us more and more in the future. We will, therefore, have to start
preparing to adapt to the changing climate.
Most climate models also predict that India will be hit more and more by extreme rainfall events as
the world continues to warm in the coming decades", said the Centre for Science and Environment.
It has been observed that theseasonal rainfall pattern has been disturbed greatlyin past few years.
Winters are going almost dry, without significant rainfall in the lower altitudesand without snow in
the higher altitudes. Winter season seems to be reduced, while spring season appears to be sifted
about a month earlier.
The overall pattern of rainfall in both seasons has changed considerably in the last decade. Monsoon
rains have become extremely localized in both space and time, which could be considered a strong
indicator of climate change. Rains are coming in intense showers instead of being spread evenly over
time. Duration of rainfall has been reduced to between merely a few minutes to 1 to 2 hours, while
intensity has increased many folds.
Such unpredictable situations are clear indications of major shift in the climatic conditions in
Northern valley of India.
Odishas super cyclone in 1999, torrential rains in Mumbai in 2005, Uttarakhand downpour in 2013
and Jammu & Kashmir floods in 2014 constitute four clear weather related events in less than 15
years, each causing massive destruction or dislocation in India.

The World Bank Group commissioned the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and
Climate Analytics to look at the likely impacts of temperature increases from 2C to 4C in three
regions, one of them being South Asia. Report said that under 4C warming, the west coast and
southern India are projected to shift to new, high-temperature climatic regimes with significant
impacts on agriculture.

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 Indias crop area and led to a huge fall in crop production.
No one is immune to climate change! Not even our children!
The worst being currently, will climate change lead to war? Climate change increases the risk of
armed conflict around the world because it worsens poverty and economic shocks. Asia is facing the
brunt of climate change and will see severe stress on water resources and food-grain production in
the future, increasing the risk of armed conflict among India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and China, the
latest report of a UN panel has warned.
Changing Rainfall Patterns
A decline in monsoon rainfall since the 1950s has already been observed. The frequency of heavy
rainfall events has also increased.
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
Indias crop area and led to a huge fall in crop production.
Glacier Melt
laciers in the northwestern Himalayas and in the Karakoram range - where westerly winter winds are
the major source of moisture - have remained stable or even advanced.
On the other hand, most Himalayan glaciers - where a substantial part of the moisture is supplied by
the summer monsoon - have been retreating over the past century.
Sea level rise
Mumbai has the worlds largest population exposed to coastal flooding, with large parts of the city
built on reclaimed land, below the high-tide mark. Rapid and unplanned urbanization further
increases the risks of sea water intrusion.
Agriculture and food security
While overall rice yields have increased, rising temperatures with lower rainfall at the end of the
growing season have caused a significant loss in Indias rice production.
Recent studies shows that wheat yields peaked in India and Bangladesh around 2001 and have not
increased since despite increasing fertilizer applications. Observations show that extremely high
temperatures in northern India - above 34C - have had a substantial negative effect on wheat yields,
and rising temperatures can only aggravate the situation.
Energy Security
Climate-related impacts on water resources can undermine the two dominant forms of power
generation in India - hydropower and thermal power generation - both of which depend on
adequate water supplies to function effectively.
To function at full efficiency, thermal power plants need a constant supply of fresh cool water to
maintain their cooling systems.
Water Security
Many parts of India are already experiencing water stress. Even without climate change, satisfying
future demand for water will be a major challenge.
Urbanization, population growth, economic development, and increasing demand for water from
agriculture and industry are likely to aggravate the situation further.
Health
Climate change is expected to have major health impacts in India- increasing malnutrition and
related health disorders such as child stunting - with the poor likely to be affected most severely.
Malaria and other vector-borne diseases, along with and diarrheal infections which are a major
cause of child mortality, are likely to spread into areas where colder temperatures had previously
limited transmission. Heat waves are likely to result in a very substantial rise in mortality and death,
and injuries from extreme weather events are likely to increase.
Migration and conflict
South Asia is a hotspot for the migration of people from disaster-affected or degraded areas to other
national and international regions.
The Indus and the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Basins are major trans boundary rivers, and
increasing demand for water is already leading to tensions among countries over water sharing.

DO we need more proof to make our conscious brain alert about the dangers from climate
change?
In the analysis done by Asian Development Bank, it said that; if the world continues on its carbon-
intensive path, climate change will slash up to 8.7% a year off Indias GDP in 2100. The costs will
initially be much smaller, but progressively increase as rising temperatures reduce crop yields and
increase energy demand for cooling.
Barack Obama has signalled to developed economies such as Australia and emissions-heavy
emerging giants such as India and China that they must lift their games on cutting pollution.
Video Source: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/bigger-threat-than-terrorism-
barack-obama-signals-australia-india-and-china-must-improve-on-climate-change-20140924-
10l51d.html










So, what do we do? The answer lies in one secret, adapt to the changing environment.