Political will around world to fight climate change is 'meagre and weak': CSE

Advocacy group Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has expressed apprehension that climate change impacts in India will only get worse, even as it termed "meagre and weak" the current political will around the world to address the issue.

The remarks on Friday by CSE's Deputy Director General Chandra Bhushan came in the backdrop of a recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report that said countries like India would be worst affected by climate change.

Noting that the future of India will be "incredibly grim" in the face of increased temperatures and extreme weather events, Bhushan said the research shows that India is already one of the most vulnerable countries as far as climate change is concerned.

"Research done by CSE estimates that between 1901 and 2017, India has warmed by almost 1.2 degrees Celsius which is more than the global increase in average temperature," said Bhushan at a media briefing here ahead of the Conference of Parties on climate change in Poland next month.

The crucial CoP on climate change is going to take place in Poland in December and is expected to discuss the IPCC report's findings.

"Climate change impacts in India will only get worse and the current political will around the world to fight climate change is meagre and weak," he said.

The report said the current level of climate ambition as set out under the Paris Agreement will lead to disastrous effects on the planet as it is not in line with limiting warming of the planet to even two degrees Celsius.

Bhushan also gave a set of recommendations which included enhancing sinks in natural ecosystems to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and action on all fossil fuels.

He quoted the IPCC report on global warming which said that human activities have caused approximately 1 degree Celsius of global warming above pre-industrial level.

The report points out that the risk transition from 1.5C to 2C is very high and that the effects at 2C will be more devastating than what the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report had indicated.

Coastal nations and agricultural economies like India would be the worst affected, the report said, adding decline in crop yields, unprecedented climate extremes and increased susceptibility could push poverty by several million by 2050.

He also called the US the biggest problem "in the room".

"It is clear and evident that the US poses the biggest obstacle in putting together a global coalition to fight climate change and limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius," he said.