Environmental groups concerned about extreme weather events in India

Green bodies Monday expressed concern over the findings of the latest IPCC climate change report, saying India is one of the most vulnerable countries for extreme weather events.

Reacting to the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC), the Centre for Science and Environment said the impact of 1.5 degrees Celsius warming is greater than what was anticipated earlier while the impacts at 2°C are "catastrophic" for the poor and for developing nations like India.

Avoiding global climate chaos will require a major transformation of society and the world economy that is "unprecedented in scale," the IPCC said in a landmark report that warns time is running out to avert a disaster.

At current levels of greenhouse gas emissions, the 1.5 C marker can be breached as early as 2030 and no later than mid-century, the UN's IPCC reported with "high confidence".

The US is the "biggest" obstacle to forming a global coalition to fight climate change and the world needs to unite against the "obstructive approach" of the US, the CSE said, while asserting that Paris Agreement and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) cannot be the only way ahead to address climate change.

"The world needs a 'Plan B' to address climate change. India must take the lead in forming a global coalition for a 1.5°C world to save its poor and vulnerable population," the CSE said.

"Even at a little over 1.0°C warming, India is being battered by the worst climate extremes - it is clear that the situation at 1.5°C is going to worsen. The new report from IPCC has served us a final warning that we must get our act together -- now and quickly," said Sunita Narain, Director General, CSE.

CSE Deputy Director General Chandra Bhushan said the report makes it clear that the impact of 1.5°C warming is greater than what was anticipated earlier.

Greenpeace, a non-governmental environmental organization, also expressed concern over India's vulnerability to climate change.

"India is one of the most vulnerable countries for extreme weather events due to climate change. The IPCC report points out how regions in India will be exposed to extreme heat waves," said Nandikesh Sivalingam, campaign manager, Greenpeace India.

"As per the report, climate change will significantly hamper GDPs of developing economies like India. India's long coastline is already dealing with the effects of sea level rise, which will increase if we fail to keep temperature rise below 1.5 Degree Celsius," he said

"The country’s current push towards electrification of transport has given us a unique opportunity to transform both, our electricity and transport systems. Energy transformation is on the horizon, from a major fossil fuel-powered economy, we are moving to a future powered by renewable energy. But for that to happen effectively, India needs to re-look at its investments on coal and oil," Sivalingam added.

To meet the 1.5-degree target, coal consumption would need to be cut by at least two thirds by 2030 and fall to almost zero in electricity production by 2050, Greenpeace said.

"Renewables would supply 70–85 per cent of electricity in 2050, with trends showing even higher potential. The report finds that the substantial improvement in solar, wind and electricity storage technologies could be a sign that a system transition has already started," it said in a statement.

Avoiding global climate chaos will require a major transformation of society and the world economy that is "unprecedented in scale," the IPCC said in its report that warns time is running out to avert a disaster.

At current levels of greenhouse gas emissions, the 1.5 C marker can be breached as early as 2030 and no later than mid-century, the UN's IPCC reported with "high confidence".

The US is the "biggest" obstacle to forming a global coalition to fight climate change and the world needs to unite against the "obstructive approach" of the US, the CSE said, while asserting that Paris Agreement and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) cannot be the only way ahead to address climate change.

"The world needs a 'Plan B' to address climate change. India must take the lead in forming a global coalition for a 1.5°C world to save its poor and vulnerable population," the CSE said.

"Even at a little over 1.0°C warming, India is being battered by the worst climate extremes - it is clear that the situation at 1.5°C is going to worsen. The new report from IPCC has served us a final warning that we must get our act together -- now and quickly," CSE Director General Sunita Narain said.

CSE's Deputy Director General Chandra Bhushan said the report makes it clear that the impact of 1.5°C warming is greater than what was anticipated earlier.

"Countries like India, with large populations dependent on the agricultural and fishery sectors, would be highly impacted," he said.

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

The CSE 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 to even 2.0°C.

(With inputs from agencies.)