Various eminent personalities of environmental community had emphasised on the need of sensitising people for curbing increasing level of pollution across the country. A two-day seminar “Environmental Pollution and Climate Change” jointly organised by Doon University, Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board, Dehradun and School Environmental Sciences, JNU, New Delhi was concluded in Doon University campus on Saturday. Specialists were concerned about increasing level of pollution across the country due to various man-made factors, resulting climate change across the country.
On the second day, the first paper was “Issues of Climate Change” was presented by Professor VK Jain, School of Environment Science, JNU and detailed presentation on climate change indicating that emission of Green House Gas (GHG) is increasing in the atmosphere.
Although, Carbon dioxide occupies 57 per cent of CHG, its role in global warming in expected to be least as compared to other harmful gases present in the atmosphere. The second paper on “Climate Change and Bio-diversity” was presented by Dr KS Rao, Delhi University. He elaborated the effect of climate change on agricultural due to uncertain rains, drought, and change in temperature pattern.
“Although increased temperature at high altitude has a role in increasing the productivity of crops, it would be helpful for horticulture crops, where flowing is dependent on cold temperature and dormancy. The third paper was on “ Changes in microbial community dynamics and diversity in presence of elevated carbon dioxide and other green house gases in the environment” was presented by Professor IS Thakur and he explained that how the bacteria, especially cynobactial community capture carbon dioxide and other green house gases from the atmosphere.
Additionally, “ Climate modeling and climate change in western Himalayas” was presented by Dr AP Dimri, School of Environment Sciences, JNU, New Delhi. He presented various models based on climatological data, which could be help in measuring the effect of global warming on glaciers or extreme weather events in the accumulation zone. Dr Renu Singh, ICFRE had presented on “Vulnerability and adaptation of forest ecosystem to climate change” and highlighted the adverse effects of global warming on forest ecosystem, focusing upward movement and shifting of various species, thus unbalancing the composition of species assemblage.
She also elaborated various strategies and studies required to understand the impact of global warming on the forest. The third paper “Climate change impacts: myths and realities” was presented by Dr Anand Sharma, State Meteorological Department and gave examples in support of variability of which generated lot of discussion in the seminar.
