Topic- Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation.
6) 2018 was the sixth warmest year on record, a result of the global warming trend. Discuss in the context of India.(250 words)
Why this question
India with its huge population and imperative development needs is placed in a precarious situation. In this context it is important to discuss the intensity and severity of climate change being witnessed in the country.
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 global warming and associated effects being witnessed in India. We have to present some statistics related to the previous year in order to present an overall picture.
Structure of the answer
Introduction– write a few introductory lines about the global warming being witnessed these years. E.g According to the IMD, 11 of the 15 warmest years were during the recent past fifteen years (2004-18).
Body-
Discuss further about the global warming being witnessed in India. E.g
- The rate of increase of temperatures over India is almost similar to the global average.
- With the increase in temperatures, more and more extreme weather events are expected to be experienced.
- During 2018, the IMD said the annual mean surface air temperature averaged over the country was +0.410°C above the 1981-2010 average.
- However, this was “substantially lower” than the highest warming observed over India in 2016, which was +0.720°C.
- The winter and pre-monsoon seasons, with an anomaly of +0.590°C and +0.550°C respectively, “mainly contributed to this warming” seen in 2018.
- “Mean temperature during the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons (with anomaly of +0.260°C, and +0.310°C respectively) were also above normal.
- Temperatures are increasing during both day and night time. Heat waves are increasing in frequency as well as magnitude.”
- As a consequence, “extreme rainfall and rainstorms which can cause floods are increasing. Dry spell duration is also increasing”.
- Apart from the six cyclonic storms that formed over the northern Indian Ocean, India experienced several “high impact weather” events.
- These were extremely heavy rainfall, heat and cold waves, snowfall, thunderstorms, dust storms, lightning and floods.
- “Uttar Pradesh was the most adversely affected state during the year which reported near 600 deaths due to cold waves, thunderstorm, dust storm, lightning and floods.
- Flood and heavy rain related incidents reportedly claimed over 800 lives from different parts of the country etc.
Conclusion- based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue.
