As nations continue to debate on the reasons of, and solutions to, climate change, data repeatedly corroborates the intensity of it. Mean temperatures have been rising gradually with cyclical ups and downs. From hovering near 25 degrees Celsius a century ago, annual mean temperature in India is kissing 26 degrees Celsius regularly in recent years, shows Chart 1.
Its impact on human life is starkly visible. Human deaths due to heat waves went through the roof in the 2012-2015 period, prompting the government to formulate a heat action plan. This increased awareness, improved reporting of heat waves and reduced extreme heat-related deaths, reveals Chart 2.
The faster melting of ice in the Himalayan region has always been a kind of benchmark to substantiate global warming effects. In the last five years, the area under glacial lakes — which are formed due to melting ice — has been rising faster and faster, evident in Chart
TO READ THE FULL STORY, SUBSCRIBE NOW NOW AT JUST RS 249 A MONTH.
Subscribe To Insights
Key stories on business-standard.com are available to premium subscribers only.Already a BS Premium subscriber? Log in NOW
Or