Page 14 - 30NOV2018E

CoverStory ENVIRONMENT

through afforestation. Solid waste and wastewater
management remains poorly addressed across In-
dia. Waste sector emissions grew 4% annually from
2005-2013.

CHANGE IN CLIMATE IS
CHANGING INDIAN CITIES:
For years, developing countries have faced the para-
dox of curbing greenhouse emissions while sus-
taining the economic growth required for develop-
ment. The big question the conspiracy theorists have
always asked is whether the cost of adopting and
sustaining a green economy is worth the long term
dividends. But the nature itself is providing the
answers. The great Himalayas have not escaped

The big question

the conspiracy

theorists have

always been asking
is, whether the cost

of adopting and

sustaining a green

economy is worth the

Climate change makes long-term dividends?
natural calamities more
frequent and devastating

temperature may rise from 1.7°C to 2°C . The cyclonic In the year 2013, India emitted 2.8 gigatons CO2e – in some states accelerate shifts towards cleaner fuel. the fury of climate change. While cold desserts like
disturbances over Indian Oceans during summer less than the U.S. or China. Per capita emissions also States like Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra Ladakh as well as Lahaul & Spiti have faced increase
monsoon are likely to be more intense and the sys- track well behind these nations. 68 of India’s emis- lead in the uptake of natural gas due to the avail- erratic rainfall events despite being rain-shadow
tems may form slightly to the south of normal loca- sions between 2005-2013 came in from the energy ability of gas pipelines. However, the Indian indus- regions, there has been considerable decrease in
tions. The ensemble mean changes in the monsoon sector, more than three times the second-largest (the trial sector uses gas as feedstock and heating fuel, snowfall in the higher passes. Such variation in
rainfall are in the range of 2 to 12% while the annual industry sector). Energy-related emissions continue traditionally due to limited domestic gas availability. weather has affected the fragile mountain ecosys-
temperature changes are of the order of 1.4 to 1.9o C. to dominate, with its percentage share within overall Hence, transitions to cleaner fuel were not strong tem and many glacier are on the brink of disappear-
The GHG Platform India, a collective civil-society national emissions remaining more or less constant enough to make a significant cut in the share of coal ance. Rampant and unplanned construction, defor-
initiative, documents GHG emissions at a more gran- (62 percent in 2005 to 63 percent in 2013) over the use by industries. emissions from agriculture, for- estation and industrial activity on riverbanks has
ular level and offers recent data aggregated from re- years. Within the energy-sector, about 77% comes estry and other land-use (AFOLU) declined slightly, led to frequent landslides and flash floods. For years,
liable sources. From 2005 to 2013, India emitted 20.54 from electricity generation, mainly due to the cur- by 1.95% annually. Aggregated numbers show that states like Uttarakhand have been facing flood like
billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), with rent fuel-mix within domestic installed capacities. India has maintained forest and tree cover, result- situations every monsoon due to isolated extreme
emissions growing annually by 5.57 percent. Emis- Four-fifths of industrial GHG emissions came from ing in a growing land carbon sink. The nation aims to rain events, even during drought conditions.
sions per capita grew, too, by 4.07 percent annually. coal consumption. Changes in fuel prices over time create a total carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 gigatons of CO2e Disappearing and shrinking beaches at several

TEHELKA / 30 NOVEMBER 2018 14 WWW.TEHELKA.COM TEHELKA / 30 NOVEMBER 2018 15 WWW.TEHELKA.COM

10-23 22nd CStory.indd 6 11/15/2018 4:40:38 PM 10-23 22nd CStory.indd 7 11/15/2018 4:40:46 PM