Tackling the Climate Crisis

Table of Contents

Tackle Climate Change- Relevance for UPSC Exam

GS Paper 3: Environment– Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation.

Tackle Climate Change- Background

The recently published Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report from Working Group I makes a clarion call for climate action.

IPCC report’s Sixth Assessment Report

Tackle Climate Change – Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report

On Global Warming: The past decade (2011-2020) was warmer by 1.09°C than the period from 1850 to 1900.
Prediction: IPCC report predicts that the 1.5°C global warming threshold is likely to be breached soon.
On India: The IPCC report warns India against more intense heat waves, heavy monsoons and rises in weather extremes in the future.
- Extreme weathers: The Global Climate Risk Index (2021) ranked India the seventh-most affected country by weather extremes.

Bureaucracy’s Digital Challenge

Tackle Climate Change- Adaptation strategies by India

India is targeting 450 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030 and it has launched mega solar and green hydrogen missions.
Shoonya program by NITI Aayog: aims to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, is yet another effort towards the adoption of clean technologies.
Other adaptation strategies: India has some dedicated initiatives towards adaptation, such as the National Action Plan on Climate Change and the National Adaptation Fund.

Stronger at the Grassroots- Making Disaster Resilience an Inherent Part of Community Culture

Tackle Climate Change – Way Forward

Breakthrough on adaptation and resilience actions is needed to save hard-earned developmental gains and adjust to new climate conditions.
Adaptation planning needs to go beyond a business-as-usual approach:
- A development-centric approach that aligns climate change, food security, and livelihood perspectives and takes into consideration regional specificities is crucial for reducing poverty and distress migrations.
- Governance at different levels needs to understand, plan, coordinate, integrate and act to reduce vulnerability and exposure.
Strengthen adaptation and resilience:
- Improved early warning systems and forecasting: will help India better prepare for climate change with high-quality meteorological data.
- Premier research institutes can be roped in to develop regional climate projections for robust risk assessments.
Develop well-functioning markets for environmentally friendly products and disseminate them for the desired behavioural change.
- This will result in the development of sustainable production systems.
Encourage private sector participation: this will help in investment in adaptation technologies and for designing and implementing innovative climate services and solutions in areas such as agriculture, health, infrastructure, insurance and risk management.
Protect mangroves and forests: to address climate-related risks by blending traditional knowledge with scientific evidence and encourage local and non-state actors to actively participate.
Ensure climate-proofed social protection schemes: to create resilient infrastructural assets, diversify the economy and enhance the adaptive capacity of rural households.
Effective feedback mechanisms: will help in continuous monitoring and evaluation and provide opportunities for mid-course correction.
- Periodic fine-tuning of State Action Plans on Climate Change is crucial to systematically understand micro-level sensitivities, plan resource allocation, and design responses to serve at different levels of intensities of climate hazards.

Peace at the Heart of Education

Tackle Climate Change- Conclusion

A more collaborative approach towards climate change adaptation is crucial. Next-generation reforms will promote new business and climate service opportunities across several sectors and thus create a sustainable economy.

Hunar Haat