Rise in Sea Levels in India Due to Climate Change

General Studies Paper-3

Context: According to a report Mumbai has witnessed the maximum rise in sea levels (4.44 cm) among 15 Indian coastal cities between 1987 to 2021.

Major Highlights of the Report

• The report presents information on changes in sea levels under historical and future climate scenarios for 15 Indian coastal cities and towns.
• Mumbai is followed by Haldia, Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Paradip, and Chennai.
• Future Outlook: The rise in sea levels will continue until the end of the century under all scenarios in all 15 cities and towns, with the highest rise predicted for Mumbai.
• The socio-economic factors such as population, education, and urbanisation might affect greenhouse gas emissions over the next century, thereby impacting climate change.
• Land Submersion: More than 10% of the land in Mumbai, Yanam, and Thoothukudi, 5%–10% in Panaji and Chennai, and 1%–5% in Kochi, Mangalore, Visakhapatnam, Haldia, Udupi, Paradip, and Puri would be submerged due to rise in sea levels by 2040.
• Key sectors that will be impacted include water, agriculture, forest and biodiversity, and health.
  • The beaches, backwaters, and mangrove forests are particularly at risk, impacting biodiversity and tourism.
• Reason: Climate change brought on by fossil-fuel burning and greenhouse gas emissions has led to a steady increase in global temperatures.
  • As a result, sea surface temperatures and glacier melting have increased, eventually rising sea levels and posing a major threat to coastal cities worldwide, including Indian coastal cities.

Climate Change

• Climate change refers to long-term shifts in global or regional climate patterns.
• It’s primarily driven by human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes, which release greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane into the atmosphere.
• These gases trap heat, causing the Earth’s temperature to rise—a phenomenon known as global warming.
• Impact: It threatens the essential ingredients of good health – clean air, safe drinking water, nutritious food supply and safe shelter – and has the potential to undermine decades of progress in global health.

UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

• It is an international treaty that came into force in 1994.
• Aim: To stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system.

Key features of the UNFCCC:

• Parties and Membership: The Convention has 198 members.
• Conference of the Parties (COP): It is the supreme decision-making body of the UNFCCC and COP meetings are held annually.
• Funds to Developing Countries: Industrialized nations agree under the Convention to support climate change activities in developing countries by providing financial support for action on climate change– above and beyond any financial assistance they already provide to these countries.
• Kyoto Protocol: It was adopted in 1997 and establishes legally binding emission reduction targets for developed countries.
  • It operates under the framework of the UNFCCC and has its own decision-making body, the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP).
• Paris Agreement: Adopted in 2015 at COP21 in Paris, it is an international treaty that builds upon the UNFCCC.
  • It aims to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
  • The Paris Agreement emphasizes nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and encourages all countries to take climate action.

India’s Efforts to Combat Climate Change

• Renewable Energy Expansion: India has set ambitious targets for renewable energy generation, aiming to increase its capacity significantly.
  • The country has invested heavily in solar and wind energy projects, with the goal of reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
• International Commitments: India is a signatory to the Paris Agreement, committing to reduce its carbon intensity and increase the share of non-fossil fuel energy sources in its total energy mix.
  • India has announced its aim to meet 50% of its electricity demands from renewable energy sources by 2030.
• Afforestation and Forest Conservation: Recognizing the role of forests in carbon sequestration and climate regulation, India has initiated programs to increase forest cover, restore degraded lands, and promote sustainable forest management practices.
• Clean Transportation: India is promoting the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and has set a target of 30% EV market share by 2030.
  • The government has introduced incentives and subsidies to support the production and adoption of EVs.
• Climate Resilience: India is investing in measures to enhance climate resilience and adaptation, particularly in vulnerable sectors such as agriculture, water resources, and coastal areas.
  • This includes the development of climate-resilient crop varieties, water conservation techniques, and disaster preparedness measures.
• International Cooperation: India actively participates in international forums and collaborations on climate change, engaging in initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.