New Delhi, April 10: India is one of the most vulnerable parts of Asia that will face the brunt of the havoc caused by global warming. Not just water scarcity, floods, drought and loss of species, India and other vulnerable countries will face malnutrition, spurt in diarroheal and cardio-respiratory diseases as part of projected changes related to global warming. In India and China, excess mortality due to heat stress and risk of dengue fever has been projected as very high.
The latest report on climate change, Climate Change 2007: Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, by United Nations’ Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change states that climate change poses substantial risks to human health in Asia, with the relative risks for these conditions expected to be the largest by 2030.
"India is one of the most vulnerable countries along with some of the neighbouring countries in term of global warming. Upto 50 per cent of Asia’s total biodiversity is at risk and natural grassland coverage is projected to decline," IPCC chairman R.K. Pachauri.
The report has projected that Asian mega-deltas, including Brahmaputra, will be badly affected. Fresh water availability in Central, South, East and Southeast Asia, particularly in large river basins including that in Indian subcontinent, will decrease causing major water scarcity in the region.
With increase in temperatures, glaciers are melting in Himalayas and that will increase the chances of regular flooding and rock avalanches within next two to three decades.
The region will also witness a decrease in crop production, forest area and arable land, with more frequent and prolonged droughts, causing desertification in Asia.
"Food insecurity and loss of livelihood will be further exacerbated by loss of cultivated land and nursery areas for fisheries by inundation and coastal erosion in low-lying areas of tropical Asian countries," said Dr Pachauri.
The report states that climate change related melting of glaciers could seriously affect half-a-billion people in the Himalayan-Hindu Kush region.
India, China and Bangladesh are especially susceptible to increasing salinity of ground water and surface water resources, especially along the coast due to increase in the sea levels.
"Overall rainfall will decrease in the region and conditions like spring and summer seasons setting in much faster than normal will become common," said Dr Pachauri, who urged that countries in the region should double up the mitigation process of greenhouse gases.
