Global warming is the increase in Earth’s temperature
Climatic changes have become one of the major problems for the world today.
It has become a matter of concern. In the name of development human races
are destroying mother nature. India has become one of those countries who
are vulnerable to climate changes. Unexpectedly many places in India are
getting hotter with the passage of time due to Heatwaves. Every day there are
information about different states that are likely to go through the heat waves
or are going through heat waves, it’s intensity and frequency are rapidly
increasing in India. But what are the causes and effects of heat waves and the
reason for drastic climatic changes in India?
By now you must have heard about Global warming? Global warming is the
increase in Earth’s temperature. It mainly occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2)
and other pollutants like Chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs), Ozone(O3), Nitrous Oxide
(N2O), Methane (CH4), water vapour and Synthetic Fluorinated gases
(greenhouse gases) collects in the atmosphere and absorb solar radiation and
sunlight. Normally these radiation escapes into space but these pollutants are
trapping the heat, making the planet hotter. Heatwaves are the result of this
trapped air. But the current era of global warming is totally attributable
towards human activities like burning of fossil fuels, coal, oil, gasoline, and
natural gas, which results in the greenhouse effect, even cutting down of trees
plays a vital role in global warming.
India is a tropical rainy climate region. India hosts two climatic
subtypes- tropical monsoon climate, tropical wet and dry climate. Now, India
has become one of the most populated country in the world, it even crossed
China. India having a high illiteracy rate, results in people having less idea
about sustainable development. They are excessively deforesting to develop
human settlements, increasing agricultural activities, changing land use pattern
and in rural area fossil fuel are being use excessively through vehicle emission.
Many poor societies are still relying on natural resources for their livelihood.
As per record, India was the 7th most affected country due to climate change in
2019, which led to extreme weather changes. Weather changes will change
rainfall pattern, gradually increasing of drought and flood. According to a study
published in the Journal of Hydrology (2018), almost 42% of India’s land is
facing drought. Punjab’s district is facing 88.11% of drought and 76.02% in
Haryana. Melting of glacier and polar ice, resulting in rising of sea level, which
will be harmful for coastal areas – effect of costal agriculture, frequent floods,
destruction of human settlements, loss of land due to inundation and erosion.
In the last 20 years, around 1.66 lakhs people died due to heatwaves in the
whole world. A similar heatwave in 2015 killed 2,500 people in India. Because
in India, most of the labourers work under the harsh sun without any
protective gear. Usually temperature falls at night and our body gets the
chance to cool down, but during heatwaves the body cannot cool down even
at night due to the temperature being the same as during the day. That results
in various health issues and deaths.
Recently, cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai crossed 40degree Celsius, 11
people in Maharashtra died. Though this is just the start of summer. To some
extend urban lifestyle is also responsible for global warming. To shape
themselves in the race of becoming first world countries, humans are building
sky rise buildings for better internet, speed in cutting down of trees and
installing powerful tower, to make lifestyle easier and faster, using of cars and
installation of Air conditioner can be seen everywhere, recently Kolkata built
under water metro, which is clearly contributing against nature. Creating many
dump yards results to increase of Methane gas, causing extreme heat and also
with the contribution of dump yards catching fire.
Many scientists predicted that within 10 years there will be drastic changes
which will occur in weather in these cities. These cities will experience more
high temperature and Kolkata will additionally experience rise of sea levels and
flood and cities like Delhi, Haryana, UP, Rajasthan will experience deadly
drought.
Even now at some extend we can solve the climatic problem by giving proper
education, inventing alternative solution and making people understand about
sustainable development. Here media can play a very important role in
cultivating these senses in human race. Media holds a powerful position in
shaping people’s perspective. Constant awareness can bring a lot of changes in
the society. If not then our next generation have to face dangerous time.
