Essays

Climate change refers to a statistically significant variation in either the general state of the climate or in its variability, persisting for an extended period, typically decades or longer.

Change in climate may be due to natural internal processes or external factors, or due to persistent changes in the composition of the atmosphere or in land use brought by humans. Due to industrialization and urbanization, presently, the global atmospheric concentration of carbon-dioxide has increased to 393.69 parts per million (ppm). Estimated averages show that the temperature increases during 2090-2099 relative to 1980-1999 may range from l.llo 6.4 C and sea-level is likely to rise from 0-18 to 0,59 meters. These could lead to impact on fresh water availability, oceanic acidification, food production, flooding of coastal areas, and increased burden of water borne diseases associated with extreme weather events.

India is faced with the challenge of sustaining its rapid economic growth while dealing with the global threat of climate change. This threat emanates from accumulated greenhouse gas emissions, generated through long-term industrial growth and high consumption lifestyles. Presently, India is among the top 10 emitters of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) in the world. However, it is in India's interest to ensure that the world moves towards a low carbon future. With changes in key climate variables, namely temperature, precipitation and humidity, crucial sectors like agriculture and rural development are likely to be affected in a major way. As a developing country. India is closely tied to natural resources and agriculture, and water and forestry are climate-sensitive.

To combat climate change, India's National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC) aims to achieve national growth objectives, along with enhancing ecological sustamability that leads to further mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. NAPCC endeavors to deploy appropriate technologies, for both adaptation and mitigation of greenhouse gases and to promote sustainable development.

NAPCC also plans to extend international cooperation for research, development, sharing and transfer of technologies enabled by additional funding. India is a member of the Untied Nations Framework Convention and intends to cooperate with the same on Climate Change, The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international environmental treaty produced at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), and is informally known as the Earth Summit. The objective of the treaty is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.

The 2011 annual Conference of the Parties is to be hosted by Durban, South Africa, from November 28 to December 9, 2011. In 2012, Earth Summit will take place in Rio de Janeiro to secure renewed political commitment to sustainable development; to assess progress towards internationally agreed goals on sustainable development and to address new and emerging challenges. The Summit will also focus on two specific themes: a green economy in the context of poverty eradication and an institutional framework for sustainable development.