One would be excused for finding an embedded ‘global warming fingerprint' in drastic weather changes unravelling in Kerala over the last 50 years.
This is how Prof J. Srinivasan, Chairman, Divecha Centre for Climate Change at the Indian Institute of Science-Bengaluru, looks at the steady decline of rainfall in the State during this period.
CO2 CONCENTRATION
Prof Srinivasan said this while making a presentation on ‘Climate change: Past, present and future' at a one-day workshop on ‘Climate change and the future' held here on Saturday.
The workshop was co-sponsored by the Indian Institute of Science, EduWorld, an NGO, Federal Bank, HLL Lifecare, and Kerala State Biodiversity Board.
The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) has reached 390 parts per million, which is the highest measured during the last million years or so.
The resultant greenhouse impact has contributed to linearly progressive warming of the atmosphere.
Global mean temperature has inched up from 13.5 deg Celsius to almost 15 deg Celsius during the period from 1880 to 2004.
This nearly apocalyptic change is best attributed to the industrialisation and urbanisation drive fuelled by burning of carbon-emitting fossil fuels of coal and oil.
ISOTOPE RATIOS
This is also proof, if any was needed, to bear out how the change has not been brought about by naturally cyclic and periodical changes in weather/climate parameters.
If one were to go by isotope ratios of carbon dioxide that provide clue to the history of warming, it becomes clear that post-1900 warming was mostly caused by burning of fossil fuels, Prof Srinivasan said.
Time is running out, but he held out a streak of hope saying that it may not be too late provided ‘we act proactively from here and now.'
“We can either choose to sit back and pretend to our own peril that nothing bad is happening to the world or resolve to stop messing up the environment and hope and pray for the best,” he added.
COLLATERAL DAMAGE
Earlier, inaugurating the workshop, the Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy, said that the State of Kerala may already have started paying dearly for the various acts of omissions and commissions on the environment front over the past many years. The collateral damage has been to such an extent that the gains made on health, education and social welfare sectors over the past 100 years are in severe danger of being forfeited.
Unplanned and reckless development did not take into account the long-term impact on environment and society.
The bigoted race to mark up material gains involved massive compromise with environment and natural resources.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid waste management has since become a major bother for the State Government.
Destruction of green cover is causing flooding and drainage problems. Access to safe drinking water for the teeming population is fast becoming a big challenge.
“No wonder we are faced with a situation when diseases and afflictions once thought wiped out have returned to haunt us.
It is high time we reflected on this and acted fast,” the Chief Minister said. The young generation must imbibe in them the spirit to meet with the challenge.
More young students must come forward to make a career out of climate study and research, he added.