Extreme weather events have a deep impact on the top 10 countries including India.

Why in the NEWS?

• During 1993-2023, India ranked sixth among the top 10 countries affected by extreme weather events.

Key Points:

• According to the Climate Risk Index (CRI), a total of more than 400 extreme events were recorded in India.
• These events caused at least 80,000 deaths.
• They caused a total economic loss of $180 billion.

What will you read next in this topic?

• Major Extreme Weather Events:
• Global impacts:
• Impact of extreme weather events in 2022
• Factors of Extreme Weather Events
• Efforts of India and the world to prevent extreme weather events

Major Extreme Weather Events:

Floods: 

• Devastating floods occurred in 1993, 1998, 2013, and 2019, causing massive devastation.

Heatwaves: 

• Extreme temperatures in 2002, 2003, 2015 killed thousands of people.

Cyclones:

• 1998: Gujarat Cyclone, which caused massive damage in coastal areas.
• 1999: Odisha Super Cyclone, which killed thousands of people and caused massive devastation.
• 2014: Cyclone Hudhud, which proved to be devastating for Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
• 2020: Cyclone Amphan, which caused massive devastation in Bengal and Odisha.

Abnormal heat:

• Temperatures reached 50 degrees Celsius in 1998, 2002, 2003, 2015.
• These heatwaves killed many people and caused water crisis.

Global impacts:

Mortality: 

• Extreme weather events caused more than 765,000 deaths. 
• Most of these deaths were caused by storms, heatwaves and floods.

Economic losses: 

• Globally, these events have caused losses of more than $4.2 trillion. 
• This amount is equal to the entire gross domestic product (GDP) of Germany.

Increasing incidence: 

• According to scientists, climate change and global warming have increased both the number and intensity of extreme weather events.

Affected areas: 

• Extreme heat, cyclones, forest fires, floods and droughts have caused disasters all over the world, the impact of which has been seen more in developing countries.

Social and environmental impacts:

• Crop production has declined drastically, threatening food security.
• Millions of people have been displaced, increasing the number of environmental refugees.
• Biodiversity has been lost, threatening the existence of many species.
• The health crisis is exacerbated because extreme weather events are accelerating the spread of infectious diseases.

Impact of extreme weather events in 2022

• Pakistan, Belize, and Italy were most affected.
• Greece, Spain, Puerto Rico, the United States, Nigeria, Portugal, and Bulgaria were also affected.
• Heatwaves caused the most deaths.
• Followed by floods, droughts, storms, and wildfires.
• The 2022 European heatwave was the main cause of high heatwave deaths.

Factors of Extreme Weather Events

Climate change and global warming

• Global temperature rise is making extreme weather events more frequent and intense.

• Emissions of greenhouse gases (CO₂, methane) are increasing the Earth's temperature.
• Warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, increasing the incidence of heavy rainfall and floods.

Increase in sea surface temperature

• Warming of oceans is producing more energetic cyclones and storms.
• Warmer sea water increases the rate of evaporation, increasing the likelihood of heavy rainfall and floods.

Deforestation and land use change

• Deforestation disturbs the climate balance, affecting the rainfall cycle.
• Urbanization and concrete structures absorb heat, increasing the "heat island effect".

Aerosols and pollution

• Air pollution increases fine particles in the atmosphere, which can affect monsoon and rainfall systems.
• Aerosols can affect the formation of clouds, which leads to changes in the intensity of rainfall.

Natural climate cycles (El Niño and La Niña)

• El Niño: Abnormal heat in the Pacific Ocean changes rainfall patterns, causing droughts and floods in some places.
• La Niña: A drop in sea temperature increases cyclones and cold storms.

Melting of glaciers and polar ice

• Melting of ice in the Himalayas and the Arctic is causing sea levels to rise, increasing coastal flooding and the intensity of cyclones.
• Melting of ice is causing an imbalance in freshwater sources, increasing the incidence of drought.

Agriculture and water crisis

• Extreme heat and drought are affecting crop production, increasing food insecurity.
• Drought conditions are worsened by a drop in groundwater levels.

Changes in jet stream and atmospheric circulation

• Changes in the speed and direction of the jet stream are causing the weather system to become unstable.
• This sometimes leads to excessive rainfall, sometimes sudden cold or extreme heat events.

Efforts of India and the world to prevent extreme weather events

• Many important steps are being taken in India and globally to deal with extreme weather events.
• These efforts are focused on mitigating climate change, reducing carbon emissions and implementing adaptation strategies.

India's efforts:

• Promotion of renewable energy
• India has set a target of generating 500 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030.
• The use of solar energy and wind energy is being promoted.
• The "International Solar Alliance" (ISA) was established by India in 2015.
• Reduction in carbon emissions
• India has set a target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.
• Many missions are being run under the "National Action Plan on Climate Change" (NAPCC).
• The FAME scheme has been implemented to promote electric vehicles (EVs).
• Water Conservation and Green Campaign
• Under the "Namami Gange Program", efforts are being made to clean and revive the Ganga River.
• Water conservation is being promoted through the "Jal Shakti Abhiyan" and "Catch the Rain" campaigns.
• "Green India Mission" has been implemented for large-scale tree plantation and protection of forests.
• Disaster Management and Forecasting System
• Accurate weather forecasting and warning systems have been developed by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).
• Preparedness to deal with disasters has been strengthened through the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Efforts at the global level:

• Paris Agreement (2015)
• 195 countries signed this agreement in 2015, which aims to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C.
• It has given a commitment to developed countries to provide climate finance.
• United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs)
• Several goals have been set to tackle climate change by 2030.
• These include clean energy, sustainable agriculture, water conservation and carbon reduction.
• Carbon Credits and Emissions Trading
• Many countries have implemented carbon credit systems, encouraging industries to reduce carbon emissions.
• The European Union (EU) and other countries have introduced carbon trading markets.
• Climate Finance and Aid
• Developed countries have promised to provide $100 billion in financial assistance every year to developing countries to tackle climate change.
• The Green Climate Fund and other international financial institutions are contributing to this assistance.