IIT Mandi hosts workshop to discuss climate change, extreme events in Himalayan region

Scientists from all over the country gathered at the Indian Institute of Technology here to discuss how climate change and other phenomena are affecting the Himalayan region, making the population more vulnerable to extreme climate events.

IIT Mandi is hosting an International Workshop on Climate Change and Extreme Events(C2E2) in the Indian Himalayan region from 18th to 20th April, aimed at understanding the effects of melting of glaciers, increased atmospheric pollution, pollution due to crop residue burning in Himalayan region and applications of remote sensing.

Inaugurating the event Thursday evening, Dr M. Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India, said, Climate is changing and global warming is happening due to release of greenhouse gases. In many parts of the world, including India, the effects of climate change are being seen especially in mountain regions like Mandi.

The Himalayas were one of the world's sensitive hotspots to climate change along with the Artic Region. The climate change can affect food, water and energy security of the region, Rajeevan said.

"The Himalayan Region is experiencing increasing variability in weather in last many years. This could lead to further snow accumulation over this region and more research is needed to understand this phenomenon, he said.

"By studying data, there are also evidences that the number of extreme warm days and nights has increased in this Himalayan Region, which are clear effects of global warming," he added.

The uncertainties in environment have led to many extreme events such as glacial lake outbursts, earthquakes and rock/landslides, which can be mapped and monitored regularly using satellites.

We have to understand climate change and its impact as it is very important for future generations. The workshop has participation from all over India, besides Europe, and the U.S. with over 90 speakers from across India. Over 200 abstracts were received with over 150 listed and more than 90 oral and poster presentations during this workshop," said Ramesh P. Singh, workshop Coordinator and Visiting Faculty, IIT Mandi.

This workshop was sponsored by Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, India; DST, Government of India, Chapman University, California; International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics, Committee on Space Research, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO); and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Noted US geophysicist Professor Roger Bilham, whose research forms the basis for the current knowledge about earthquakes in the Himalayan region delivered a video lecture on Future great earthquakes in the Himalaya.