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I. Causes of Climate Change

1. Natural Causes (Minor contributors today):

  • Volcanic Eruptions: Release CO₂, SO₂, and ash, temporarily cooling the Earth.
  • Solar Variability: Changes in solar output can influence Earth’s climate.
  • Ocean Currents: Natural cycles like El Niño/La Niña affect global climate patterns.
  • Earth’s Orbital Changes: Milankovitch cycles affect solar radiation received by Earth.

2. Anthropogenic (Human-Induced) Causes (Primary drivers today):

  • Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions:
    • Carbon dioxide (CO₂) from fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas), deforestation.
    • Methane (CH₄) from livestock, landfills, rice paddies.
    • Nitrous oxide (N₂O) from fertilizers, industrial processes.
    • Fluorinated gases from industrial and refrigeration systems.
  • Deforestation:
    • Reduces carbon sinks.
    • Increases CO₂ in atmosphere.
  • Industrialization & Urbanization:
    • High energy use, construction, and waste production.
    • Urban Heat Island effect.
  • Agricultural Activities:
    • Emit CH₄ (livestock) and N₂O (fertilizers).
    • Land-use change contributes to emissions.

II. Consequences of Climate Change

1. Environmental Impacts:

  • Rising Temperatures: Global average temperature has already increased by ~1.1°C since pre-industrial times.
  • Melting of Glaciers and Polar Ice: Leads to sea-level rise and loss of habitat.
  • Sea Level Rise: Inundation of coastal areas and small islands.
  • Extreme Weather Events: Heatwaves, floods, droughts, and cyclones have become more intense and frequent.
  • Ocean Acidification: CO₂ absorption lowers ocean pH, affecting marine life.

2. Economic Impacts:

  • Agricultural Losses: Crop failure due to erratic rainfall and droughts.
  • Infrastructural Damage: Flooding and cyclones destroy property and assets.
  • Increased Disaster Relief Costs.

3. Social and Health Impacts:

  • Food and Water Insecurity.
  • Vector-borne Diseases: Malaria, dengue, etc., increase due to warmer climates.
  • Climate Refugees: Displacement due to sea-level rise and disasters.

4. Biodiversity Loss:

  • Habitat shifts and extinctions, especially in sensitive ecosystems like coral reefs, Arctic regions, and tropical forests.

III. Mitigation Strategies (Reducing GHG Emissions)

1. Energy Transition:

  • Shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy: solar, wind, hydro, bioenergy.
  • Promote energy efficiency in buildings, industry, and transport.

2. Carbon Sequestration:

  • Afforestation/Reforestation.
  • Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.

3. Green Transportation:

  • Promote electric vehicles, public transport, and non-motorized transport (cycling, walking).

4. Sustainable Agriculture:

  • Precision farming, organic farming, and reduced fertilizer use.
  • Methane-reducing practices in livestock rearing.

5. Circular Economy:

  • Reduce, reuse, recycle to cut emissions and resource use.

IV. Adaptation Strategies (Coping with Impacts)

1. Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure:

  • Flood defenses, cyclone shelters, climate-proof buildings.

2. Climate-Smart Agriculture:

  • Drought-resistant crops, efficient irrigation, crop insurance.

3. Water Resource Management:

  • Rainwater harvesting, watershed management, desalination.

4. Early Warning Systems:

  • Real-time weather forecasting and disaster response mechanisms.

5. Ecosystem-Based Approaches:

  • Mangrove restoration, wetland conservation to buffer storms and floods.

V. Global Initiatives

1. Paris Agreement (2015):

  • Legally binding agreement under UNFCCC.
  • Aim: Limit global temperature rise to well below 2°C, preferably 1.5°C.
  • Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): Voluntary emission targets submitted by countries.
  • Focus on mitigation, adaptation, finance, and transparency.
  • Developed countries pledged $100 billion/year by 2020 to support developing nations.

2. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC):

  • UN body for assessing climate science.
  • Publishes Assessment Reports (ARs) (latest: AR6, 2021–2023).
  • AR6 highlights:
    • Climate change is unequivocally human-induced.
    • Some changes are irreversible.
    • Immediate deep cuts in GHGs can stabilize warming.

3. UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change):

  • Established in 1992 (Rio Earth Summit).
  • Parent treaty of Paris Agreement and Kyoto Protocol.

4. Kyoto Protocol (1997):

  • First international treaty to set binding GHG emission targets for developed countries.
  • Introduced market mechanisms like Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).

5. Global Climate Funds:

  • Green Climate Fund (GCF): Supports developing countries in mitigation/adaptation.
  • Adaptation Fund, Global Environment Facility (GEF) also provide financial support.

VI. India’s Climate Initiatives

  • National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC): 8 missions including:
    • National Solar Mission
    • National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture
    • National Electric Mobility Mission
  • State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs).
  • International Solar Alliance (ISA): India-led initiative to promote solar energy globally.
  • Updated NDCs (2022): Net zero by 2070, reduce emissions intensity by 45% by 2030 (from 2005 levels), 50% energy from non-fossil sources.

Published by Pragyanxetu

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