Editorial: Shattering climate records

The goals need to be reframed and redefined in view of the grave implications of climate change

Extreme weather events are becoming commonplace, a scenario long predicted by scientists. Cyclone Michaung, which caused widespread damage in Chennai and south coastal Andhra Pradesh, comes as yet another warning of how the climate crisis has accentuated natural disasters. An already creaking urban drainage system is stretched even further, leading to a breakdown, which is what happened in Chennai as well. Across the world, extreme climate events are steeply increasing. The Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) has warned that what was earlier witnessed once in a century could become an annual event now. This is largely a man-made tragedy. The ongoing international efforts to control the climate crisis are not enough. The goals need to be reframed and redefined in view of the grave implications of climate change. The United Nations Climate Change summit at Dubai— COP28— has just launched the Loss and Damage fund, meant to help vulnerable countries cope with climate crisis disasters. Indian cities too need to be ready for frequent extreme events. From ensuring better upkeep and expansion of public infrastructure to protecting natural drainage systems to putting disaster management plans in place, the task is cut out for urban planners. India saw an intense onslaught of extreme weather events, impacting a staggering 86% of days in the first nine months of this year, as highlighted in a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). In a global context, research points to a surge in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events worldwide, primarily linked to climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels.

Global warming is causing more droughts, affecting our water supply and food. Also, our oceans are getting warmer, which leads to stronger cyclones with more rain. India, with its long coastline, will face more cyclones, and our inland areas will suffer from more heatwaves. As per the Paris Climate Agreement, the global temperature should not cross 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level. International efforts to stick to this threshold have not been quite successful. Already, the impact of high global mean temperature is evident in the form of extreme climate events including heat, wildfires and floods. There is an urgent need for significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and international cooperation in climate finance and policy reform. World leaders are now grappling with the monumental task of phasing out fossil fuels, a central theme at all climate summits. India too needs to move away from coal and invest in renewable energy to achieve the targets under the Paris Agreement. With just a few weeks left for the year to end, 2023 is already hurtling towards a global warming milestone, set to surpass 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, creating what the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) describes as a “deafening cacophony” of shattered climate records.

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