Topic– Disaster and disaster management.
4) Given the startling forecasts about the impact of climate change, it is the need of the hour to educate and equip both rural and urban communities to build resilience against natural disasters. Discuss.(250 words)
Why this question
Climate change is a global and a vital issue having implications for all the communities and all the ecosystems. Given its potentially drastic and dangerous consequences it is important to educate people about the issue and also to build their resilience against natural disasters whose frequency is only going to increase in the coming years.
Directive word
Discuss- This is an all-encompassing directive which mandates us to write in detail about the key demand of the question. We also have to discuss about the related and important aspects of the question in order to bring out a complete picture of the issue in hand.
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to write in detail about the forecasts for climate change and its potential hazards. We have to bring out the need to educate and equip both rural and urban communities to build resilience against natural disasters. We also have to briefly discuss the strategy to do so.
Structure of the answer
Introduction- write a few lines about climate change and the temperature forecasts for the century, vulnerability of all societies and ecosystems, especially those inhabited by the poor to the disastrous effects of climate change.
Body-
- Discuss the forecasts for climate change. E.g The UN Sustainable Goals Report, 2018 notes that climate change is among the key factors in rising hunger and human displacement. The World Health Organisation estimates that climate change will cause an additional 250,000 deaths per year between 2030 and 2050, due to malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress. Undoubtedly, much of this loss will be accounted for by low-income groups in developing nations, including India. The World Bank projects that climate change could cost India 2.8% of its GDP, and diminish living standards for nearly half the country’s population, in the next 30-odd years etc
- Bring out the need to educate people about the possible implications and involve and equip them in building resilience against disasters. Mention the limited capacity of the government in tackling the climate change.
- Discuss how to build resilience against disasters. E.g compulsory environmental education to all students in schools and colleges; Corporate organisations, research and education institutes, NGOs and foundations have committed themselves to educating people about climate change and providing the know-how for mitigation, adaptation and resilience building. Both these initiatives have already been taken and have proven insufficient. Discuss what more can be done. E.g need to incorporate climate change to be articulated and specified as an activity for CSR, rather than be implied in the umbrella term of environmental sustainability; Scaling up current initiatives of the corporate and social sectors to regional or national levels etc.
Conclusion- Based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue.
