01-05-2024 CARE mains practice

 

Q1. India as a whole has been suffering from the impacts of heat wave in recent past.’ In the light of the above statement, state the criteria used by Indian Meteorological Department to declare a heatwave, causes behind the heat waves and socio-economic impacts that heat waves have on the sub-continent. What measures can be adopted to mitigate the impacts of such heat wave conditions? (15 marks, 250 words)

Topic- Global Warming:


Introduction:

Temperatures touched 47.2 OC in the Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha in April 2024. The country as a whole has been suffering from the impacts of heat waves affecting the health, economy and agricultural landscape. The IMD has tried to objectively define the heat wave to provide advisories so as to warn the citizens of the hazard posed by heat waves.

Body :

  • Criteria used by the IMD to declare heat waves
  • Causes propelling the heatwaves
  • Impacts of heatwaves
  • Measures to be adopted to mitigate the impacts of heatwave conditions

Conclusion :                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Incidences of heatwaves have been on a rise with incessant emissions of fossil fuels and anthropological changes to ecology. The impacts from such events prove to be a great obstacle in India becoming a $5 trillion economy. Thus, there is a need to undertake systemic measures to counter the effects of heatwaves and safeguarding ecosystem integrity in the long run.

UPSC Syllabus Global Warming:

 

Why was this question asked?

Q. Most of the unusual climatic happenings are explained as an outcome of the El-Nino effect. Do you agree? (UPSC CSE 2014)

Introduction

Temperatures touched 47.2 OC in the Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha in April 2024. The country as a whole has been suffering from the impacts of heat waves affecting the health, economy and agricultural landscape. The IMD has tried to objectively define the heat wave to provide advisories so as to warn the citizens of the hazard posed by heat waves.

Body Status : 

Criteria used by the Indian Meteorological Department to declare heat waves:

  • When the maximum temperature at a station in the plains reaches 40 OC or more.
  • When the maximum temperature at a station in the coasts reaches 37 OC or more.
  • When the maximum temperature at a station in the hills reaches 30 OC or more.
  • A normal heatwave is declared if the departure from the normal is 4.5-6.4 OC and a severe heatwave if the departure from the normal is 6.4 OC.

 

Causes propelling the heatwaves:

  • Deforestation: Global Forest Watch reported that India has lost 2.33 million hectares of tree cover since 2000 which shoots up the greenhouse gas concentrations owing to lack of carbon sequestration.
  • El-Nino and Climate Change: India has been facing the brunt of El-Nino which refers to a sudden heating of the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean that created heatwave like conditions in India and major parts of the world.
  • Since the Industrial Revolution, the average temperature of the earth has increased by 1 OC thereby contributing to frequent heatwave like conditions.
  • Urban Heat Islands: Minimal vegetation, traffic congestion and high rise buildings in Central Business Districts like Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai etc have trapped heat leading to urban heat island effect resulting in localized heatwave conditions.
  • Fossil fuel emissions: According to IPCC, in 2018, 89% of the greenhouse gas emissions came from fossil fuels and industry. These gases trap heat and contribute to heatwave like conditions.

Impacts of heatwaves:

Social:

  • Health issues: Heatwaves cause stroke, heart attacks, nausea, etc affecting population health, Women who handle household chores are particularly vulnerable to heatwaves as they travel miles to fetch water in water scarce regions of India.
  • Educational outcomes: School closures due to heatwaves can affect the educational attainments. Under privileged children are at a great risk as they pose higher chances of dropping out of school altogether.

Economic:

  • Workplace productivity: ILO remarks that worker productivity may drop by 50% under heatwave conditions. This is specifically relevant to blue collar workers who engage in field work and labour intensive processes.
  • Food security: Heatwaves affect the harvesting of paddy and wheat as they damage the grain structure apart from resulting in low yields.

Measures to be adopted to mitigate the impacts of heatwave conditions:

  • Afforestation: Adhering to the National Forest Policy, 1988, India must pursue of increasing its forest cover to 33% of the geographical area from the present 21% to improve carbon sequestration to contain heatwaves.
  • Technology: IMD can prepare heat hazard map of India on a seasonal basis using satellite data to make sure that citizens prepare for the impending heat wave in advance.
  • Transit Oriented Development: Horizontal extension of city like Chandigarh should be emulated by other cities to promote transit oriented development. This will reduce congestion in the Central Business District thereby averting Urban Heat Island effect.
  • Climate obligations: India is on track to achieve its Nationally Determined Contributions of reducing emissions intensity of its GDP by 45% by 2030 from 2005 levels.
  • Green transition: Switch to green fuels like hydrogen through flagship initiatives like National Green Hydrogen Mission will prove to be fruitful in the long run.

Conclusion

Incidences of heatwaves have been on a rise with incessant emissions of fossil fuels and anthropological changes to ecology. The impacts from such events prove to be a great obstacle in India becoming a $5 trillion economy. Thus, there is a need to undertake systemic measures to counter the effects of heatwaves and safeguarding ecosystem integrity in the long run.

Q2. Methane is the second most abundant greenhouse gas in the atmosphere with its hazardous impacts. Examine the sources of methane emissions. Elaborate on the measures taken to contain methane emissions and what more can be done to reduce the hazardous impacts of methane emissions? 15 marks (250 words)

Topic- Greenhouse gases:


Introduction

After carbon dioxide, methane is the second most abundant greenhouse gas in the atmosphere affecting the goals to mitigate global warming. About 20% of the global warming is attributed to methane. Over a century, methane has a 28 times higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide. Multiple sources contribute to the methane emission yielding hazardous effects. It has resulted in untold hazardous effects on environment, economy and society.

Body

  • Sources of methane emissions
  • Hazardous impacts of methane emissions
  • Measures taken to curb methane emissions
  • Way forward

Conclusion

The climate conventions and efforts to mitigate greenhouse gases would prove to be futile if practical measures to counter methane emissions is not take into account. Hence, the above mentioned measures along with innovative financing and technology transfer mechanism can have domino effect of the efforts to contain globally warming which must be rightfully pursued.

 

UPSC Syllabus Greenhouse gases:

 

Why was this question asked?

Q. Climate change is a global problem. How will India be affected by climate change? How Himalayan and coastal states of India will be affected by climate change? (UPSC Main 2017)

Introduction:

After carbon dioxide, methane is the second most abundant greenhouse gas in the atmosphere affecting the goals to mitigate global warming. About 20% of the global warming is attributed to methane. Over a century, methane has a 28 times higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide. Multiple sources contribute to the methane emission yielding hazardous effects. It has resulted in untold hazardous effects on environment, economy and society.

Body 

Sources of methane emissions:

              Thermogenic:

  • Volcanoes: Recently Mount Ruang volcano erupted in Indonesia. Such volcanic eruptions release large amounts of methane but it is not an incessant phenomenon like anthropogenic emissions.
  • Fossil fuel extraction: About one-third of the anthropogenic methane emissions are pointed to fossil fuel extraction with Russia being the top methane emitter in the world.
  • Earthquakes: Minor and major earthquakes on the sea and land too contribute to methane emissions.

              Biogenic:

  • Enteric fermentation: Global Methane Assessment, 2021 pegs that a single cow can produce 99 kg of methane in a year through enteric fermentation.
  • Wetlands: They contribute to 75% of the natural source of methane emissions. Anaerobic bacteria and microbes like archaea produce methane during their metabolic processes.
  • Agriculture: Agriculture contributes to 30% of the natural source of methane emissions. Paddy and wheat cultivation under flooded conditions is a major reason behind this.

 

Hazardous impacts of methane emissions:

  • Radiative forcing: Methane complements the effects of certain greenhouse gases like ozone further increasing the ambient temperature.
  • Health: Premature deaths and respiratory diseases like asthma, rhinitis, allergy etc are attributed to higher methane contributions in the atmosphere.
  • Accidents: Coal mines and empty gas rigs that still hold considerable quantities of methane result in fire accidents resulting in the death of mine workers
  • Climate change: methane emissions can jeopardize the efforts taken at combatting climate change like Montreal Protocol on Ozone, Convention on Biological Diversity and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

 

Measures taken to curb methane emissions:

  • Agriculture: System of Rice Intensification and Direct Seeding of Rice have been adopted which increased yield by 45% while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
  • GOBARDHAN initiative: Supports the biodegradable waste recovery initiatives through Incentivization of gas extraction facilities in villages and assured price support curb methane emissions.
  • Global Methane Pledge: 111 countries launched it at COP 26 to UNFCCC at Glasgow, The UK as a public-private partnership to reduce 30% of their methane emissions by 2030 compared to 2020.
  • Green Mobility: Initiatives like FAME I and FAME II by the government incentivizes faster adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles which goes a long way to containing methane emissions.

Way forward:

  • Adopting millet based diet patterns can reduce methane emissions as millets do not need standing water for their growth that is the source of methane emissions.
  • Ramping up on the funding pledges from the developed to developing countries under the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibility to adopt clean technologies for energy production can also curb methane emissions.
  • Strengthening accounting systems to track methane emission will aid in informed decision making at the policy level.
  • Carbon capture technologies can also be utilized as a short term measure to tackle methane emissions.

Conclusion

The climate conventions and efforts to mitigate greenhouse gases would prove to be futile if practical measures to counter methane emissions is not take into account. Hence, the above mentioned measures along with innovative financing and technology transfer mechanism can have domino effect of the efforts to contain globally warming which must be rightfully pursued.

 

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