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Pattern of extreme climate events across India changing: Study.
Details
Exposure to Extreme Climate Events in India
- About 85 per cent of India’s districts are exposed to extreme climate events.
- Additionally, 45 per cent of districts are witnessing a “swapping” trend, where areas once prone to floods are now facing droughts and vice versa.
Study of Extreme Climate Events (1973-2023)
The study mapped extreme climate events between 1973 and 2023, revealing that the frequency, intensity, and unpredictability of these events have increased fourfold in recent decades.
District-Level Assessment and Impact
The study involved a district-level assessment of extreme events using spatial and temporal modelling. It also investigated related event patterns and their intensifying impacts over time.
Multiple Extreme Events
More than 60 per cent of districts in Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam are witnessing more than one extreme climate event.
Flood-Prone Zones in India
- In terms of extreme events, eastern districts were found to be more flood-prone, followed by the northeastern and southern zones.
- More than 90 per cent of districts in Assam, 87 per cent in Bihar, 75 per cent in Odisha, and 93 per cent in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are exposed to extreme floods.
Drought-Prone Regions
- Districts in southern, western, and central regions were exposed to agricultural and meteorological droughts, which involve low soil moisture and rainfall.
- Northern India, along with some districts in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, faces hydrological drought marked by low water levels in streams, lakes, and groundwater.
Cyclone Events in Western Districts
A fivefold increase in cyclone events in western districts over the last decade, with an overall 5-fold rise in such events.
Some Recent testaments that climate has changed
- Kerala landslides triggered by incessant and erratic rainfall episodes.
- In the past two decades more than 80% districts in Gujarat have witnessed an increased frequency and intensity of extreme floods.
- Disappearance of Om Parvat’s snow cover.
- The cities getting paralysed with sudden and abrupt downpour.
- Weaker monsoon rainfall in June, followed by prolonged, heavy rainfall in September. This shift is accompanied by rising temperatures during monsoon months and an increase in the number of dry days over eastern India.
Future Risk Projections
- By 2036, more than 1.47 billion people will be at risk due to extreme climate events.
- It stresses the need for a hyper-granular risk assessment to protect key sectors such as agriculture, industry, and large-scale infrastructure.
Swapping Trend in Climate Events
- The geospatial and climatological analysis found evidence of a swapping trend, where districts once prone to one type of extreme climate event are now facing the opposite.
- For example, Srikakulam, Cuttack, Guntur, and Paschim Champaran, which experienced flooding, are now witnessing a shift from floods to droughts. This swapping trend is more prevalent in plains than in hill or coastal districts.
Factors Contributing to the Swapping Trend
- Changes in land use and land cover are driving or triggering extreme events.
- Warming oceans, which absorb heat from land, are affecting meteorological and climatological processes.
Impact of Natural Buffer Loss
The reduction in natural buffers such as trees, mangroves, and other ecosystems, which previously acted as shock absorbers against extreme events, is worsening the climate risk landscape.
Policy Implications of the Swapping Trend
- The swapping trend, affecting 45 per cent of districts, has significant implications for policymakers and decision-makers at the district and block levels.
- Areas that typically plan for floods must now also account for droughts, and vice versa.
How to prepare for extreme weather events: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/how-to-prepare-for-extreme-weather-events 19 August 2024.
Weather forecasting in India: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/weather-forecasting-in-india 30th August 2024.
Source:
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-districts-exposed-extreme-climate-events-here-why-9553641/
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pattern-of-extreme-climate-events-across-india-changingstudy-101725734502048.html
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PRACTICE QUESTION
Q. In recent years, India has witnessed an increase in extreme weather events. Assess the factors contributing to this trend and put forward some measures on how to prepare for it. 150 words
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