• UGI USER
  • Apr 28, 2024
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“CLIMATE CRISIS IN ASIA: IMPACT, PREPAREDNESS, AND ADAPTATION CHALLENGES”

Syllabus:

  • GS-3- Climate change and its impact on various stakeholders of society and nation

Focus :

  • Highlights from the World Meteorological Organization’s 2023 report on climate in Asia.
  • Emphasis on the region’s accelerated warming trend since 1960 and the alarming gap between climate projections and adaptation/mitigation efforts.

Toll of Extreme Heat in Asia

  • Statistics on casualties and affected populations due to extreme heat events across Asia in 2023- More than 2,000 people were killed and more than nine million were affected by extreme climate events across Asia in 2023. More than 80% of these events were related to storms and floods
  • Underreporting of heat-related mortality and specific cases in India.

Impact of Floods and Storms

  • Effects of tropical cyclone Mocha in Myanmar and Bangladesh, and subsequent flooding, landslides, and lightning fatalities in India, Pakistan, and Nepal.
  • Notable instances of flooding and landslides in India, particularly in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Early Warning Systems and Disaster Preparedness

  • Definition and components of early-warning systems.
  • An early-warning system is an integrated process that monitors, predicts, and forecasts hazards. It also includes activities related to risk-assessment, communications, and preparedness that allow individuals, communities, governments, businesses, etc. to take timely action to mitigate risks.
  • Success stories of early-warning systems in Asia, such as Bangladesh’s response to cyclone Mocha- take anticipatory action in Cox’s Bazar, which allowed local communities to better survive its landfall.
  • Analysis of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction’s evaluation of early-warning systems in Asia and comparison with global averages.

Implications for India: Response and Challenges

  • According to the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the average composite score for the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems was 0.46 out of 1 in Asia; 0.58 for preparedness to respond; and 0.50 for observation and forecasting. To compare, the world scored 0.35, 0.78, and 0.33, respectively, on average on these counts.
  • Commendation of India’s preparedness for cyclones but acknowledgment of challenges in managing lightning-related fatalities.
  • Evaluation of India’s historical resilience and inadequacies in addressing new climate change challenges.
About CDRI :

  • A global collaboration between national governments, academic and research institutions, multilateral development banks and finance mechanisms, the commercial sector, and United Nations organizations and programs is known as CDRI.
  • It seeks to ensure sustainable development by making infrastructure systems more resilient to risks associated with climate change and natural disasters.
  • 2019 saw its debut in New York during the UN Climate Action Summit.
  • By drawing in a wide spectrum of economically developed, developing, and disaster-prone nations, CDRI has progressively expanded its membership.
  • Following the International Solar Alliance, this is the Government of India’s second significant global project, and it highlights India’s leadership in disaster resilience and climate change challenges.

Call for Urgent Action and Adaptation Strategies

  • Perspective from Harjeet Singh, Global Engagement Director at the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, on the need for strategic overhaul of policies and adaptation strategies.
  • Importance of empowering communities to combat evolving climatic adversities.

Source:The Hindu

Mains Practice Question :

GS-3

“Discuss the impact of extreme climate events, such as heatwaves, floods, and storms, on Asia as highlighted in the World Meteorological Organization’s 2023 report. Evaluate the effectiveness of early-warning systems in mitigating disaster risks in the region” (250 words)